Knife Making


Campfire Cooking

Private Classes

Private Classes

Broken Hammer Forge also offers private lessons year round, weekends and weekdays. Our posted class schedule may not fit your schedule or you may have some training already and wish to learn specific skills not covered in our regular classes. You may have a child who wishes to learn blacksmithing but is too young to keep up with regular courses. Whatever the reason there are options for private lessons.

The first option is for the person who wants to take one of our regular classes but our posted times do not work for them. If you can get together a group of 4 - 6 friends I may be able to open a weekend that will work for your schedule.

The second option is the one on one private lesson. These are done on an hourly rate of $65/hour for one student, or an additional $30/hour for each additional student ($65/hr for 1, $95/hr for 2, $125/hr for 3). This price includes tools and materials. However, there may be additional cost if special materials are required, such as specialized steel or handle material. We can work on whatever you want as long I know how. Private classes are a good option for a younger child (generally speaking that would be 13 and under) who is not yet old enough for the regular classes, since we can modify the class to his or her capabilities. Please note that for all minors a parent must be present during the class. The parent can also participate for the additional fee or simply observe free of charge. If class time runs for a full day please bring a bag lunch or money for food. We have an Italian carry-out restaurant near us.

The last option is the knife class. Handmade knives are very popular and we offer several options depending on what you are interested in. Below are the three main types we offer depending on how much time you are willing to spend. Classes are billed at the normal private rate and will thus vary slightly depending on details and skill level which affect how long a class will take. Also any of the blades can have a rustic or polished finish. The rustic finish is a natural black oxide that forms as the blade is forged. This is similar to the black finish on a cast iron pan. This version saves time and hides hammer flaws. The polished finish is obvious but does take more time. Also we can not guarantee a perfect end result given that mistrikes with the hammer (completely normal for beginners) can leave dents too deep to grind out, resulting in potential dark spots. Most students who opt for this want the polished look and don't mind a few flaws.

The first option for a knife class takes about 4 - 5 hours and involves making a single edged knife with a simple handle; either an integral handle or a solid tang with paracord wrap. Blade length runs around six inches. This is usually the best option for a teen. If you have a younger student (9-12 range) we can simplify the integral handled version to only take 2 - 3 hours and be less physically demanding.

The second option takes around 7 - 8 hours and has wooden scales (slabs of wood glued and pinned together) with a full tang handle. This is the most common version seen on the TV show. Please note that the exact blade profile does not change the time. So a bowie style, seax or tonto (to name a few examples) would all take about the same time. Blade length runs around 4 - 7 inches long. If you want something significantly longer then we may need to look at a weekend version.

The third option takes a full weekend and is intended for either longer blades that will need to use the heat treating kiln or a more advanced version involving a guard, pommel and through tang - the classic design for many European or Asian blades. Exact cost will depend on the design you are interested in.

From here we can always run more advanced lessons if someone is able; such as swords or damascus. But these should only be attempted after the fundamentals have been covered. Please note that while we make every effort for someone to go home with a finished blade they are proud of, mistakes can happen and blades can be ruined. Even the professionals on Forged in Fire don't get it right every time.