This course is designed for those who are interested in making their own tools in the woods using traditional techniques.
We'll be spending the weekend around the fire crafting various items for you to take away. You'll be getting your hands on the tools to craft these items to your own design under the watchful eye of our instructors. We aim to make a viking style neck knife which can be used as a flint striker, enabling you to prepare your fire and your meal with one handy tool. We will also be looking at making a mocotaugan or crooked knife, so you'll be able to craft spoons or Kuksas.
This course runs in Derbyshire and East Lothian
Course Registration
When you book a place on this course you will receive a confirmation email containing a link to our registration form so you can complete your details. We must be in receipt of these details as soon as possible after you have booked your place. You will need an order no. to complete the form.
This course is designed for those who are interested in making their own tools in the woods using traditional techniques.
We'll be spending the weekend around the fire crafting various items for you to take away. You'll be getting your hands on the tools to craft these items to your own design under the watchful eye of our instructors. We aim to make a viking style neck knife which can be used as a flint striker, enabling you to prepare your fire and your meal with one handy tool. We will also be looking at making a mocotaugan or crooked knife, so you'll be able to craft spoons or Kuksas.
Campfire Forging Weekend
Campfire Forging Weekend
Campfire Forging Weekend
Campfire Forging Weekend
Campfire Forging Weekend
Campfire Forging Weekend
Friday
After everyone arrives at the meeting point and introductions are made, the kit is slung on our backs, and we have a short walk into the woodland. Upon arrival at the expedition-style camp, your instructors will take the opportunity to outline the course structure, introduce you to the camp equipment, allowing you to settle into the woodland environment.
Next we will need to sort out our camp fire forges. This will involve siting your own fire, gathering the fuel and getting it lit. We will hand out your materials and you can then think about the sizes and shapes of your items. We will cover some important health and safety points, ready for a full day's forging on Saturday.
Saturday
Having had a hearty breakfast to fuel the day at head, you'll come into camp and we will get the fires re-lit. The instructors will show you the process, and then tools and equipment will be issued, and we can start to craft the items.
You will be the master of your own forge, controlling the temperature of the fire to ensure the material is workable. We will guide you through the satisfying process of turning a piece of steel into a useable tool that you'll be proud to own for years to come. Starting by drawing out the blade of your viking neck knife, getting the profile and thickness just right, we'll then work on the handle to give it that classic viking style curve. When you're happy with the shape, we'll allow the pieces to cool slowly, so that we can work on the bevels while the steel is still soft.
Knife shaped, bevels filed and finished, it's then time to harden and temper the blade to give it all the properties that a good cutting tool should have. Once this is done, you'll be left with your very own viking style neck knife.
Sunday
Sunday can be utilised to finish your neck knife if you need some extra time. We'll use the rest of our time to forge a crooked knife, whether that's the traditional mocotaugan or it's modern counterpart. These use a very similar process to the neck knife, but there's a finesse to achieving the desired curved edge. Having honed these skills on Saturday with your neck knife, you will have the confidence to produce this second tool.
We'll give you some pointers on how to make a handle for your crooked knife and you'll be able to complete that at home.
Both of these tools will be yours to take away, along with the information learned and the memories formed over this incredible weekend.
