Making nails has been one the oldest forms of Blacksmithing for centuries. It is usually the first task of any apprentice to learn the basics skills necessary toward becoming a blacksmith.
This course does not require a lot of strength nor skill-set prior to the class. For these reasons it is the perfect starting lesson for those wanting to try their hand at some old fashioned Blacksmithing. This course will teach students the proper terms, techniques, and protocols required to successfully create usable nails. For anyone looking to get a basic understanding of Blacksmithing, this is the course for you.
About the Instructor: This class is taught by Kenneth of Fire & Brimstone Forge over the past year.
Age: there are no age restrictions to the class, however minors must be accompanied by an adult.
What to wear: At RMM, you must dress safely and appropriately. Arrive for class in all-natural fiber clothing (100% cotton), long pants, and closed-toe, closed-heel shoes with socks that protect up to the ankle. Long hair must be tied back. Nylon, polyester, spandex, or other synthetics are not allowed around machines, equipment, or processes that can produce hot fragments, sparks, or flames. Additional protective gear will be provided as needed.
Please review our Refund and Cancellation Policy.
This class will introduce the process of annealing and working nonferrous metals as opposed to ferrous or “iron bearing” metals. In the first half of class students will construct a steel cloak pin primarily using the forge and horn of the anvil with various forming techniques to create decorative twist and patterns to successfully form and fit two pieces together. In the second half of class students will construct a woven copper bracelet utilizing a torch to soften the metal in a process called “annealing” to easily form decorative twist and weave the metal. Students will be shown how to use tongs, measure, and cut their own metal. No prior classes or prerequisites are required to take this class.
About the Instructor: Class is taught by Kenneth of Fire & Brimstone Forge
Age: there are no age restrictions to the class. Minors must be accompanied by an adult
Cancellations: Please see our cancellation and rescheduling policy here.
**SPECIAL OFFER! Reduced price for first offering of this class at RMM** Registration for next offering will increase to $160/student.
In this project students will be tasked with the duty of making three separate pieces from a single piece of bar stock metal. The parts that will be fabricated include a decorative mounting bracket, the metal triangle, and a striker. This class will have an emphasis on measuring, cutting, and bending metal. No prior knowledge or prerequisites are required for this class.
This course does not require a lot of strength nor skill-set prior to the class. For these reasons it is a perfect starting lesson for those wanting to try their hand at some old fashioned Blacksmithing. This course will teach students the proper terms, techniques, and protocols required to successfully create usable nails. For anyone looking to get a basic understanding of Blacksmithing, this is the course for you.
This class demonstrates the effects heating and quenching metal can alter the molecular structure of the steel. One such effect is the ability to create harder steel that more effectively creates sparks when struck and that is less susceptible to dulling. In our case, students will transform a high carbon steel file into a flint striker, the harder steel and its properties are ideal for this project but it comes with the downside of becoming brittle and susceptible to cracking as it cools. This is an ideal project introducing the unique properties of harder specialty steels requiring special heat treatment and proper quenching in oil, a pre-cursor to the various steps repeated in making blades.
Task involved: (hammering, drawing/stretching, bending steel, quenching metal, temperature control, using tongs)
Prerequisites: We recommend you complete a beginner blacksmithing class such as Forging Nails prior to taking this class, or having previous experience.
Age: there are no age restrictions to the class. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Students will learn how to forge a knife out of a horseshoe by hot cutting and shaping. This is a wonderful class to learn hammer control and establishing bevels through hammer blows. In this class, tongs will be introduced so there might be a learning curve for those who have never used the tool before. Students will have to balance using tongs in one hand and hammering with the other to establish bevels and flatten the steel.
Age: there are no age restrictions to the class. minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Learn how to forge a knife out of a railroad spike
This is the perfect class to learn one of the basics of knives-making: balancing durability and hardness of the metal to make the perfect blade!
Students will utilize a high carbon railroad spike and learn methods that induce carbon into the metal while also learning how to temper in a process called normalization. The metal will then posses both features of a durable and hard metal that is ideal for knives.
As far as knives are concerned, the harder the steel, the better the edge, however, the harder edge makes for a brittle knife. A balance is needed between the soft flexible metal and the hard brittle metal to achieve a knife that will hold an edge without breaking. In this class more techniques for blade smithing will be covered, including various heat treatments, tapering, and tempering methods used to maximize strength with durability.
This class will involve the basic utilization of the forge and proper use of the tools to produce the basis for all blacksmiths points, scrolls, and twist. No previous knowledge is necessary for this course; as such, it makes a wonderful starting point for students wanting to learn more from blacksmithing. This class will introduce students to the fundamentals of blacksmithing such as terms, tools, and proper procedures. The techniques that will be learned in this class will lead to the production of a stake or garden skewer.
About the Instructor: This class is taught by Kenneth of Fire & Brimstone Forge.
A blacksmiths skill is not just rated on how fast or well-defined they can make pieces repetitively but how closely they can mimic each piece! Precision is key and the ability to recreate pieces over and over that visually match one another demonstrates the talent of a smith. From small pieces to large it is important to have continuity between pieces. In this class students will create S hooks with the goal to make each one they produce mimic the last with as little difference between them as possible.
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