Description
Our bladesmithing classes offered cover everything from the absolute fundamentals to intricate detail.
We are offer various levels of classes mainly focused on the forging aspects to creating a blade. For many years we’ve taught bladesmithing at various workshops through a variety of partnerships.
The curriculum we now offer are the best components from all those experiences offered at various levels.
What to expect:
Our classes are intended as intensive and very personalized experiences. We host a maximum of two students per class. You will typically be working with a gas forge and a combination of tooling dictated by individual student level of prior experience. Power hammer use is only available to students in our Damascus Class or above.
Classes begin at 9am and end at 5pm, please be on time.
The teaching philosophy at Origin Blades is a borrowed one. “We will flood you with more information and firsthand experience than you could possibly retain, so that you have the opportunity to retain as much possible.” as said by Uri Hofi.
What to bring:
We require students to bring or buy their own blacksmithing hammer, even if our class experience is your first time forging.
In bladesmithing a forging hammer is the most intimate tool you will develop a relationship with and where your understanding of this work should begin. There are many different patterns to these hammers, varied by function, form and culturally specific. Understanding this better by finding your hammer is a great place to start your bladesmithing journey.
Just to provide some guidance, regardless of the style hammer you’re partial to, a 3lb hammer is probably about the weight you want as your first hammer. You’ll see why about 2 hours into the first day.
For those that already have their hammers, you are required to bring them to use in your class. Using the one tool most familiar to you will bring additional benefits in being able to retain your experience when applying it at home.
When we have student hammers available for purchase, we will update this page with that option.
As a suggested option, French pattern hammers can often be found here. You are also encouraged to have your hammer custom made here or here.
Here is the complete list of things to bring:
- Forging Hammer
- Water Bottle
- Safety Gloves – Kevlar is best, but the real goal is to use no gloves at all.
- Safety Glasses
- Ear Protection
- Steel-toe shoes
- As much as possible, wear cotton clothing; synthetic materials tend to melt into the skin.
- Lunch and snacks
Work Safety:
Working safely is our priority. If we deem that you are not working safely or not following the safety protocols discussed at the start of class, we reserve the right to end your class without refund. The potential for injury is very high in bladesmithing when you take lazy precautions and/or do not remain properly focused on the task at hand.
Accommodation:
For those travelling to take our class, we are approximately a 50 minute drive from Quebec City in the province of Quebec, Canada. There are plenty of interesting options in Quebec city and the drive is reasonable to our workshop. For those that want a shorter drive, closer options are also easy to find. Our location is in a small village named Saint Patrice de Beaurivage, Quebec. Our precise address will be automatically sent to all registered students.
Prerequisite:
The prerequisite discussed below is essential to have before registering for any of our classes.
We heavily encourage you to take an introductory blacksmithing course covering the 5 fundamentals to the art of forging.
There are plenty of blacksmithing classes offered these days because of the resurgence in popularity of working at the forge, but not all are equal.
It’s important to do your research to find the best teacher available to you, which might often require you to travel. Key things to look for in taking a class is to find a teacher who is a recognized full-time professional in the trade with a history of teaching and producing good results for students. It’s a buyer beware market, many who teach really shouldn’t be.
In Canada, we recommend two options for getting a real foundation in blacksmithing before taking any of our classes. These guys also offer some bladesmithing class options, but our curriculum is more extensive because of the depth in our specialization.
- THAK Ironworks – Robb Martin
- Front Step Forge – Shawn Cunningham
For anyone in the US looking for a blacksmithing foundation we recommend you evaluate opportunities with the same critical eye described above. A good place to start that research would be the ABANA organization.
1 Day Origin Blades Prerequisite Class Option:
If you cannot afford or travel to a reputable introduction to blacksmithing class, we do offer a one-day introduction to bladesmithing as an alternative.
This option is required for anyone who has never worked at the forge, but it does not replace the benefit you would get from a dedicated blacksmithing introduction class. This class is an expedited introduction to technique, tooling and safety specific to our workshop environment for bladesmithing.
Our prerequisite class is a one-day class offered on Saturday only, 9am to 5pm.
The cost for this class is $300.
2 Day Bladesmithing Introduction:
Prerequisite: The prerequisite for this class is taking an introductory blacksmithing class or taking our 1 Day Prerequisite Class.
This class is intended for students who have never tried bladesmithing or have very little experience.
The morning will begin with an overview of design fundamentals and in very little time you will design the blade that you will forge. This is an absolute crucial step both in solving issues ahead of time and having a goal to aim for while forging. We will guide and provide feedback on your designs, but generally we don’t limit what people want to attempt, except to say you will be working with enough material for a 6-9″ blade. Culinary knives are not recommended as a design choice for people at this level of bladesmithing.
Over the course of 2 days you will forge your blade, apply heat treatment and beginning the process of putting a final edge on the blade.
The goal is for students in this class to finish with a blade they can complete at home.
Our 2 Day Bladesmithing Introduction class is Saturday & Sunday, 9am to 5pm.
The cost for this class is $600.
2 Day Pattern Welding Damascus Introduction:
Prerequisite: The prerequisite for this class is taking our 2 Day Bladesmithing Introduction or proof of equivalent experience.
This class is intended for students who have forged knifes already and now want develop their pattern welding skills.
You will start this class by selecting and preparing the steel for the forge, which will include planning, cutting, cleaning and stacking the steels into a billet. Power hammer work is part of this class, so if we decide students cannot adequately manage that work, we will do it for them.
For those that have never used a power hammer and wish to try, we will give you the opportunity. If we see you quickly grasp the fundamentals, you can continue using the tool during class as required. The power hammer is one of the most dangerous tools in the shop for both the user and the steel being processed with it. We do not take its use lightly and neither should you.
Achieving something interesting with pattern welded steels comes down to working at the right temperatures and making the right choices. By following a plan, but also being versatile enough to manage problems as they surface, you need to envision the inner layers being manipulated. In this class your choices will determine how your time is spent, at what point you’re done with the steps in the pattern and when you start moving it into a blade shape.
Over the course of 2 days you will forge a 3-4 step pattern welded billet, commonly referred to as Damascus.
The goal is for students in this class to finish with steel ready to be forged into blade shape.
Our 2 Day Pattern Welding Damascus Introduction is Saturday & Sunday, 9am to 5pm.
The cost for this class is $700.
2 Day Advanced Class:
Prerequisite: The prerequisite for this class is variable, but intended for experienced bladesmiths.
Registering for this class assumes you have contacted us with your request and we have agreed to it. Please contact us below if you haven’t already before purchasing this class.
This class is intended for students who have forged knifes already and now want to develop very specific capabilities which they have noted in our work through social media or otherwise. This could range from creating precious metal alloys and exploring patina to learning what’s involved in sharpening and restoration.
Send us your Advanced Class request and what date you were planning to attend in the contact form below. We will contact you directly with questions and/or confirmation. With our confirmation, you can then return to this page to purchase your spot in our calendar.
If for whatever reason we don’t feel qualified enough to share our knowledge on certain requests, we will try to refer you to a specialist willing to share his or her skills.
Over the course of 2 days we will work to the fill your brain and hands with new skills.
*Additional tooling and material may be required for students to purchase depending on the defined class.
Our 2 Day Advanced Class is Saturday & Sunday, 9am to 5pm.
The cost for this class is $800.
When it comes to bladesmithing, your best teachers will be the ones that show you how to learn from yourself.
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