This class is just what the title suggests: making a knife that is meant to be used  in the field or forest, for cooking or hunting. We will begin by hand-forging a blade of high-carbon steel and proceed to finish with files, sandpaper, and stones. Students will either forge or cast bolster and pommel fittings, and heat treatments of annealing, hardening, and tempering will be used to create a knife that is able to hold an edge while being tough enough to withstand use. We'll work with antler, wood, or bone for handling our custom, hand-made knives, ready to be used. Students are encouraged to bring their own special handle material, though the instructor will have plenty available. This class is appropriate for beginning and intermediate smiths.

Required Tools 

• Ear protection
• Eye protection
• Non-synthetic material clothing
• Leather gloves
• Note taking materials
• Handle material, i.e. antler, bone, or wood
• 8" half round file, medium to fine cut-6" flat file, medium to fine cut