I am offering classes in bladesmithing, jewelry making, casting & more. I have taught at many craft schools over the decades, including Shelburne Craft School, Peter’s Valley Craft School and the New England School of Metalworking, in addition to four years teaching local HS Art & Jewelry. I also hold a BFA in Jewelry & Metalsmithing from Maine College of Art.
Currently accommodating one-on-one, or two people who would like to learn together, but I am looking to expand into 4-5 stations for scheduled group classes. If you are traveling, Central Vermont has many great B&B’s, as well as Airbnb’s, and traditional hotels, all located very close by. During the warm weather, I also have a really great canvas 10 x 15 glamping tent for the adventurous, and we can grill a nice dinner, and enjoy the famed craft brews of Waterbury & Waitsfield.
Full day rates are $200 plus materials. I can teach weekdays or weekends. Classes listed below but open to tailoring to your skillset.
Inquire Here to get more information or sign up.
Intro to Bladesmithing: A full day including basic forging, blade shapes, grinding & heat treatment. Tailored to your skill levels & interests. $200 plus $50 for materials.
Intro to Pattern Welding: A full day including basic steel info, welding up and basic patterns. $200 plus $50 for materials.
Intro to Casting: Two full days covering the basic casting techniques of sand casting and lost wax casting. Note: lost wax casting requires another day to invest & burn out the model, so a weekend or two separate days is best. $400 plus $50 for materials.
Niello: Niello is an ancient inlay alloy of silver, copper, lead and sulphur. It has been used by everyone from Ancient Egypt, to Rome, Viking cultures, and still in a few modern places. It is suitable to gold and silver, or inlay / overlay on steel with care. I did my senior thesis in it at Maine College of Art and a feature demo with Arctic Fire. $200 for a full day plus $50 for materials.
Advanced Bladesmithing: Including more complex pattern welding, especially Viking / Migration Era constructions, and pieces up to sword length. Best as a weekend, or continuing study, at the usual rate of $200 a day plus materials.
Hearth Steel: Hearth steel is the art of refining scrap or bloom steel into higher carbon pucks, and was one ancient way of making steel out of iron. It can acquire a beautiful wrought grain texture, and is a nice addition to both ancient and modern bladesmithing. $200 for a full day plus $50 for materials.
Toolmaking: Including things like building a gas forge in the style I use, which is a forced air burner, which is switchable between upright bladesmithing forge and horizontal large piece / billet forge, or an ABANA modified Treadle Hammer (Note, you build it, you move it. LOL.) Price would be $200 / day plus materials, which would need to be tallied.
