List of Blacksmithing Classes in Florida

Like other states across America, Florida’s blacksmithing history is related to the movement of people from the northeastern and mid-Atlantic regions of the country to other areas west and south. Generally, blacksmiths worked within small settlements to produce and repair goods for the people living there.

Blacksmithing in Florida is also a bit different from other parts of the United States because of its Spanish influences and many coastal towns. Spanish colonial goods were some of the first items made by European settlers. 

By the nineteenth century, much of the work done by blacksmiths in cities such as St. Augustine, on the Atlantic coast, involved repairing goods from Europe. Since trade was easy and prevalent, the demand for products made by local blacksmiths was low. 

Artisan blacksmiths continue to create in cities across Florida. Below are some workshops offering classes to blacksmiths of all skill levels.

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1) Crooked Path Forge

• Type: Blacksmithing, Knifemaking
• Classes: 1-2 day, all day classes for small groups
• Price: $140-$400
• Website: http://crookedpathforge.org/#home-section
• Telephone: N/A
• Location: Gainesville, FL

Crooked Path Forge is owned by Jordan Bortselmann, who started smithing ten years ago. He uses his experience in knifemaking to offer some really unique classes for blacksmiths of all skill levels.

Most classes are appropriate for beginners, so if you are just starting smithing, there should be something that works for you. Jordan Bortselmann offers several knifemaking classes as well as a hammer class and bottle opener class.

Classes cover heating, forging, and finishing blades. Students also learn the basics of handle construction. 

 Bortselmann’s friendly teaching style makes forging fun, regardless of where you are in your educational journey.

2) Wrought Iron Arts

• Type: Blacksmithing, Bladesmithing, Welding
• Classes: Small group, private, children’s  
• Price: $299-$398
• Website: https://wroughtironarts.wordpress.com/
• Telephone: (727) 588-1315
• Location: 707 1st Ave. S.W. Largo, Florida 33770

Wrought Iron Arts is owned by Robert Buck, a master blacksmith who emphasizes personalized instruction. All classes at his workshop are private and are limited to 4 students. This means that everyone taking a class knows each other and can work together instead of competing for time with Robert.

Children and their parents are welcome to take classes and discounts are offered for parent-child lessons.

Classes are completely tailored to your skills and interests. The project you make during the full-day class will be unique to you. If you are looking to learn from a master in a setting that is completely personalized, then this is the workshop you should consider.

3) Litt Forge

• Type: Blacksmithing, Bladesmithing 
• Classes: private, half day, full day, and 2 day 
• Price: $149-$499
• Website: https://littforge.com/
• Telephone: (941) 879-2845
• Location: Sarasota, FL

Litt Forge, owned by Thomas Littrell, offers blacksmithing and bladesmithing classes for all skill levels.

Creativity and craftsmanship are at the heart of Thomas’s instruction. Students work for 4-8 hours over the course of 1 or 2 days to craft knives, hooks, shovels, pokers, and more.

Litt Forge’s classes would be great for someone looking to make traditional blacksmithing and bladesmithing products, but want to learn it in a fun and inspiring atmosphere.

4) Doghouse Forge

• Type: Blacksmithing, Bladesmithing
• Classes: 2-3 day workshops offered a few times each year 
• Price: $300-$475 
• Website: https://www.doghouseforge.com/
• Telephone: N/A
• Location: 3525 Reynolds Rd unit 1 & 2, Lakeland, FL 33803

Doghouse Forge is a family business owned by Jonathon and Emily Porter. Jonathan’s love of bladesmithing started as a weekend project and became his livelihood.

This passion is sure to come through in the clinics hosted at Doghouse Forge throughout the year. Students learn all the fundamentals of bladesmithing and forging over 2 or 3 days of instruction.

If you are serious about learning bladesmithing and blacksmithing skills and want to produce a high-quality finished product, these opportunities are a great way to accomplish both.

Check out Doghouse Forge’s social media or contact them directly for more information on upcoming bladesmithing clinics. 

5) Black Hog Knives

• Type: Blacksmithing, Bladesmithing
• Classes: Small group, 1-2 day courses 
• Price: $200-$300 
• Website: https://blackhogknives.com/
• Telephone: (407) 755-7146
• Location: 333 East Highbanks Road, Debary, Florida 32713, United States

Chad Bowlin is a bladesmith who makes and sells his own knives and teaches classes. His classes emphasize learning the entire process of bladesmithing or blacksmithing, and each concept is taught step by step to ensure proper technique and complete understanding.

Classes at Black Hog Knives are affordable and basic, so they would be great for a hobbyist who needs a little extra instruction or someone looking to refine their skills with less commitment than other more intensive (and expensive) classes.

Choose between 1 and 2 day courses depending on your preference. Each class covers forge safety, tool use, heat management, blade forging, and finishing. The 2 day class allows students to learn each step of the bladesmithing process first hand. 

6) [Fe]ver Metal Art Center

• Type: Blacksmithing, bladesmithing
• Classes: Half day/all day private classes, 1-4 people 
• Price: $75-$165
• Website: https://www.leslietharp.com/blacksmithing-workshops
• Telephone: N/A
• Location: Gainesville, FL 

Leslie Tharp is a metal artist who runs [Fe]ver Metal Art Center as a way to share blacksmithing with the public. Class times are flexible and perfect for people with busy schedules.

