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Peters Valley School of Craft

Beginner Bladesmithing

June 7 - June 11, 2024

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Beginner Bladesmithing

$880.00

Details Fee Breakdown:
Tuition: $770
Material Fee: $110

This workshop will provide an introduction to the wonderful and addictive world of hand-forging knives! Come learn how to forge and finish a full-tang utility knife and also form a Kydex sheath for safe storage and transport. All aspects of knifemaking will be covered, including shop safety, tools, hand forging, grinding, heat treatment, material selection and knife design theory. The blades will be forged from 1084 high-carbon steel, with a durable and comfortable stabilized wood or micarta handle. The sheathes will be thermoformed using durable Kydex material. Everyone should expect to complete a knife with a 3-4” blade and a custom sheath. This workshop is open to all – beginners will learn basic bladesmithing skills and more advanced participants will have the opportunity to hone their skills and learn new techniques. Hand-forging is hard work, so be prepared to break a sweat and maybe even get a blister on your hammer hand.

Workshops run from 9:00am to 5:00pm each day
Lunch is included for all participants

Level: Beginner and Beyond
Workshop Levels

Definitions of Skill Levels for Workshops

  • Beginner and Beyond: Introductory level course that presents basic knowledge of tools, materials and techniques and is geared towards first timers or those who want to improve and expand their technique. It takes time to build skills.
  • Advanced Beginner and Beyond: Instruction that assumes some familiarity with tools, materials and equipment. Includes reviews and builds on basic skill sets, allows for those with more experience to work at their own pace. Further development of fundamentals, participants have had at least one class or equivalent with professional instruction.
  • Intermediate: Course content that assumes a working knowledge of basic studio tools, materials and equipment necessary to accomplish the projects and techniques to be explored. Participants feel comfortable in the studio setting.
  • Intermediate to Advanced: Course content that requires a proficient working knowledge of studio tools, materials and equipment necessary to accomplish the projects and techniques to be explored in class.
  • Advanced: Assumes proficiency and advanced working knowledge of materials and studio tools and equipment so that the focus is on artistic narrative and/or technical development.
Type:
Ages: Adult

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ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Lisa Lofdahl

Lisa Lofdahl, of LLMetalworks, is a bladesmith, blacksmith and metalworker whose shop is located in Irvington, NJ. Lisa designs and creates custom pieces by hand, focusing primarily on kitchen knives and functional and decorative household fixtures and furnishings. Whether hand-forging a chef’s knife or fabricating a table base, she endeavors to incorporate sound design with purpose and function. Lisa enjoys employing traditional blacksmithing techniques, but is not a purist, and often mixes and matches old and new methods to find the right look for her clients. After careers in engineering and law, Lisa has been smithing and forging knives full time since 2015, and has expanded her skills under expert instructors at the New England School of Metalwork, Rochester Arc & Flame Center, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and various hammer-ins and conferences. Lisa has given private lessons in her shop and has been a technical assistant for other instructors. More information and portfolio photos may be found at LLMetalworks.com, and at Flickr, Instagram and Facebook under LLMetalworks.

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