Blacksmithing Art Class at GAC

In this 5 day intensive students will learn to forge a traditional Japanese tanto blade. The blades will be ground and filed clean. Heat treat will be done with a clay coating to create the "Hamon" or hardening line separating the hard edge from the soft spine. Blades will then be polished and etched to reveal their true beauty.  Students will need safety glasses, dust mask or respirator, leather work gloves, (welding gauntlets not needed) and should wear jeans, a non-flammable cotton shirt and/or jacket, and closed-toed boots or leather shoes. Our forge is an outdoor building that is only semi-enclosed; please dress accordingly. For full-day workshops, please bring a lunch to be on the safe side, as there may or may not be time to get food during a lunch break.