Blacksmithing - an introduction to the forge

See course details, dates, costs, tutors & stories from students below

COURSE DETAILS

Award winning Rich Jones from Heat & Beat will guide you through the ancient skills of blacksmithing, learning the elementary techniques needed to form and forge steel.

Rich offers sessions of varying length, from a four hour taster day up to a full two days. On each of these courses you will make simple but beautifully crafted items for everyday use and a memory that will stay with you forever. Using hammers, traditional hand tools and a forge, you will learn about upsetting your metal and drawing it down, chiselling, doming and using the horn of your anvil to forge various shapes into your hot steel.

See course dates below for details of design options. These simple but challenging designs will give you plenty to learn.

DATES

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1-2 March 2025 - 2 days

Dragon fire poker or toasting fork

11-12 October - 2 days

Axe making - (not yet confirmed)

30 November 2025 - 1/2 day

Bottle openers or hanging basket bracket (am)

Wall hooks or Celtic swirl pendant (pm)

4 hour blacksmithing taster session (9am - 1pm or 1.30pm - 5.30pm)

Handforged hook made on balcksmithing course

COSTS

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1/2 day courses - 4 hour taster session

£120 (inclusive of materials)

Tea, coffee and cake included in your course price

2 day course - discounted to £250 including materials

Tea, coffee and simple lunch included in your course price

We also offer accommodation & evening meals

Click here to see what we offer

This course is aimed at adults, aged 18yrs + and is suitable for beginners to those with experience

YOUR TUTOR

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Rich Jones is an artist blacksmith from Heat & Beat in Dyserth, North Wales. His blacksmithing began in Llandudno & then Herefordshire College of Blacksmithing. On completing his studies, he did his Journeyman in Gdansk, Poland & later in France. He returned to an apprenticeship in Wales before setting up his own company in 2000.

Since establishing Heat & Beat, Rich has produced a huge range of work from public art commissions to bespoke gates, railing and restoration. The distinctive style of his work draws its inspiration from nature’s forms and shapes, which he combines with his love of geometric forms and structure.

His work can be seen at various well-known landmarks along the Clwydian Range in north Wales. These include an all-seeing crow perched on simple gate leading up to the iron-age fort of Castell Dinas Brân; and the benches and gates on Moel Famau, just a hill or two from Wernog Wood… and of course many more…

Details

Costs

Dates

Tutor

Stories from our students

We had a great time on the blacksmith course. I can’t believe we made something so beautiful. It was hard work for me but very rewarding and fascinating to see how the whole process transformed such a hard material into something beautiful and useful. Rich was a great teacher very knowledgeable, encouraging and guided us through the whole experience. Wernog Wood craft centre is a warm and welcoming, nurturing place and I would definitely recommend and would love to try some of the other courses too. Thanks to the team there for a fantastic weekend - Aillie

Ridiculously pleased with myself - thank you for an amazing experience. If you ever get the chance to do something at Wernog Wood - do it!

- Nicky

We had a fantastic two days supported by Rich who was patient, supportive and knowledgable.

Claire thank you for the organisation and delightful alfresco lunches.

We also met new friends from throughout North Wales and the South of England.

Diolch yn Fawr - Wendy

When Rich said we were going to make a poker like that we couldn't believe it, but we did. About 12 different processes of beating and twisting and pounding.

Thoroughly inspired by our tutor Rich. He had a way of skilfully tweaking and overseeing our work as we did it so that we produced a good quality item whilst feeling it was all our own work.