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1 Day Blacksmithing Experience

  • Location Bideford
  • Price from £150.00

Highlights

This course is an exciting, day long, introduction to blacksmithing, perfect for beginners and those with experience, where you’ll make multiple keepsakes to take home with you. Try your hand at the anvil, pump the bellows and get the fire roaring as you practice the ancient craft of the blacksmith.

5% Discount when booking for 2 
10% Discount when booking for 4... applied at checkout.

WHAT YOU’LL DO 
The Forge - We’re not at the pub just yet… 
Upon arrival, you’ll be met by the instructing smith who’ll give you a tour of the forge, provide tea, and coffee, and give the safety brief. The next step will be to discuss what you will be making during the day. As this is an Experience Day - we have designed the projects to give you the best Blacksmithing experience we can, building up your skills, by touching on as many techniques as possible throughout the day.  This will leave you with a broad understanding of what a blacksmith can do.    This could be anything from bottle openers and letter openers to forks and pokers, even jewellery is within your grasp. 

You Twisted Fire Starter
After the plan has been made, it’s time to man the bellows and start the fires. You’ll be taught how to properly maintain and control the raging blaze, enabling you to heat and forge the steel. You’ll gain an understanding of how the bellows function, the teamwork required to keep the forges lit, and how the fire functions as well as the history of blacksmithing and its impact on the world. 

Let the Hammer Fall
The first challenge you’ll embark upon will be to make a bottle opener, one of the most universally useful items there is… because it opens bottles! During this challenge, you’ll be taught the basic practices and techniques of forging, equipping you with the fundamental skills and knowledge needed to forge almost anything. Having completed your very own bottle opener and applying the beeswax finish, you’ll move on to the next project of your choice, continuing to learn and progress. 

The Bellowing Belly 
It’s no fun working on an empty stomach, so we’ll have an hour to rest and eat. Though if you’re really keen, lunch can be eaten on the go. Be sure to bring plenty of food as you’re sure to work up and appetite. 

Visit our Shop
We now have an organic SHOP on-site, next to The Smithy, that sells cold drinks and snacks as well as forged items and artwork in the Gallery section.

Flash! Ahhhhhh!
The final job of the day, when you’re dirty, sweaty, and tired, is to jump in-front of the camera and show off your hard work to the world! Because if you didn’t catch it on camera, it didn’t really happen. However, unlike most experiences, you get to leave with your masterpieces to treasure forever. 

WHAT YOU CAN MAKE • We vary the projects day-to-day depending on the customers we are teaching that day.  The day's course may include any of the following: Bottle Opener • Letter Knife • Blacksmiths Knife • Hooks • Key Ring • Small Flower • Toasting Fork • Pokers • Pendants • Hair Pins • Bracelets/Bangles •

GUIDELINES 
Working at the anvil is physically demanding and comes with some risks; blisters and burns being foremost among them. Please seek advice from your doctor before booking if you are unsure. To minimise the risk of injury please dress accordingly, long sleeves are advised, long trousers and work boots are a must. Please try to avoid synthetic clothing, we recommend cotton-based materials like denim. Open-toed footwear is not allowed in the forge. Leather, safety, work, or hiking boots are strongly advised. And please ensure you can tie long hair back from your face. The forge can be cold in winter despite the fires, therefore please check the weather before setting off and bring warm clothing if necessary.
 
Inclusions
What's Included
🍴 Food - Biscuits and cake
🥤 Drink - Tea, coffee and water
🧰 Equipment - All forging equipment and PPE is provided, bar footwear. Please ensue you are wearing sturdy boots.
 
What you'll need
🧤 Warm Clothing - The forge can get cold, bring layers to stay warm when away from the fires.
🍴 Food - Lunch and Snacks
🥤 Drink - Water bottle or any other beverage of choice.

Make this experience your own: Contact us

Cancellations

Moderate Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 30 days before the activity is scheduled to start.

Location

Bideford

Provider

Profile image for Old Pound Smithy

Old Pound Smithy

Prepare to walk into a world of bulging leather bellows feeding raging fires; steel, glowing red and orange; sparks popping from the cold fa...

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