Knife Making

Real bladesmithing instruction at every level.

Most “1-day knife classes” oversell what's possible in a day. This page lays out what each tier actually delivers, so you book the class that matches the knife you actually want to make.

What this is

Knifemaking is a craft I apprenticed in for years before I made my first finished blade. The work splits into clear stages — forging the rough shape, grinding the geometry, heat treating the steel, fitting a handle, sharpening, finishing — and each stage rewards real time and attention.

A single day can produce a basic working knife. A weekend can produce a properly finished one. A multi-session course can teach you the skills to keep making knives on your own. The right class is the one that matches what you actually want to walk away with.

Pick the tier that fits.

Tier 1: Forged Blade Workshop

4 hours · $200 per student · 1–2 students

Your first taste of bladesmithing. Take a piece of high-carbon stock from raw to a forged, profiled blade shape. You'll learn drawing out, profile shaping, and the basic geometry of a knife. Walk out with a forged blade ready to be ground and heat treated.

What you take home · A forged blade blank, profiled but unground, untreated. Ready for a follow-up class or for a friend with a grinder.

Best for · Curious students who want to experience the forging part without committing to a full knife project. People who already have grinding capability and want a proper forged blank.

Tier 2: One-Day Viking Knife

Full day, 6–8 hours · $450 per student · 1–2 students

A basic working knife, made in a single day. Forged, ground, heat treated, sharpened, with an integral or wood-pinned handle. Not a gallery piece — a functional knife in the Viking or seax tradition, where the simplicity is the point.

What you take home · A functional knife. Useful in the field or in the kitchen. Honest work, not refined work.

Best for · Students who want a real finished knife in a day and understand that "finished in a day" means functional, not polished. Hunters, bushcrafters, working knife users.

Tier 3: Weekend Knife Intensive

2 days, 12–16 hours · $850 per student · 1–2 students

The shortest format that produces a properly finished knife. Day one: forge the blade and rough grind. Day two: heat treat, fine grind, fit handle scales, sharpen, finish. Lunch breaks both days. Bring food or use the decent options nearby.

What you take home · A finished, presentable knife with proper heat treatment, fitted scales, and a working edge. Something you'd give as a gift or carry as a tool.

Best for · People serious enough to want a real knife, not a "I made this in a day" novelty. Students who want to understand all the stages of the work, not just sample them.

Tier 4: Bladesmith Series

4–8 sessions, 2–3 hours each · $1,400 for the full course · 1 student

Real skill development. We work in shorter sessions over 4–8 weeks, with time between for the steel and your hands to settle. You'll forge multiple blades, learn from your mistakes, develop the muscle memory and judgment that single-session classes can't deliver.

Curriculum is shaped to your goals. Hunters get hunters' blades. Chefs get kitchen knives. People who want to forge tools for their own shop get tool-grade work. By the end of the series you'll have multiple finished knives and the skills to keep making them on your own.

Best for · Serious students who want real proficiency, not a single-class trophy. People considering bladesmithing as a long-term pursuit. Returning students from earlier tiers who want to go further.

Tier 5: Apprenticeship Track

Ongoing · By application

For students serious about becoming bladesmiths. Long-term relationship, regular sessions, custom curriculum tailored to your trajectory. This is how I learned the craft. It's how it's been passed down for centuries.

Apprenticeship isn't a class — it's a commitment from both of us. If you're interested, send a message describing where you are, what you've done, and what you're trying to build toward. We'll talk.

Not sure which tier fits?

Bladesmithing customers know what they want. If you're not sure which tier is right, send a message describing what you're hoping to make and I'll point you to the class that fits.

Logistics

LocationThe forge comes to you, or sessions can be hosted at a coordinated location.
Age16+ only.
What to wearClosed-toe leather shoes or boots. Cotton or denim pants and shirt. Sleeves you can roll. Long hair tied back. No synthetic fabrics.
What to bringA water bottle, lunch or snacks, and your full attention.

Investment summary

Forged Blade Workshop: $200 per student
One-Day Viking Knife: $450 per student
Weekend Knife Intensive: $850 per student
Bladesmith Series: $1,400 for the full course
Apprenticeship Track: by application

50% deposit reserves the date for single-session classes. Full payment due 7 days before. Series classes payable in full at start.

Inquire.

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