Beginner Level 1
Forge a railroad spike into a knife.
Heat, hammer, shape and finish a high-carbon railroad spike into a one-of-a-kind hand-forged knife.
From railway steel to finished blade.
Transform a high-carbon railroad spike through forging, filing, heat treatment and careful edge finishing.
Your finished project
A hand-forged railroad spike knife
Shape the handle and blade, create the bevels and plunge lines, harden and temper the steel, then hone the edge.
What you will learn.
Build practical forging skills while completing each stage of your knife with close instructor guidance.
Move hot steel safely
Use the forge, hammer and anvil to draw out the spike and establish the blade shape.
Upset and twist
Control the handle and blade proportions while adding forged character to your piece.
File bevels and plunge lines
Use hand files and a filing jig to refine the blade before heat treatment.
Harden, temper and hone
Heat treat the knife for durability, then strop and hone the edge to complete it.
CURRENT WORKSHOP
DATES AND TIMES.
Mark teaches this two-session workshop. New dates and exact times will appear here when the next schedule is released.
Mark Reeves
Meet Mark.
Guidance at the forge
Mark Reeves leads participants through safe forge use, hammer control, blade shaping and finishing. The small class size allows time for individual guidance at every stage.
Workshop details.
Beginner Level 1
No previous blacksmithing experience is required.
Age 16+
A parent or guardian must sign the waiver on the first day for participants under 18.
Materials included
The railroad spike, forge tools, workshop consumables and required safety equipment are included.
Location
NewMakeIt, 621 Timothy Street, Newmarket, Ontario.
Come workshop ready
Wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants made from natural fibres, plus closed-toe sturdy shoes, preferably leather. Secure long hair and avoid loose clothing or accessories. NewMakeIt provides the required safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection and other workshop PPE.
Ready to work at the forge?
The next two-session schedule will appear in the booking calendar above when registration opens.
Please review our class cancellation policy before registering.