Classes and Open Forge Calendar

Bridgetown Forge offers a variety of classes, for both a novice and the experienced smith: forging Japanese-style knives, tool-making, tong-making, and basic smithing. Heat-treatment, steel selection, and metallurgy are also extensively covered. Hofi’s ergonomic forging method, which allows for fast, accurate forging with reduced effort, is taught throughout, and the emphasis is on practical, straightforward, and effective shaping of steel. Our shop is well-equipped with multiple forging hammers, extensive grinding and polishing setup, gas and coke forges, and an individual forging station for every student. Nine students can be fully accommodated in any class.

New classes are being developed on a continuous basis, and classes to be offered in near future include: power hammer work, forging a cleaver, forging a sushi knife, hammer-making, and axe-making. The goal is to offer a complete curriculum covering the many different skills of a blacksmith.

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CLASS: Forging a Sushi Knife

January 3 - January 4

Take a class to learn how to make a sushi knife

Saturday and Sunday
8am – 3pm

The traditional Japanese sushi knife is constructed of two layers of steel — a soft, low-carbon body fused to a very hard, high carbon cutting edge. The result is a blade of truly awesome sharpness, as the soft body allows the cutting edge to be much harder than a conventional knife, while providing the necessary toughness for top-notch performance. An additional advantage is that since the body of the knife is made from a relatively soft material, it’s very easy to sharpen by hand. As form follows function, a tremendously pleasing shape emerges, known in Japanese as yanagi-ba (willow leaf). This type of knife performs extremely well not only on fish, but is terrific for tasks like slicing a roast or butterflying chicken breast. We will forge-weld the carbon steel to the softer body, forge the knife to shape, and heat-treat it. As in all other classes, the knife is yours to take home.

Please Note: Some forging experience is recommended for this class.

The total class fee is $580.

The class is limited to 8 students. 

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Details

Venue