Packaging Options
All orders are sent in plain packaging so as not to ruin the surprise.
Premium Gift Pack
Our Premium Gift Pack includes a stylish gift box, which holds your personalised gift voucher and your activity voucher guide booklet. The premium choice.
£4.99 (+ £3.95 shipping charge)
Standard Gift Pack
Our Standard Gift Pack comes with a smart envelope that includes your personalised gift voucher and your activity voucher guide booklet.
Included in the £3.95 shipping charge
E Voucher
Our E Voucher is an instant voucher delivered by email, with your personalised email message and a downloadable .pdf of your personalised gift voucher.
FREE
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What's Included
- A 3 day axe making course
- You will forge an axe by forge welding an iron body around a steel edge and
- Create a second axe in EN9 steel using the punch and drift method
- Safety briefing included
- Learn to use a gas forge
- Forming and forge welding a bowtie construction axe
- Profile grind the axe
- Heat treating, normalising, hardening and tempering
- Blade finishing, sharpening and edge testing
- Learn how to fit a tomahawk handle and wedged handle
- At the end of the class you will go away with 2 axes with ash/hickory handles
- Safety equipment is provided for all the classes
- Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided
What Can I Expect
Sign up for this three-day axe making course in Kent and get forging! Spend three consecutive days at the farm in Welling, North Kent learning how to make your very own (and very stylish) axes.
Meet Owen Bush. This super-talented smith has been working the metal for many years and has been hosting courses and workshops at 'Bushfire Forge' since 2008. He has taught pupils from all walks of life from all over the world and his patience and support is legendary.
Blacksmithing is, as Owen himself puts it: ‘forging soul into steel'. And when you take a look at some of the pieces this talented craftsman has created, you'll understand exactly what he means. Owen is a respected specialist in historical work, but he also likes to take inspiration from myths and legends too, forging really special individual pieces.
This passion and enthusiasm is sure to rub off on you, when you start your journey to forging not one, but two axes during your three days at the Kent forge. One of the axes will be made by forging iron around a steel edge and the other involves using the ‘punch and drift' method. Both styles are very much traditional techniques.
If you've never done any forging before, you might be concerned that it is too much for you physically. It's true that some processes are quite hard work, but Owen and his assistant are there to help you and sort you out if you get stuck. There are also modern power tool aids that can help advance things if needs be.
All teaching is geared towards you and the course is well-structured and paced. You will never feel rushed. It might be hot and fairly physical at times, but the reward is walking out from your axe making course at this Kent forge with two axes hand-crafted with soul and passion - and you can feel very proud of yourself!
When Is It Available
- Selected consecutive weekdays throughout the year
- The course day runs from 9am - 5pm
Scheduled Dates:
- 20th - 22nd November 2023
Location
- Welling, Kent
Suitable For
- Minimum age 18
- No previous experience is required
Anything Else
- Please ensure that you have non-flammable clothing and sturdy shoes (preferably leather). No shell suits, fleeces or synthetic flammable materials (cotton and wool are perfect)
- Lunch isn't included (bring a picnic or there are shops /fish and chips nearby)
- The host can provide a local accommodation list on request
