Course - Kitchen Knife (Two Days)

Forge Your Very Own Kitchen Knife Over Two Consecutive Days

THE DAY YOU PICK WILL BE DAY ONE OF TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS

Spend two days at the forge designing, forging and finishing your very own kitchen knife.

From choosing your blade material and handle to forging the steel, heat treating, grinding and sharpening, you'll be involved in every stage of the process. With guidance throughout the experience, you'll transform raw materials into a completely unique kitchen knife designed and made by you.

Damascus steel and stabilised wood handles are also available as optional upgrades.

Itinerary:

Day 1

10:00am - Design & Safety

The day begins by choosing your blade and handle materials and deciding what style and shape of kitchen knife you'd like to create.

Once your design is decided, we'll give you a detailed safety demonstration covering everything you need to know to work safely in the forge.

10:30am - Forge Your Blade

We'll begin with a demonstration on how to hold and use a blacksmith's hammer correctly before you start forging your blade.

With guidance throughout, you'll forge the steel into the shape of your chosen knife design.

1:00pm - Lunch

Time for a well-earned lunch break.

2:00pm - Blade Profiling

After lunch, you'll move to the belt grinders to refine the profile of your blade, bringing your forged shape closer to your final design.

3:00pm - Heat Treatment

Finally, you'll heat treat your blade in the forge to achieve the appropriate hardness and prepare it for the next stages of the process.

Day 2

10:00am - Grinding the Bevel

Your second day begins with your blade ready for grinding. I'll give you a detailed demonstration on how to safely grind the bevels before giving you the time and guidance needed to develop them as far back as you want.

11:30am - Hand Sanding & Damascus Etching

Once the bevels are complete, you'll hand sand the blade to remove scratches and refine the finish.

If you have chosen Damascus steel, we'll then etch the blade to reveal its distinctive pattern.

12:30pm - Fitting the Handle

Now it's time to bring the knife together. You'll glue your blade and handle materials together before taking a well-earned lunch break.

2:00pm - Shape Your Handle

After lunch, you'll use the grinders to shape your handle, creating a comfortable fit that feels right in your hand.

3:00pm - Hand Sanding

Once the handle has been shaped, you'll hand sand it to achieve a smooth, refined finish.

4:00pm - Sharpen, Finish & Photograph

To finish the course, we'll sharpen your completed kitchen knife and make sure everything is ready for you to take home.

Then it's time for some final photographs of your finished knife - a piece you've designed, forged and finished yourself.

Important Information

Safety Equipment:

Leather aprons and safety goggles are provided and must be worn as instructed throughout the course. A full safety briefing will be given before the course begins and all participants must follow the safety instructions provided by the blacksmith.

Footwear:

For everyone’s safety, all students must wear flat, closed-toe shoes. Leather footwear is strongly preferred, and steel-toe shoes are recommended where possible.

High heels and open-toe footwear, including flip-flops and sandals, are strictly prohibited in the forge. Anyone arriving in unsuitable footwear will not be permitted to take part.

Looking for a Different Date?

Vouchers for this course are also available to purchase. They make a great gift for someone who would love to try their hand at knife making, or can be a flexible option if none of our upcoming course dates suit your schedule.

Purchase a voucher and contact us to arrange a course date that works for you, subject to availability.