Overview
Two-Day Knife Making — Traditional Forged Knife
A two-day immersive knife making course, allowing time for design, forging, heat treatment, and full finishing of a handmade knife using traditional methods.
This course offers greater depth and freedom than the one-day option, with scope to develop your own blade shape and leave with a fully finished knife at the end of the second day.
Day One — Forging & Heat Treatment You’ll arrive at the forge at 10am and begin with a welcome, safety briefing, and introduction to the tools, fires, and materials. Together with the blacksmith, you’ll agree the design of your knife — including blade shape, size, and tang configuration — within practical limits for the time available. You’ll light and manage a traditional forging fire using hand-blown bellows, learning to control heat and work efficiently at the anvil. Your blade is forged from carbon steel, drawing out the tip, shaping the profile, forging the bevels, and forming the tang. Traditional hand tools, including flatters and fullers, are used to refine the shape and control the movement of the metal. Once forged, the blade is prepared for heat treatment. Using hand-powered grinding wheels, wet stones, and files, you’ll refine the profile and bevels ready for hardening. Heat treatment is carried out using traditional methods only. Temperature is judged by eye, magnetic properties of the steel, and temper colours before quenching in oil. There are no kiln ovens or digital controls — the process relies on observation and experience. If needed, final tempering may be completed overnight to ensure the blade is properly treated.
Day Two — Handling & Finishing The second day focuses on fitting and finishing your knife. You’ll select handle materials and fit full-tang handle scales, which are glued and pinned in place with brass pins. The handle is then shaped entirely by hand using files and abrasives, refined for comfort, balance, and feel. Final blade refinement and sharpening are completed using traditional wet stones, bringing the knife to a finished, usable edge. By the end of the second day, your knife is complete and ready to take home — a functional tool shaped by your own hands.
Who it’s for
How this differs from the One-Day Knife Making course The two-day course allows time for:
What’s included
What to wear & bring
Day One — Forging & Heat Treatment You’ll arrive at the forge at 10am and begin with a welcome, safety briefing, and introduction to the tools, fires, and materials. Together with the blacksmith, you’ll agree the design of your knife — including blade shape, size, and tang configuration — within practical limits for the time available. You’ll light and manage a traditional forging fire using hand-blown bellows, learning to control heat and work efficiently at the anvil. Your blade is forged from carbon steel, drawing out the tip, shaping the profile, forging the bevels, and forming the tang. Traditional hand tools, including flatters and fullers, are used to refine the shape and control the movement of the metal. Once forged, the blade is prepared for heat treatment. Using hand-powered grinding wheels, wet stones, and files, you’ll refine the profile and bevels ready for hardening. Heat treatment is carried out using traditional methods only. Temperature is judged by eye, magnetic properties of the steel, and temper colours before quenching in oil. There are no kiln ovens or digital controls — the process relies on observation and experience. If needed, final tempering may be completed overnight to ensure the blade is properly treated.
Day Two — Handling & Finishing The second day focuses on fitting and finishing your knife. You’ll select handle materials and fit full-tang handle scales, which are glued and pinned in place with brass pins. The handle is then shaped entirely by hand using files and abrasives, refined for comfort, balance, and feel. Final blade refinement and sharpening are completed using traditional wet stones, bringing the knife to a finished, usable edge. By the end of the second day, your knife is complete and ready to take home — a functional tool shaped by your own hands.
Who it’s for
- Those seeking a deeper knife-making experience
- Participants wanting design freedom and a finished knife
- Anyone interested in traditional craft and hand-tool skills
How this differs from the One-Day Knife Making course The two-day course allows time for:
- Developing your own blade design
- Forging a full-tang knife
- Gluing and pinning handle scales
- Completing all shaping and finishing during the course
What’s included
- All forging tools and safety equipment (excluding footwear)
- Carbon steel and handle materials
- Expert tuition in a small-group setting
- Tea, coffee and water
What to wear & bring
- Long sleeves and long trousers (cotton or denim recommended)
- Sturdy boots (no open-toe footwear)
- Warm layers
- Lunch and snacks for both days
- Long hair must be tied back
Please speak to your doctor before booking if you have concerns about physical activity.
Knife Making Courses — At a Glance
One-Day Knife Making
Choosing the right course The one-day course is a focused introduction, ideal if you want to experience traditional knife making without a longer time commitment.
Choosing the right course The one-day course is a focused introduction, ideal if you want to experience traditional knife making without a longer time commitment.
- Simple forged blade
- Hidden tang construction
- Burnt-in handle blank (finished at home)
- Traditional forging, shaping, and heat treatment
- Ideal introduction to knife making
- Fully finished knife
- Full-tang construction
- Handle scales glued and pinned
- Greater freedom in blade shape and design
- Traditional forging, heat treatment, and hand finishing
- Completed during the course
Choosing the right course The one-day course is a focused introduction, ideal if you want to experience traditional knife making without a longer time commitment.
The two-day course offers more time, more control, and a fully finished knife, making it better suited to those wanting a deeper, more immersive experience.
One-Day Knife Making
- Simple forged blade
- Hidden tang construction
- Burnt-in handle blank (finished at home)
- Traditional forging, shaping, and heat treatment
- Ideal introduction to knife making
- Fully finished knife
- Full-tang construction
- Handle scales glued and pinned
- Greater freedom in blade shape and design
- Traditional forging, heat treatment, and hand finishing
- Completed during the course
Choosing the right course The one-day course is a focused introduction, ideal if you want to experience traditional knife making without a longer time commitment.
The two-day course offers more time, more control, and a fully finished knife, making it better suited to those wanting a deeper, more immersive experience.