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Desert Forge Knives

Hatchet Class - Albuquerque or Phoenix

Hatchet Class - Albuquerque or Phoenix

Regular price $350.00 USD
Regular price Sale price $350.00 USD
Sale Sold out

This is a one-day class where you will forge your own tomahawk from raw steel into a functional tool.  This is not a demonstration class - you'll be hammering steel the moment you arrive while learning forging and blade-smithing techniques and using the tools you'll need for your own journey.  This is a beginner to intermediate class, but we will customize the class to fit your skill level and what you are interested in.  Class size is limited to 2.  Once you sign up, we will schedule your class.

What You Will Learn

  • Basic techniques of forging a tomahawk
  • Heat treating and tempering
  • How to grind and shape a throwing tomahawk
  • How to shape and fit a handle
  • Each person will be provided with materials to complete one full tomahawk.

About Our Shops

We are well-equipped with propane forges, anvils, vises, a hydraulic forging press, Ameribrade and Grizzly grinders, band saw, drill press, angle grinders, and lots of tools.

What To Bring

Gloves, safety glasses, steel toed boots, and proper clothing is the responsibility of the student.  We will break for a one-hour lunch on the first day where you can bring your own lunch or go off-site.

Take Home One Tomahawk

You will forge to shape, grind, heat treat and finish one tomahawk complete with handle if you follow instructions.

Schedule

Saturday 8:30 AM - 4 PM (1 Hour Lunch)

Shipping

Ships free to contiguous U.S.

Care Instructions

At Desert Forge Knives, all our
knives are made with high carbon steel. 
It is not stainless steel. We recommend to not wash it, merely wipe it down
as soon as you have finished using it.

You can wash it by hand if need
be, but do not leave water on it - no soaking in a sink of dishes and don’t
leave it to air dry on a draining rack. Wash and dry it straight away. 

No matter how well you take care
of your knife it will turn a dull grey color over time.  It will mark and not stay shiny. This is
normal, there is nothing unhygienic about it, it is just the nature of the
steel. Some foods, like lemon and onion will mark it instantly due to the
acidic nature of them. You can polish it back to a high shine finish again, but
it is unnecessary for the performance of the knife, it is purely cosmetic.

High carbon steel is a tough and
long-lasting steel and will keep an edge for much longer than stainless or
other steel.  The only downside to high
carbon steel is that it will rust if you do not take care of it. To prevent
this, keep your knife as clean and dry as possible after use, and apply a light
coating of oil or wax. For culinary knives, olive, vegetable, canola or
sunflower oil is fine. For other knives, use a light machine oil.  We recommend a light coat of food safe “Axe
Wax” for all knives.  If you do get rust
spots, light ones can be scrubbed away with steel wool.  More severe damage can be repaired by
re-sanding and polishing.

Some common do’s and don’ts

Don’t put knives in the
dishwasher

Don’t leave a knife soaking
in a sink full of water

Don’t store in a wet sheath

Do keep your knife sharp

Do keep it stored correctly
and responsibly

Do use the knife for the
purpose it was made for

Don’t use a knife as a lever,
hammer, shovel or screwdriver

Don’t cut on a glass, stone
or steel surface, do use wood or plastic

Please feel free to call or email
me with any questions on the care and maintenance of your blade.

If you take care of it well, it
will last longer than you!

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