We'll be making a smallish general use knife whose blade has a solid steel core and sides made of... something else (mild steel, wrought iron, purchased patternweld, the result from our Patternweld Billet class...), forged, annealed, filed and ground, hardened, tempered, and handled.
The student will have the choice of making the handle a pinned-slab full-tang or a whittle-tang.
We have some handle-wood, if there's something in particular you want to use, bring it.

Note: It should be expected that completion of the knife handle will require work done outside of class (Open Smithy at PHF, or in the Student's own workshop), our supply of woodworking tools is limited.

Gift Certificates for A San Mai Knife are available.

12 hours in 4 three hour sessions    dates&times

Instructor: Carl West
Fee: $500 per student
Maximum 4 students, one per forge

Please wear proper clothing for visiting or working in the forge:
closed toe shoes (preferably leather, preferably high-topped. Sneakers are sufficient, sandals, crocs, pumps, mules... are not), natural fiber clothing, long pants that cover the tops of the shoes.
Click here for more safety information.

Dates and Times:
If none of the dates below work for you (or are already full), we suggest you
Add yourself to the Notification List for this class.
(The notification list gets emailed soon after classes are put on the schedule.)

Weekly on Mondays, June 30 to July 21
6:30pm to 9:30pm
(2025)

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