Knife Making Courses

Knife making courses & experience days. Step into the forge, feel the heat and sparks fly, and I’ll guide you—safely and confidently—through forging your own blade from start to finish. I help people of all abilities in a fun and safe way. Come bash some metal & have some fun!

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Small groups • Real forge • Real Blades
British Artist Blacksmiths Association
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Heritage Crafts

Knife Making Courses

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Small group experiencesLimited places available

Fancy forging your own knife? These beginner-friendly days are relaxed, practical and often fully booked. I’ll walk you through it all — heat, hammer, grind — safely and confidentl

Trusted by People Who've Experienced It Firsthand

Real words from people who stepped into the forge.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Absolutely incredible experience. Mike is a brilliant teacher and the forge is amazing. Left with a knife I'm genuinely proud of.
James T.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Bought this as a gift for my husband — he hasn't stopped talking about it. The perfect present for someone who has everything.
David R.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I had zero experience and was a bit nervous, but the guidance was fantastic. Such a unique and memorable day.
Sarah M.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The atmosphere, the skill, the patience — everything was spot on. Already planning my next visit.
Emma L.
“You don’t watch this experience. You live it.”
Mike Gracia, Soulful Iron

Find Your Place at the Forge

Everyone arrives for a different reason: curiosity, a gift, a challenge, or a shared experience. Take a moment to see what brings you to the fire.

For Beginners & First - Timers

Step into the forge and learn the fundamentals of traditional blacksmithing: hands-on, beginner-friendly, and deeply satisfying.

For beginners & hobbyists

For Gift Buyers

A gift that's felt, not unwrapped. Real fire, real steel, and a memory that lasts far longer than things.

Perfect for gifting

For Custom Commissions

One-of-a-kind knives and ironwork, forged to order with care, skill, and intention.

Custom work

Groups & Teams

Unforgettable shared experiences for groups and couples. Creative, active, and perfect for birthdays, bachelor or bachelorette parties, and team building.

Groups & corporate

Explore the most popular experiences and gift options below.

Give an Unforgettable Experience

Not sure which date to choose? Our gift vouchers let them decide — delivered instantly and redeemable against any experience day.

Instant email delivery
Valid for 12 months
No date selection required
Ideal for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, or last-minute gifts.

How Your Experience Works

Choose your experience and date

Pick from our blacksmithing or knife making days

Join us at the forge in Stroud

We'll guide you through every step

Leave with something you made yourself

A piece forged by your own hands
No experience needed. All tools, materials, and expert guidance included.
Book an Experience

Real People. Real Creations.

The Soul Behind the Iron — Mike Gracia

Every course is hands-on, personal, and designed so anyone can create something meaningful — regardless of their experience level.

Soulful Iron was founded by Mike Gracia, a traditional blacksmith who believes craftsmanship should be experienced, not just observed.

Real forge. Real craft. Real guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the knife making experience?
Our knife making workshop runs from 10:30am to approximately 5pm. It’s a full day of hands-on knife forging where you’ll complete your own Viking-style blade from start to finish. If you need a little extra time to perfect your knife, we’re happy to stay a bit longer within reason.
Do I need any experience for the knife making class?
No experience necessary! Our knife forging experience is designed for complete beginners. Mike will guide you through every step of the process, from heating the steel in the forge to grinding the final edge. Whether you’ve never held a hammer before or you’re looking to learn traditional blade-making skills, you’ll be fully supported throughout the day.
What will I make in the knife making workshop?
You’ll forge a traditional Viking-style knife with a live, sharp edge. The knife is made from high carbon steel and properly heat treated and tempered for strength and durability. By the end of the day, you’ll walk away with a fully functional, custom-forged knife that you’ve created entirely by hand.
Where is the knife making course located?
Our knife making experience days take place at Soulful Iron’s forge in Slad, just outside Stroud in the heart of the Cotswolds (GL6 postcode). The forge is easily accessible with free parking available on site. We’re about a 10-minute drive from central Stroud.
What’s included in the knife making experience?
All materials, tools, and safety equipment are included in the price. This covers your high carbon steel stock, use of the forge, hammers, anvil, grinding equipment, and all PPE. Tea and coffee are provided throughout the day. You’ll take home the knife you’ve forged. We recommend bringing a packed lunch, or there’s a lovely cafe just a 5-minute walk away at Cherry Tree Farm Campsite.
Is knife making legal in the UK?

