If someone enquires

WHAT IS A ONE DAY TASTER COURSE ?

It is an ideal opportunity to have a "hands on" experience of blacksmithing under the experienced guidance of one of our tutors.

Many who wish to start blacksmithing are not aware of what is involved, our one day taster course will introduce the workings of the forge, and give the opportunity to try the experience to see if it lives up to expectations. It also gives a practical introduction to the basic tools needed and how to use them.

A typical course will start with the tutor showing samples of the items they will be making.

Then they will explain the points of the anvil, lighting the forge, and then demonstrate the forging and drawing down of a simple point, a basic and necessary skill of the blacksmith, the students will then make their own under the guidance of the tutor.

After this is successfully completed by the students, the tutor will demonstrate and develop further skills, producing a forged scrolled end, forming a shepherds crook and a right angled bend.

And before they realize it they have successfully made a useful item ! A Barbecue Butler

The procedure is then repeated with more skills being shown and developed on another useful item, usually a BBQ Fork.

Skills learnt include lighting the forge, use of hammer and anvil, marking out, drawing down, spreading, bending, simple scrolling, half blows and drawing down to a taper, turning an eye, splitting and tapering, forming forks, twisting and applying a finish.

The course is designed to give participants a confidence building experience, and hopefully to awake a desire to take further course, other items may also be made on the course.