Courses

Have you ever wondered how our ancestors produced sharpened tools of stone like axe heads, knife blades, and arrow points? Learn how flintknapping evolved and how to identify appropriate base materials from which you can produce a variety of sharpened stone tools. This class will introduce the basic techniques of…

Outfit your own blacksmithing tool chest while developing and refining your skills on the forge. In this course, you will create the set of tools needed to become a backyard blacksmith, while simultaneously learning the basics of blacksmithing. Initial tool projects will include tongs and fire-tending tools. Heat treatment, forging,…

Always wanted to try your hand at the forge? This is the place to start and continue to develop your blacksmithing skills. You will be introduced to the basic skills of the blacksmith including safety, fire control, tools and equipment in both a classroom and 'on the forge' setting. Student…

Popularized today by many historical re-enactors of the fur trade era, the throwing axe is a weapon that is deeply embedded in North American history. Akin to the hatchet it offers the ability to split and chop wood but is also designed to be used as a hand to hand…

Combining blacksmithing and jewelry-making, this course offers an opportunity for beginning and advanced students of any interest to develop their skills as they forge and craft a Damascus ring with a silver liner. Students will begin by forging a piece of damascus steel, a particularly beautiful and ornamental steel filled…

Highly prized for centuries for its uncanny strength, ability to hold an edge and distinctively beautiful swirling and flowing patterns, Damascus steel is art: forge welding at its finest as you combine different types of steel, forge them through fire and hammer into one solid billet. Like a baker uses…

The North House Blacksmith Shop excites the curiosity of adults and kids alike, as hammers pound, sparks fly and red hot metal becomes a fire poker, hook or other tool right before their eyes. Try your hand at the forge in this family class, as kids and adults work together…

Learn blacksmithing through making several small household items from the Viking age. This class will utilize traditional hand forging techniques to produce everyday iron items typical of those found in the archaeological record from 9th century Sweden. Over the course of three days, students will forge a cloak pin, a…

Ten centuries may have passed since the Viking age, but some things remain the same:  the components of knife-making: fire, steel, skilled knowledge and effort and the usefulness of a small pocket knife. This class will utilize traditional hand forging techniques to produce small Viking age knife blades typical of…

This course is intended is an extension of the Viking-Era Smelting course. Take your raw bloom the next step and make it into useable steel. Students will learn how to consolidate the bloom, fold it and forge weld it until it becomes a useable high carbon steel bar from which…

This class is just what the title suggests- making a knife that is meant to be used- in the garden or forest, for cooking or hunting. We will begin by hand-forging a blade of high-carbon steel, starting from round stock. With the blade forged to shape, we will do heat…

The “tollekniv” or whittling knife is a rich cultural tradition of Norway. In this class you will make a “hverdags kniv," a style of knife gets everyday use in the fields or forest. Women often like the “damekniv”, a smaller knife to use around the house. In this 2-day class…

Learn to forge the quintessential tool of the North woods and thrive in the art of bush craft. This tool packs big results in a little package. The size of this axe lends itself to be easily portaged yet has enough weight to handle any camp chore. This axe will…

We’re no stranger to taking materials back to the source: woodworking courses regularly head out to harvest birch; basket makers can be spotted in local ditches cutting willow, sweetgrass and cattail; and we even have the occasional sheep on campus for the fiber folk. But taking metalwork straight to the…

Learn the basic techniques and tools of blacksmithing in this intensive project-based class for women taught by a professional woman blacksmith. Students will explore the aspects of using fire as a tool, and will practice techniques such as tapering, spreading, twisting, punching, upsetting, shouldering, splitting and dishing. Students will leave…