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Beginner Blacksmithing: Decorative Hooks and More – June 28, 2025

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Learn some of the most utilized blacksmithing fundamentals from Joe Vachon (joetheblacksmith.com), a self-employed blacksmith and bladesmith since 2007, and the Season 6, Episode 27, Forged In Fire Champion, in this 1 day, hands-on course. Safety, body mechanics, tools, and the working properties of hot steel will be addressed, as well as various techniques, such as: tapering, scrolling, twisting, bending, drilling, punching, hot cutting, flat peening, upsetting, and shouldering. Students will start out practicing the basics with the forging of a few decorative hooks for the first half of the class. During the second half of the class, folks are welcome to practice making more hooks or create something of their choosing with their newfound skill-set, such as (but not limited to) a fire poker, meat turner, door handle, dinner bell, letter opener, necklace pendant, or an experimental piece.

What to wear/safety equipment :

-Cotton pants and long sleeved shirt (synthetics are potentially flammable).

-Leather boots (NO open toed sandals/shoes-tennis shoes are not recommended for safety). Make sure your pants fit over the tops of your boots so nothing hot can fall in.

-Safety glasses and ear plugs. Long hair must be tied back.

-Leather gloves to protect your hands and a notebook to take notes.

-Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated, and snacks if you want.

PLEASE PLAN TO ARRIVE 30 MINUTES BEFORE CLASS IS SCHEDULED SO EVERYONE CAN GET SET UP.

SELECT NUMBER OF TICKETS NEEDED THEN “GET TICKETS” 

Beginner Bladesmithing: Forging Knives to Shape-June 29, 2025

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Forge your own knife with simple tools with Joe Vachon (joetheblacksmith.com), a self-employed blacksmith and bladesmith since 2007, and Season 6, Episode 27, Forged in Fire Champion, in this 1 day, hands-on course.

In this class we will be exploring the rudimentary hammer techniques used, step by step, to forge a knife blade to shape from scrap steels with very little use of a grinder. This class is centered around the clever techniques of ancient smiths melded with the minimal help of modern tools. Research the “Neo-Tribal Bladesmithing” movement and “Tai Goo” for more info on this philosophy and methodology.

You can expect to learn how to forge a point on the end of a bar, flatten your blade to its final thickness with a distal taper, create a counter-bend, forge your bevels, shape an all-steel handle, clean up your work with a file and/or small grinder, heat treat by eye, and sharpen on a stone.

We will start by using mild steel for a practice knife, then move up to high carbon steel to help your progression as a novice smith. We will also inevitably be discussing and demonstrating what goes into proper heat treating and learn about various types of blade geometry and their applications.

What to wear/safety equipment :

-Cotton pants and long sleeved shirt (synthetics are potentially flammable).

-Leather boots (NO open toed sandals/shoes-tennis shoes are not recommended for safety). Make sure your pants fit over the tops of your boots so nothing hot can fall in.

-Safety glasses, ear plugs, and a dust mask. Long hair must be tied back.

-Leather gloves to protect your hands and a notebook to take notes.

-Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated, and snacks if you want.

PLEASE PLAN TO ARRIVE 30 MINUTES BEFORE CLASS IS SCHEDULED SO EVERYONE CAN GET SET UP.

 

SELECT NUMBER OF TICKETS NEEDED THEN “GET TICKETS” 

Hammer Making from Scrap Steel with Stephen McGehee (August 31st-September 2nd)

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Man in blacksmith shop making a hammer
Stephen McGhee at the forge

This is a new intermediate level class for the CCAC held at the Summit Blacksmithing Studio. The hammer is a fundamental tool for a blacksmith. Historically journeymen would show their knowledge and skill by making a hammer. In this intermediate level blacksmithing class, students will learn how to identify scrap steel with spark testing. Also, layout, punching and shaping of a hammer of their chosen style, as well as finishing, heat treating and putting a handle on the completed hammer.   Students will take home a completed hammer of their own making.

Classes Scheduled:

Friday August 31 through Sunday September 2nd 2024

Class fee: $350 (includes materials and expertise to make your own forging hammer)

Friday afternoon/evening:

Students have the option to meet at the Summit Campground and discuss ideas about the class, projects, & their experience. 

Saturday:

9 am class will start for a full day of blacksmithing 

Sunday: 

Students have the option to come and finish any details they didn’t get done on Saturday. 

Student experience level: Intermediate

Number of students: 4 – 6 max

More information and Register HERE! 

Monotype Nature Printing with a Gelli Plate 2-day Class with Anji Grainger

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Sign up through Eventbrite

Anji Grainger will teach you to use nature to create beautiful imprints on paper & other surfaces. A gel plate is a great way to make natural eco-prints & in this 2-day course, you learn ways to layer & build our natural prints. A strong emphasis in composition & design is included. Leaves, bark, flowers, grasses & feathers as well as bubble wrap, string & anything that leaves a pattern, all work well with this process.

Classes will be from 9:30 am to 3 pm Thursday and Friday. We will be looking at using nature to create beautiful imprints on paper and other surfaces. Included will be lots of tips and tricks to use when creating at home. We will have a lunch break each day.

The class is held at the Cascadia Center for Arts & Crafts which has an altitude of 3,914′, so be sure to bring a water bottle and a sweater!

Nature Printing Supply List

Items you need to bring:

One gel plate Any size will work but I recommend no smaller than 6” x 6”

• One piece of plexiglass slightly larger than the size of your plate

• Acrylic paint in tubes: various colors (you will need one tube of white and one tube of black)

• Brayer

• Palette knife

• Roll of paper towels

• A round watercolor brush – medium in size and a liner brush

• A few watercolor paints to add depth at the end.

• A water container

• Micron pens – white and black (optional)

• Fresh plant materials that you gather each morning from your garden or on a walk. This can be done each day before class. Note, wilted plants can be difficult to work with so fresh is better. Plants that work well:

• Grasses

• Leaves with lots of veins

• Flowers with flat or small centers

• Anything with lots of visual texture

• Other natural options:

• Flat stones

• Moss

• Feathers

• Two water containers

• Assorted papers and surfaces.

Paper Suggestions:

• Hot-press Watercolor paper

• Drawing paper

• Any smooth printing papers

Additional items you may want to bring:

•Tissue paper.  Any kind you might have lying around the house.  We will use this for patterning as well as lifting.

•Deli paper, if you have it.  I will have a small amount that I will bring, but I was thinking that some of you may like to make collage papers and deli paper works great.

•Plain copy paper – the kind you have in your printer.

If you have craft stamps and stencils at home, bring those.  We can build layers with stamps. Anything else lying around that you think might make a pattern.  Perhaps, think outside the box.

Blacksmith Demonstration

Darryl Nelson, third generation resident Blacksmith for Timberline Lodge, demonstrates and talks about his art.

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Cascadia Center For Arts & Crafts
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Rhododendron, Oregon 97049

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