PLEASE NOTE: Oregon governor’s office has allowed a partial opening of businesses, so Bridgetown Forge is pleased to announce the re-starting of smithing classes. However, to insure student’s and staff safety, we have introduced a series of measures to minimize the risk of transmission.
- All classes are limited to 4 students, to allow proper distancing.
- Students and staff will be wearing a face shield (supplied by Bridgetown Forge for the duration of the class) during active forging; face masks to be worn at all other times, if preferred. Please remember to bring your mask of choice; home-made masks are acceptable.
- Hand sanitizer will be supplied and its use encouraged; shared tools, if any, will be disinfected periodically.
- Door knobs, chairs and other frequently touched spots will be periodically sanitized.
- Open bay doors and windows and industrial fans will assure efficient and steady ventilation at all times.
- Students will be verbally screened via email for potential COVID-19 exposure 24 hours before class date, and again verbally before start of class, to minimize everyone’s chance or exposure.
We appreciate your understanding of the necessity to take these extra precautions during the ongoing pandemic
CLASS: Forging a Cleaver
Saturday, April 18, 2020
9 am – 4 pm
AND
Sunday, April 19, 2020
9 am – 4 pm
AND
Sunday, April 26, 2020
10 am – 1 pm (for finishing touches)
In this class, we will forge an 8-inch blade cleaver out of a bar of high-carbon steel, stamp it with your initials, harden and temper it to have a tough back and a hard, durable edge, attach a hickory handle to it and hone it to razor sharpness. This cleaver will feature a progressive bevel, which allows it to handle both tough jobs like cutting through bones, and yet makes it possible to easily slice ripe tomatoes and chop and dice vegetables. It’s weight and size are perfect for almost any task in the kitchen. In fact, a good, properly designed and forged cleaver is a wonderful tool to have in your kitchen — I’m still using the one I’ve inherited from my grandmother! This class incorporates both hand forging and the use of a power hammer, the latter being an exciting and crucial skill for any modern blacksmith. It is also a necessary procedure in this class, as the cleaver we will be making is quite substantial.
The class fees are $560, which includes all materials and safety supplies. The knife, and anything else you might make, are yours to take home with you.
The class is limited to 4 students for the close instruction needed. If attending the wrap-up class is a problem, please let me know, as there is an easy workaround for it.
