List of Blacksmithing & Bladesmithing Classes in Texas
Texas is a state known for its industry and blacksmithing has played a major role in the state’s history since before it joined the United States.
As part of the American Frontier in the 1800s, settlers of new towns relied on the work of blacksmiths and other metalworkers to make the goods needed for movement and settlement. Frontier towns across Texas each had at least one blacksmith who made farming implements, horseshoes, and other everyday essentials.
Texas’s blacksmithing tradition continues with workshops and studios that offer classes for beginners and advanced blacksmithing hobbyists alike.
- Powerful Dual Burners: Equipped with two high-efficiency burners for rapid heating, providing...
- Durable Construction: Made from heavy-duty steel and insulated with fire-resistant materials...
- Large Forging Space: Spacious work area accommodates larger projects, allowing blacksmiths to work...
1) Shadowhawk Blades
- Type: blacksmithing, knifemaking
- Classes: Private, 1-3 people classes taking place for 1 or 2 days
- Price: $150-$600
- Website: http://www.shadowhawkblades.com/
- Telephone: 903-342-0217
- Location: 907 Sherrill St Winnsboro, TX 75494
Shadowhawk Blades is owned and operated by Charles, a bladesmith who uses his experience and knowledge as a martial artist to craft practical swords and knives. He offers the perfect classes for blacksmithing and knifemaking enthusiasts interested in small class sizes and personalized instruction.
Classes last all day and are tailored to your individual pace and skill level. Choose from a range of workshops like general blacksmithing, traditional knifemaking, railroad spike knifemaking, and karambit making ( a Filipino hand scythe).
These unique classes allow students to dive into the craft and learn advanced techniques in a short amount of time. The wide price range also ensures that anyone interested in blacksmithing or knifemaking can participate in a class that fits their budget.
2) Cooper’s Forge
- Type: Knifemaking, Blacksmithing
- Classes: Small group, 2 day classes
- Price: $475
- Website: https://coopersforge.com/
- Telephone: 210-915-0472
- Location: 428 Arbor Pl, San Antonio, TX 78207
Cooper’s Forge is owned by Charles Cooper, a blacksmith with decades of experience and training. Cooper furthers his education each year by working with other blacksmiths and continues to experiment with new materials.
Two day blacksmithing and knifemaking classes are offered most weekends and feature small class sizes and intensive study. Cooper offers separate classes for traditional steel knifemaking and damascus knifemaking, so you can choose which one fits your interests more.
All materials and tools are provided, so you just need to bring yourself and your curiosity!
3) Steephollow Forgeworks
- Type: Blacksmithing
- Classes: Small group, all day classes, annual demonstrations and guest classes
- Price: $175
- Website: http://www.steepforge.com/
- Telephone: 979-776-2864
- Location: 7286 Mesco Drive Bryan, Texas 77808
Classes at Steephollow Forgeworks are taught by Jeff Lee, who has been working with metals since high school. He teaches traditional blacksmithing classes that focus on the basics of the craft and more intermediate techniques needed to make leaf shapes and a bottle opener.
Lee’s classes are great for beginner hobbyists and take place over a full day, so each student can work and learn at their own pace. In addition to monthly classes with Jeff Lee, Steephollow Forgeworks also hosts annual blacksmithing demonstrations and classes from guest teachers.
These opportunities are great ways to observe master blacksmiths at their work and network with others in the field.
4) Heritage Forge
- Type: Blacksmithing
- Classes: Small group 1, 2, 3, and 6 day classes
- Price: $250-1,290
- Website: https://www.homesteadheritageforge.com/
- Telephone: 254-230-2226
- Location: Heritage Forge 608 Dry Creek Rd. Waco, TX 76705
Heritage Forge was founded in the mid 1980s and is currently operated by master blacksmith Caleb Nolan. He began his education in blacksmithing at age 14 and has completed apprenticeships with masters in Israel and Sweden.
