Knifemaking Class?

Speedo66 · Aug 9, 2020

Local community art center is giving classes in knife making. You start with a rectangular strip of steel, and the plan is to end up with a knife, grips, and a kydex sheath.

The class consists of four weekly three hour sessions, they mention heating in a forge and hammering into shape. Class is limited to six students.

Knowing nothing about this, question is, is this enough time with the addition of making grips and sheath to actually learn anything worthwhile?

The cost is $180, does this seem like a reasonable price? Again, I have no knowledge in this area.

Thanks

hso · Aug 9, 2020

Speedo66 said:
is this enough time with the addition of making grips and sheath to actually learn anything worthwhile

We taught the ABS Youth Hammer-In over a long weekend of 18hrs (Half of Friday, 9-6 Saturday, 9-2 Sunday). The kids forged 2-4 knives depending upon how well they learned. They didn't grind or handle them beyond paracord wrap (those that were particularly talented might get scales on). They all paid close attention, but some didn't swing a hammer as well as others so they were slower, but every kid left with a knife they'd forged, we'd ground and sharpened, and that they'd cord wrapped.

I doubt you'll learn much about the sheath making in that time and handles might be little more than glued and pinned and rough shaped for you to refine later, but I know plenty of smiths that teach a basic rough forge and build session in a day.

damoc · Aug 12, 2020

Price seems fine for 4 3 hour sessions if you know nothing. But me and most of my blacksmith friends learned to forge a knife in a campfire with a bit of air provided by a small bellows or even a bit of lung pressure and that didn't cost anything.
Heat the steel and hammer it is that easy to begin learning.

Knifemaking Class?

Speedo66

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hso

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damoc

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