Yes. Making your own knife is legal in the UK. There’s no licence needed to forge, own or keep a knife you’ve made, provided it isn’t one of the banned types (flick knives, butterfly knives, zombie-style blades and similar).

The law tightens around three things instead: selling knives to under-18s, carrying a blade in public without good reason, and possessing one with intent to cause harm.

Can I take the knife home afterwards?

Yes, you take your knife home the same day. Transport it sensibly: wrapped or boxed, in the boot or a bag rather than on your person, and travel straight home.

Carrying a fixed-blade knife in public needs a “good reason”… bringing one home from a course you’ve just paid for is exactly that, but keeping it packed away is what makes it obvious. For example, don’t keep it in your pocket and go into a shop! Keep it locked in your boot, covered.

Can under-18s do a knife making course?

Our courses are open from age 11 upwards (or age 8 and up by arrangement), with an adult attending alongside.

Because it’s illegal to sell a knife to anyone under 18, the finished blade is handed to the accompanying adult at the end of the day, not to the young smith directly.

They still forge every part of it themselves, the adult is simply who it goes home with.

Where can I find a 2-day knife making course in London?

Most two day courses run in and around London and finish with a kitchen knife. Mine is a single full day in the Cotswolds at £225, and you leave with a finished, heat-treated blade rather than coming back for a second session.

It’s 1 hour 20 minutes direct from London Paddington to Stroud, then five minutes to the forge in Slad. The Cotswolds are a popular destination for Londoners to visit, too!

Knife Making & Blacksmithing Experience Days in the Cotswolds

Looking for an unforgettable blacksmithing or knife making experience in the Cotswolds? Myknife forging workshops offer hands-on learning in both blacksmithing and knife making at my working forge in Slad, just outside Stroud in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire. Ideal for complete beginners, my blacksmithing or knife making classes provide expert guidance in a small group setting (maximum 6 participants per workshop). On the Blacksmithing eperience, you’ll forge your own stylish hook, complete with twists, and a fire poker poker. On the knife making experience, you’ll forge a Viking-style knife from start to finish, learning centuries-old techniques. Unlike some knife making days, we’ll forge the knife out of high carbon steel, so your blade will be capable of keeping a proper edge. During your knife forging experience, you’ll master:

  • Traditional forge work with hammer, anvil and tongs
  • Shaping high carbon steel into a blade
  • Beveling and profiling techniques
  • Heat treatment and tempering for a razor-sharp edge
  • Grinding and finishing your custom knife

Each knife making experience runs for a full day (10:30am – approximately 5pm) and you’ll take home the Viking-style knife you’ve forged with your own hands.

Ready to Experience It Yourself?

Step into the forge, work with real fire and steel, and leave with something you made with your own hands.

Book a Blacksmithing Experience Buy a Gift Voucher

Further Info: Knife Making Courses in the Cotswolds

A knife making course at Soulful Iron is a full day in a real, working forge — not a classroom, not a kit. You’ll heat high carbon steel in the fire, hammer it into shape on the anvil, grind your bevels, heat treat and temper the blade, and walk away with a Viking-style knife that’s sharp, functional, and made entirely by your own hands.

What You’ll Do on the Course

The course runs 10:30am to approximately 5pm and takes you through every stage of the process:

  • Heat and shape your blade at the forge
  • Profile and grind your bevels
  • Heat treat and temper the steel for a lasting edge
  • Finish and sharpen your Viking-style knife

No experience needed. All materials, tools, and PPE are included — just show up.

A Real Blade, Not a Souvenir

Unlike many knife making workshops, every blade here is forged from solid high carbon steel. The edge you grind and temper is a real one — a knife that holds a proper edge and lasts a lifetime, not something that gets put in a drawer.

Where We Are

The forge is in Slad, just outside Stroud in the heart of the Cotswolds. Spaces are kept deliberately small, so you get hands-on instruction rather than a guided tour of someone else doing the work.

Looking for a Gift?

This is one of the most popular experience day gifts in the Cotswolds. Knife making course gift vouchers are available for instant delivery — valid for 12 months, with no date required at purchase.

Whether you’re treating yourself or someone else, this is a knife making course that stays with you long after the fire goes out.