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Forging a Chef’s Knife

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

This class is taught by renowned instructor and the very first winner of History Channel's Forged in Fire, Matthew Parkinson. The chef's knife is the most used knife in almost any home. These iconic knives help to create meals for family and loved ones. Well-made kitchen knives can last a lifetime and this class will give you the opportunity to create one of your very own. In this two-day class students will make their own chef's knife from high carbon steel. All aspects of bladesmithing will be covered, from forging the blade to shaping, then heat treating, grinding and polishing, making and fitting a wooden handle and finally, sharpening - with very special attention given to the design and geometry of this kind of knife. This class is intended as an introductory bladesmithing class, but some forging experience is helpful.

Forging a Chef’s Knife

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

This class is taught by renowned instructor and the very first winner of History Channel's Forged in Fire, Matthew Parkinson. The chef's knife is the most used knife in almost any home. These iconic knives help to create meals for family and loved ones. Well-made kitchen knives can last a lifetime and this class will give you the opportunity to create one of your very own. In this two-day class students will make their own chef's knife from high carbon steel. All aspects of bladesmithing will be covered, from forging the blade to shaping, then heat treating, grinding and polishing, making and fitting a wooden handle and finally, sharpening - with very special attention given to the design and geometry of this kind of knife. This class is intended as an introductory bladesmithing class, but some forging experience is helpful.

Blacksmithing 101: Nail & Hook

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

This 4-hour class is ideal for the beginner blacksmith with little to no experience. We will start with the basics, and within the first hour students will be forging their own nails. From there, students will forge hooks with a decorative twist.

Blacksmithing 102A: Bottle Opener

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

This class follows the lessons learned in Blacksmithing 101. First students will use top tools and punches to make decorative faces. To make the bottle opener, students start with bar stock and will learn how to fuller, punch and drift, as well as work in a team with another smith.

Blacksmithing 102B: Using Jigs and Making Batches

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

Hooks are one of the most useful things a new blacksmith can make. Russ started off making them as practice pieces but found that they get used wherever they end up. They are used in many projects, and this makes them an excellent stepping stone for learning how to manufacture things in bulk. We will start by making hooks by hand with just the hammer and anvil. After that, students will use various tools and jigs to speed up production. The goal is to produce 5 matching hooks. This class is intended for students who have taken a 101 class and understand the basics of forging and how to manage a coal fire.

Blacksmithing 102C: Make Like a Tree

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

Nature has been a source of artistic inspiration for thousands of years. Leaves have been a part of decorative blacksmithing for a long time, and there are many different types of leaves one can make. This class is intended for students who have taken a basic/beginner class and who understand the basic techniques and concepts. We will start by making leaves with just the hammer and anvil, and then begin using tools like chisels and decorative punches.

Intro to Toolmaking

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

Blacksmiths have always made their own tools and it's a skill every smith should know. This class will work with carbon steel to make a punch and a chisel that will be hardened at the working end and soft at the striking end. Each student will leave with two usable tools and the understanding of how to create more.

Mortise and Tenon Construction

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

This class will focus on the proper making of mortise and tenon joinery for gate and railing construction. You'll make the tooling, punches, drifts, monkey tools and more. Special tools used by professional smiths to increase consistency of dimension will be shown and made. The secret of forging angled tenons easily and accurately will also be taught.

Mortise and Tenon Construction

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

This class will focus on the proper making of mortise and tenon joinery for gate and railing construction. You'll make the tooling, punches, drifts, monkey tools and more. Special tools used by professional smiths to increase consistency of dimension will be shown and made. The secret of forging angled tenons easily and accurately will also be taught.

Mortise and Tenon Construction

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

This class will focus on the proper making of mortise and tenon joinery for gate and railing construction. You'll make the tooling, punches, drifts, monkey tools and more. Special tools used by professional smiths to increase consistency of dimension will be shown and made. The secret of forging angled tenons easily and accurately will also be taught.

Mortise and Tenon Construction

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

This class will focus on the proper making of mortise and tenon joinery for gate and railing construction. You'll make the tooling, punches, drifts, monkey tools and more. Special tools used by professional smiths to increase consistency of dimension will be shown and made. The secret of forging angled tenons easily and accurately will also be taught.

Introduction to Traditional Joinery

Adirondack Folk School 51 Main St., Lake Luzerne, NY, United States

Take that next step in your blacksmithing journey by learning traditional joinery work. The project is a fun, simple forgiving project where students will learn several processes: traditional corners, collars, tenons, rivets, slitting/drifting, beveled scrolls, fish-tail scrolls and regular scrolls where you will also learn how to determine the lengths of steel required to achieve a finished dimension. Learning these processes will enable you to move forward to projects limited only by your imagination!

Join the Waiting List We are sorry, but this course is currently full. If space(s) become available, we will notify users in the order in which they requested to be added to the waiting list.