Knife Making Experience Day – Forge a Viking Style Knife!

Forge a Viking Style Knife – Knife Making Experience Day (Slad, Stroud, Cotswolds)

(Note: Experience day vouchers can also be purchased at the Stroud Farmer’s Market Stall most Saturdays – these are redeemable for any experience day. Just turn up to buy one, or email me or text/whatsapp on 07951 761 421)

Ever wanted to forge your own knife? Forge your very own Viking style knife at my forge in Slad, Stroud!

Viking Style Knife-Making Course

We’ll start the day with a hot drink and a relaxed chat about health & safety. Then, it’s off to the forge to get cracking forging your Viking style knife!

We’ll use a combination of hand hammers and a forging press, knives will be made out of a medium or high carbon steel, then properly heat treated & tempered. The goal is for you to leave with your own custom-forged Viking style knife, with a real, sharp, live edge!

Our small group size (maximum 6 participants) ensures you get plenty of one-on-one guidance from me. We’ll wrap up by 4:30 PM, but if you need a bit more time to complete your knife, we’ll happily stay a little longer (within reason!)

Come get hands-on with this ancient craft, enjoy the day, and walk away with a hand forged knife, handmade by YOU.

What You’ll Make On The Knife-Making Workshop

• A Viking-style knife forged from medium or high-carbon steel
• Properly heat-treated, hardened, tempered and sharpened
• A blade with a real, usable, sharp edge
• A one-of-a-kind piece, forged by YOU!

The type of knife we’ll be making is also known as a Blacksmith’s knife, and is a one-piece knife, meaning it’s forged from one billet of steel, with a forged metal handle.

What You’ll Learn In The Knife-Making Class

• Correct hammer technique, blade shaping and tapering
• How to forge bevels and establish a clean, functional blade profile
• Using both hand tools and a forging press
• Normalising cycles to strengthen and stabilise steel
• Hardening, quenching and tempering
• Sharpening on a combination of a belt sander and specialist knife sharpening jigs

What Does a Viking Knife Making Day Look Like?

Every day will vary slightly, but below is the layout of a typical day making a viking style knife:

Morning Session

• Meet & greet with hot drink
• Relaxed safety briefing
• Forge introduction and tool overview
• Beginning the forging process – heating, striking, shaping the blade
• Forging bevels, taper, and point

Afternoon Session

• Normalising and hardening your blade for strength
• Tempering for toughness
• Refining the profile, filing and removing scale
• Sanding and polishing
• Sharpening your knife to a live cutting edge
• Photos, finishing touches, and optional overrun for completion

IMPORTANT BITS IN SUMMARY

• We start at 10:30am
• Please bring a packed lunch
• Wear natural fibres if possible (polyester can melt! Cotton is good, wool likely too warm in summer!)
• The forge can be COLD in winter, so wear multiple layers, this way you can wear more or fewer layers during the day as needed.
• Leather aprons, goggles and gloves will be provided
• We aim to have fun forging things all day until around 4:30pm, but I can stay until 6pm if needed to help you finish

Who This Experience Is For

• Total beginners – no experience required
• People wanting a proper hands-on blacksmithing experience
• Bushcraft and outdoor skills enthusiasts
• Gift seekers (birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries)
• Anyone who wants to learn real Viking-style knife forging

Why Choose Soulful Iron

• Real forging in a real blacksmith’s workshop – not a tourist-style simulation
• Small group size of 6 maximum, for a  great instructor to student ratio
• A calm, relaxed and fun setting in the heart of the Cotswolds
• You go home with a genuinely functional knife you forged yourself

Gift Vouchers – The Perfect Experience Gift

• This is a unique gift for birthdays, Christmas, Father’s Day, anniversaries, etc.

• Vouchers are valid for 12 months and are delivered via email & can be downloaded as PDFs too.

Knife making gift experiences are an amazing gift for family or friends!

BUY KNIFE MAKING GIFT VOUCHER

Age & Safety Requirements

• Minimum age 11
• Ages 11 to 18 needs a guardian present
• Under 18’s can make a knife, but it will be handed to the guardian to take home.
• Participants must be comfortable standing and using a hammer
• All PPE supplied
• No prior forging experience needed

Location

Soulful Iron, Slad, Stroud – Cotswolds, Gloucestershire
Peaceful rural forge with free parking onsite.

BOOK NOW:

You can book a date below or book a knife making gift voucer, valid for 12 months here.

Viking Style Knife Making FAQs

Do I need any experience?

No. This course is designed for complete beginners.

Is the knife sharp?

Yes – you sharpen it yourself, with my guidance, during the final part of the course. Note that knife sharpening takes time to learn. If you struggle, I’ll happily help finish the sharpening for you

Can I book with a friend or partner?

Yes – pairs and groups of up to 6 are welcome! In fact, it’s GREAT fun to forge with family or friends.

Is it safe?

Yes. Full safety gear, guidance and supervision are provided. Whilst I have a relaxed teaching style, I am strict on safety.

Book Your Blacksmithing Experience

Choose your date below and secure your place. Small groups mean spaces fill quickly.