In this class, students will create a hunting knife. Starting with a section of flat 1080 steel bar, the class will cover forging, grinding, heat treatment, handle fitment and finishing techniques. Students will leave with a finished, hidden tang blade ready to take home. There will be opportunities for additional forging as time allows. Beginner blacksmithing experience is recommended but not required.

Zach is a welder by trade with experience in a wide range of industries. Based in rural NY, he is an ABS bladesmith who creates custom, heirloom-quality, hand forged kitchen cutlery and edged tools. He strives to blend traditional and modern techniques and materials to create quality tools to be used for decades in the kitchen. After teaching welding for Monroe Community College and at the Arc + Flame Center for seven years, Zach now runs his own company where, in addition to blades, he manufactures tooling and machines for blacksmiths and metalworkers. He is passionate about collaborating with other local artisans, makers, and tradespeople. In his classes, Zach seeks to inspire students by sharing the functional artistry of modern bladesmithing. https://tarbellindustries.com/

Japan boasts some of the oldest wooden buildings on earth. Their longevity relies on intricate joinery that not only can withstand the years of elements, but are also reversible for inevitable repairs. In this weekend class Andrew will introduce students to the secrets behind these sophisticated joints. Student will learn principles that are applicable to both furniture makers and timber framers alike.

Each participant will cut their own Kanawa scarf joint entirely by hand. This intricate joint is a perfect exercise for getting started with Japanese joinery. Students will learn how to use centerlines and story sticks to make simple work of complex layouts and how to most efficiently use their hand tools to work to these lines. Andrew will demonstrate methods for getting tight fitting joinery every time.

Students are encouraged to bring their own Japanese tools to class. Andrew will offer feedback and assistance on getting them tuned and set up to work more efficiently. If you don’t have your own collection of Japanese tools (yet), no worries, bring what you have. Andrew will have a selection tools for students to try out as well as the well stocked collection of western tools provided by the school.

Class fee: $350

Materials fee: $25

Class size limited to 10

Andrew is a custom furniture maker working and living in New York’s Hudson Valley. Best known for his use of traditional Japanese hand tools, Andrew demonstrates and teaches across the country. As a self-taught woodworker, he offers a unique perspective to other Americans exploring Eastern woodworking. His workshops demonstrate that by understanding the fundamental principles behind other cultures’ tools and techniques, all woodworkers can benefit. A frequent contributor to Fine Woodworking magazine, he is eager to share what he has learned in his 25-plus years of making furniture. https://www.instagram.com/andrewhunter_furniture/

Erik will walk you through the design and construction of his textured wall hanging whiskey cabinet. The class will cover the ever important topic of grain selection and discuss what joinery is most appropriate—housed stub tenon, floating tenons, or sliding dovetails, for example—using a combination of simple machinery and hand tools. And of course we will cover how to compose and power carve a cabinet door. Finally, Erik will discuss his various finishing techniques and what makes the most sense in a professional shop as well as your home shop. Students will leave with both a beautiful cabinet for their favorite whiskey AND the confidence and necessary skills to take on a project of this caliber in their own shop!

Class fee: $900

Materials fee: $150

Class size limited to 10

Erik Curtis is an American woodworker, sculptor, and television personality. He attended the Nine-month Comprehensive at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in 2012 and has taught at schools around the country. His creative practice combines the sculptural with the functional in an attempt to blur the line between furniture and art. He also stars as the carpenter on Netflix’s "Instant Dream Home." www.encurtis.com.

There is no satisfaction like making something with tools that you've made. This workshop will focus on forging functional tools for use in the woodshop. Students will start by learning about appropriate steels and how to process them to bring out the desired qualities in hand tools such as durability, edge retention, and sharpenability. Students will then forge a large scorp for chairs an bowls and a some smaller scorps for detail carving. Tools will be forged, filed, and rough ground prior to heat treat. After heat treating tools will be finish ground and sharpened as time allows.

This class is open a to all experience levels but prior forging experience is recommended. This is an interactive, hands on course where you will be forging tough materials. Some project modifications may be made for those with less experience. Class will make use of hand and some power tools (grinders).

Class fee: $275

Materials fee: $50

Class size limited to 6

Brian took his first blacksmithing class in 2005 under local smith Richard Rightmyer to learn how to make his own woodworking tools. Captivated by the feel of hot metal under the hammer, Brian poured all his free time into advancing his smithing skills taking classes whenever he could. Brian began teaching blacksmithing and coppersmithing in 2012 and has demonstrated at many public events and conferences. Recently, he has focused on the art of copper chasing, finding the meticulous attention to detail it requires to be a form of meditation in motion. Brian is an electrical engineer by day and holds a 6th Degree black belt in Aikido. He finds many commonalities with the efficient body movements of martial arts and the proper ergonomics for blacksmithing and coppersmithing. Brian has blended the arts to create effective and safe hammering techniques for people of all sizes. s an engineer, he is fascinated by the science of blacksmithing, specifically the metallurgy that goes into tool making. He firmly believes that true learning happens when you are having fun.