If you are wanting to take classes with a seasoned professional, Heritage Forge might be the right fit for you. Classes are broken up by skill level and project type. Blacksmithing I and II are meant to teach students about the basic techniques required for blacksmithing.
Once you complete these courses, you can learn how to create tongs or a steel ax. More advanced students would benefit from a week-long Forging Techniques class that covers a range of blacksmithing topics.
Heritage Forge offers great introductory classes that will make beginner smiths feel more at home in the forge, making this a wonderful place to start your blacksmithing journey.
5) Pioneer Farms
- Type: Blacksmithing, Bladesmithing
- Classes: Small group, all-day and evening classes available
- Price: $75-$700
- Website: https://www.pioneerfarms.org/shop-workshops-seminars?category=Blacksmithing
- Telephone: 512-837-1215
- Location: Pioneer Farms 10621 Pioneer Farms Dr Austin, TX 78754
Pioneer Farms offers classes on a range of traditional trades. Their blacksmithing and bladesmithing classes stand out due to their flexible scheduling and wide range of techniques taught. Classes take place throughout the day or in the evenings, so you will be sure to find something that works for your specific schedule.
Introductory blacksmithing and bladesmithing courses are available and cover everything you need to know to start practicing at home. Another awesome feature of Pioneer Farms’s classes is that there is an option to bundle classes and save some money.
6) Dallas Heritage Village
- Type: Blacksmithing
- Classes: Private, small group, weekdays, weekends, full day, mornings, afternoons, 1-2 day sessions
- Price: $130-$250
- Website: https://dallasheritagevillage.org/programs/blacksmithing/
- Telephone: (214) 421-5141
- Location: 1515 S. Harwood St. Dallas, Texas 75215-1273
Dallas Heritage Village is a living museum that teaches the public the history of the Dallas area. The museum showcases Dallas history from 1840-1910. The Heritage Village uses buildings, exhibits, live demonstrations, and education programming to share 19th and early 20th century history with visitors.
Blacksmithing is one of the educational programs at Dallas Heritage Village. Classes run on weekdays and Saturdays. Students can choose to sign up for a single day or 2 day class. 2 day classes take place on two consecutive Saturdays throughout the year.
Students learn the fundamentals of historic blacksmithing such as heating, hammering, and building a coal fire. Projects include practical items that you can use in your home workshop: nails, punches, and tongs.
Classes are currently private and available year round. If you have been wanting to learn the basics of blacksmithing in a private learning environment, consider signing up at Dallas Heritage Village.
7) George Ranch Historical Park
- Type: Blacksmithing
- Classes: Small group, weekends, full day, mornings, afternoons
- Price: $200
- Website: https://www.georgeranch.org/programs-events/blacksmithing-workshops/
- Telephone: (281) 343-0218
- Location: 10215 FM 762 Rd, Richmond, TX (~30 miles southwest of downtown Houston)
George Ranch Historical Park is a 20,000 acre working ranch and living history museum that teaches visitors about Texas history from 1830-1930. The Park features historic building tours, reenactments, demonstrations, and hands-on activities.
Blacksmithing classes at George Ranch Historical Park take place on select Saturdays throughout the year. Traditional Blacksmithing Skills I is perfect for brand new blacksmiths. Skills learned include shop safety, drawing out, twisting, punching, scroll work, and forge welding. Beginners will complete a few basic projects to take home.
Traditional Blacksmithing Skills II covers more advanced beginner and intermediate techniques like quenching, heat treating, and tempering.
The blacksmithing classes at George Ranch Historical Park are a perfect way to learn the basics of blacksmithing in a small group setting. If you are interested in the history of American blacksmithing, you will definitely appreciate the historical setting of George Ranch.
8) Balcones Forge
- Type: Blacksmithing, Bladesmithing
- Classes: Small group, weekends, full day, mornings, afternoons, demonstrations, conferences, monthly meetings
- Price: $20
- Website: http://www.balconesforge.org/
- Telephone: 210-216-1926
- Email: [email protected]
- Location: Dime Box, Texas 77853 [Tim Tellander near Bulverde, TX]
Balcones Forge is a blacksmith’s organization that is affiliated with ABANA (Artist Blacksmith’s Association of North America). Annual membership is extremely affordable and provides unique opportunities for Central Texan blacksmiths.
