Blacksmithing

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.

Dates/Times

• Saturday, July 11, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Sunday, July 12, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Instructor: Matthew Parkinson

Member Tuition: $280.00
Non-Member Tuition: $320.00

Material Fee: $50.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.

In this three-day class students will create a hand forged high carbon steel kitchen knife with a wood handle. Forging, grinding, and sharpening skills will be covered.

Dates/Times

• Friday, April 24, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Saturday, April 25, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Sunday, April 26, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Instructor: Mace Vitale

Member Tuition: $405.00
Non-Member Tuition: $465.00

Material Fee: $75.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.

In this class students will forge a rose that will not wither using precut steel blanks. The project will include forging details and torch work with scrolling tongs to create a custom rose.

Dates/Times

• Sunday, March 22, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Instructor: Steve Gurzler

Member Tuition: $135.00
Non-Member Tuition: $155.00

Material Fee: $25.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.

In this course each student will get a chance to forge their own set of dividers based on 18th century designs. These tools would have traditionally been used to trace and chart out patterns as well as calculate size or distance. This is a helpful tool for any traditional wood or metal worker and would be an excellent additional to any tool chest. This class will involve forge welding and hand filing. It is recommended that students taking this course have some basic working knowledge of blacksmithing (how to operate a forge, using hand tools, etc.). Prior forge welding experience is not required.

Dates/Times

• Saturday, May 30, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Sunday, May 31, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Instructor: Lucas Novko

Member Tuition: $270.00
Non-Member Tuition: $310.00

Material Fee: $50.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.

Next to your hammer, the most important tool when working in the forge is your tongs! Properly made tongs will hold work securely and safely, making your forging experience more enjoyable. In this class you'll learn how to make flat jaw, bolt, and lip law tongs and if time allows perhaps more.

Dates/Times

• Friday, June 19, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Saturday, June 20, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Sunday, June 21, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Instructor: Dick Sargent

Member Tuition: $405.00
Non-Member Tuition: $465.00

Material Fee: $75.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.

Come learn fundamental forging techniques while making functional cooking utensils great for the BBQ or kitchen. In this beginner workshop we will explore both one piece forgings as well as two piece riveted construction. You will learn simple hand forging techniques at the anvil and food safe metal finishes.

Dates/Times

• Saturday, August 1, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Sunday, August 2, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Instructor: Ian McCarthy

Member Tuition: $270.00
Non-Member Tuition: $310.00

Material Fee: $50.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.

In this 2 day workshop, students will learn basic sheet metal forging and riveted construction. Starting with a steel disk, learn to shape a simple skillet body and forge a decorative riveted handle. Create a functional and decorative piece of cookware to last a lifetime!

Dates/Times

• Saturday, October 17, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Sunday, October 18, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Instructor: Ian McCarthy

Member Tuition: $270.00
Non-Member Tuition: $310.00

Material Fee: $50.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.

Taught by renowned instructor and winner of the History Channel's Forged in Fire, Mace Vitale. In this 5 day intensive, students will be free to explore the processes of forging, grinding, heat treat (using clay), and polishing of blades to bring out the unique hardening lines (Hamon) prevalent in this style. Students will be free to create and dive right into making blades at their own pace. This is an advanced class; students should have experience forging.

Dates/Times

• Thursday, October 8, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Friday, October 9, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Saturday, October 10, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Sunday, October 11, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Monday, October 12, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Instructor: Mace Vitale

Member Tuition: $675.00
Non-Member Tuition: $775.00

Material Fee: $125.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.

The National Curriculum offers a step-by-step progression through three levels of fundamental blacksmithing skills. Certification signifies that a smith has demonstrated mastery of a specific set of skills, increasing in complexity with each level: Level I (beginner), Level II (intermediate), Level III (advanced). Level I is the first level of the curriculum and is designed as a guide through beginning blacksmithing techniques. Starting with safety, Level I then moves into core skills and techniques, including tapering, bending, forging and heat-treating hand tools, punching and drifting, basic blacksmithing math, forging to dimension, forge-welding, and creating tenons. It culminates in a final project, the Gate Latch, designed to test the student on these skills. Upon completion of Level I, students will have confidence in the most essential blacksmithing skills and be able to forge a wide variety of projects. The program is designed to provide a solid foundation within the craft. To earn certification, the student needs to successfully complete the projects and techniques as outlined in the checklist in the Level I Student Packet. This is found on the website abana.org The checklist allows students and instructors to keep track of progress. ABANA will accept the recommendation from an Affiliate?s Education Program Chair or the judgment of a Certified Level I Instructor that qualifies a student as having passed Level I.

Dates/Times

• Saturday, July 18, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Sunday, July 19, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Monday, July 20, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Tuesday, July 21, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Wednesday, July 22, 2026 – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Instructor: Robert Menard

Member Tuition: $675.00
Non-Member Tuition: $775.00

Material Fee: $125.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.

Interested in blacksmithing but unsure how to start? Open Forge Night is the place for you! Every third Wednesday of the month during our blacksmithing season, come see demonstrations by expert blacksmith Steve Gurzler. Observing the demonstration is free and open to the public. If you want to try your hand at blacksmithing there is a $20 fee to cover the cost of materials. Safety precautions must be followed – including hard shoes with no open toes, long pants, goggles (supplied) and gloves (supplied).

Dates/Times

• Wednesday, April 15, 2026 – 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Instructor: Steve Gurzler

Member Tuition: $0.00
Non-Member Tuition: $0.00

Material Fee: $25.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.

Interested in blacksmithing but unsure how to start? Open Forge Night is the place for you! Every third Wednesday of the month during our blacksmithing season, come see demonstrations by expert blacksmith Steve Gurzler. Observing the demonstration is free and open to the public. If you want to try your hand at blacksmithing there is a $20 fee to cover the cost of materials. Safety precautions must be followed – including hard shoes with no open toes, long pants, goggles (supplied) and gloves (supplied).

Dates/Times

• Wednesday, August 19, 2026 – 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Instructor: Steve Gurzler

Member Tuition: $0.00
Non-Member Tuition: $0.00

Material Fee: $25.00 Included in fee shown on checkout page

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Hard shoes and long pants are required for student's safety.