Blacksmithing: Spiking It

Friday, May 3, 2024 - 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM 
Saturday, May 4, 2024 - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Tuition: $115  Materials: $30

You will experience the transformative process of heating rigid metal to a bright glow and shaping it into a useful tool! You will learn or review the basics of forge management and safety. Students will learn to use more advanced tools and techniques like drifting, riveting, basic grinding and tempering. You will learn how to make something out of a rail road spike like a hand forged railroad spike knife, or another project of your choice. The knife has a nice twisted handle that fits well in the hand with the blade 3 1/4" long and the overall length 8". 

Be prepared to have fun! 

This class is accessible to those that have previous forging experience and already know the basics.

Students need to wear rugged, non-synthetic clothing and tough boots. The Folk School does provide aprons, safety glasses and earplugs, but do bring your own safety equipment if you have it. You can bring your own bag lunch including something to cook over our charcoal fires or order in from nearby restaurants.

About the Instructors: The Forging Community is a Duluth-based blacksmith collective offering classes and custom metalwork on London Road. Forging Community exists to educate, to the best of our abilities, the general public about the art and craft of metalsmithing. They will teach all who wish to learn and practice the craft with us, deepening and broadening our knowledge of the art, thus ensuring the survival and sustainability of metalsmithing into the future.