Members meet each month and are involved in a wide range of blacksmithing activities around the state of Texas. Balcones Forge also participates in the annual ABANA conference and hosts their own themed events each month.
Experienced members host occasional classes. The current class being offered is a knife making class with journeyman bladesmith Tim Tellander. The class takes place over 2 days and covers forging, grinding, quenching, tempering, polishing, and handle making.
Balcones Forge will also be participating in the 2022 Texas Blacksmithing Conference this year. Activities include demonstrations, vendors, auctions, and classes. Classes cover topics such as hand tools, trivet making, and hammer making.
9) Volundr Forge
- Type: Blacksmithing, Bladesmithing
- Classes: Small group, 4 hours, evenings, weekdays, open forge
- Price: $40-$150
- Website: https://volundrforge.com/
- Telephone: N/A
- Location: 4223 S Presa St, San Antonio, TX 78223
Volundr Forge is owned and operated by J. Alex Ruiz, a Forged in Fire champion who has been blacksmithing and bladesmithing since 2015. Ruiz makes his own knives, teaches blacksmithing classes, and hosts open forge nights.
His classes take place at the South Texas Association of Bladesmiths headquarters and are perfect for all skill levels. Ruiz’s Intro to Blacksmithing class teaches the basics of the craft, and students create a project that showcases what they learned about form and function.
All materials and tools are included in the cost of the class.
Volundr Forge also hosts open forge nights, which are ideal for experienced blacksmiths and newbies alike. Everyone participating is asked to bring a small project to work on. Ruiz is available during open forge nights to answer any questions and provide help and feedback on projects.
Volundr Forge and the South Texas Association of Bladesmiths are awesome organizations to check out if you live in central Texas. The unique beginner classes and open forge nights provide blacksmiths of all skill levels the opportunity to learn, grow, and meet others in the central Texas blacksmithing community.
Two workshops coming up that might be of interest to blacksmiths in Dallas, Texas. One is on foldforming, a solid overview and introduction. Almost everything works well in steel. This year’s International Foldforming Competition was won by a blacksmith/sculptor David Ponsler https://www.foldforming.org/2022.html. There is a Foldforming Overview, an easy, low tech Patination workshop for copper alloys and a Keum-boo workshop which allows you to apply thin (affordable) 24k gold accents to many metals, including steel.
The Class is listed here: https://thecraftguild.org/masterclasses
Greetings,
Is it possible to edit Balcones Forge content to include my personal contact info to indicate ” Tim Tellander near Bulverde, TX [[email protected]]”
The current info indicates Dime Box, TX which is correct for Balcones but may be misleading potential ‘wanna be knifemakers’ to presume my shop is located there.
Thanks!
Hi Tim,
Thanks for reaching out! I have updated the listing with your information.
I’m looking for a knife making class in Houston Texas. To make a knife from a blank to turn key w/ handle.
Thanks
A class worth adding to the list is the the Brookhaven Blacksmith class taught by Kelly Kring as part of the continuing education programs at Dallas College (formerly the Dallas County Community College).
They offer four levels of classes for blacksmithing. All classes build on each other while also building the students skills and their own hand made tools. Once all four classes have been taken, the fourth class (Advanced II) is repeatable for as long as someone wishes to take it, there are a number of students that continue to take the class year after year. The classes also prepare students for tasks they will need in the current fabrication and custom ironworking businesses and to work in historical shops at the local (and beyond) museums. Each semester of classes runs 12 weeks long and classes are 4 hours each, most classes are held on Saturdays with the most advanced class held on Thursday evenings.
Costs currently runs about $340 for the 12 week course and it covers nearly everything blacksmithing (non-farrier) related over the four course levels with students that have gone on to be toolmakers, hammersmiths, bladesmiths, etc.