Leslie uses her 12+ years of experience to create workshops that are tailored to participants and offers a range of project ideas. Example projects include marshmallow skewers, snakes, dinner bells, bracelets, trivets, plant hooks, knives, and more.

Classes are organized by project, so beginners can practice the skills required to complete specific objects. Besides learning the necessary techniques, students are also encouraged to get creative and add their own flair to their project designs. 

7) Ram’s Head Forge

• Type: Blacksmithing
• Classes: Small group, private 2 day classes 
• Price: N/A
• Website: http://www.ramsheadforge.com/index.php
• Telephone: (352) 521-3515
• Location: P.O. Box 247 San Antonio, FL 33576

Ram’s Head Forge is owned and operated by Lewis Riggleman, a blacksmith with years of experience and an affiliation with the Florida Artist Blacksmith Association.

He offers classes for beginners and advanced students that emphasize traditional blacksmithing techniques like forge welding, annealing, fullering, upsetting, drawing out, and more. Those interested in learning traditional smithing would benefit from Lewis’s classes.

Contact Lewis Riggleman directly for more information on upcoming class dates and pricing. 

8) The Guild School of Metal Arts & Urban Crafts 

• Type: Blacksmithing, Bladesmithing 
• Classes: Small group, afternoons, evenings, weekends, child friendly options 
• Price: $95-$475
• Website: https://www.guildfl.com/
• Telephone: (954) 998-3473
• Location: 205 NW 16th St. Pompano Beach, Florida 33060

The Guild School of Metal Arts & Urban Crafts was founded by Shaun Williams and Sylvia Andrassy. It is South Florida’s first and only crafts school offering a range of classes on traditional arts like blacksmithing, jewelry making, leather working, and more. 

The Guild offers a number of blacksmithing classes that are appropriate for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students. Classes are organized by finished items, which include tools and knives. The Guild also offers technique classes on Damascus and joinery. 

Beginners should consider taking Introduction to Blacksmithing, which is a 5 hour workshop covering safety, hammer technique, and fundamentals. Students learn to taper, twist, and scroll metal into a hook. 

If your child is interested in learning blacksmithing, The Guild also offers youth workshops.

9) Florida Artist Blacksmith Association

• Type: Blacksmithing
• Classes: monthly meetings, conferences, classes, demonstrations  
• Price: $30 
• Website: https://blacksmithing.org/
• Telephone: Visit website for list of regional coordinators 
• Location: Varies depending on region, contact for meeting locations 

The Florida Artist Blacksmith Association (FABA) was founded in 1985 and is an affiliate of ABANA. FABA membership is extremely affordable and allows blacksmiths of all ages and skill levels to meet, collaborate, and learn from each other. 

Monthly meetings take place in various locations across Florida on Saturdays. Meet fellow blacksmiths in your area at these monthly meetings and collaborate on projects. 

The FABA also hosts an annual conference that includes classes for all skill levels, demonstrations, raffles, and more. Classes at the conference are 4 hours long and take place in the mornings and afternoons. 

Demonstrations this year will cover bronze age forging, knife making, and much more. 

10) Kirk Sullens 

• Type: Blacksmithing, bladesmithing 
• Classes: Small group, private, full day, weekends, weekdays
• Price: $200-$400
• Website: https://kirksullens.com/
• Telephone: (352) 357-7221
• Location: 18848 Hwy 441 #184 Mount Dora, FL 32757

Kirk Sullens has been blacksmithing for over 30 years. He worked as a full-time blacksmith for 28 years and continues to make custom pieces and offer classes. 

Classes with Kirk Sullens are divided into beginner and intermediate levels. Beginners learn skills such as tapering, bending, and twisting. Projects include fire tools and a blacksmith’s knife. 

Intermediate classes expand on skills learned in beginner classes and open students up to new and more complex finished projects. Choose to create your own tongs, punches, chisels, an octopus, or chasing and repoussé. 

11) Barberville Pioneer Settlement 

• Type: Blacksmithing
• Classes: small group, weekends, mornings, afternoons 
• Price: $75-$125
• Website: https://www.pioneersettlement.org/blacksmithing–coal
• Telephone: (386) 749-2959
• Location: 1776 Lightfoot Ln. Barberville, Florida 32105

Barberville Pioneer Settlement is a non profit living history museum that opened in 1976. The Settlement aims to educate the public about the daily lives of pioneer settlers in Florida through demonstrations, exhibits, and hands on learning experiences. 

Blacksmithing classes at Barberville Pioneer Settlement teach fire safety, hammer control, tool use, punching, twisting, tapering, and much more. Every student completes 3 finished items during the class session. 

Classes are organized into 3 levels but are best suited for beginner and advanced beginner blacksmiths. 

This option is ideal for people new to blacksmithing who want to experience the craft without spending a fortune. 

12) Tallahassee Museum 

• Type: Blacksmithing
• Classes: small group, weekends, 2 days, mornings, afternoons
• Price: $225-$250 (discount for members) 
• Website: https://tallahasseemuseum.org/events/beginning-blacksmith-workshop-4/
• Telephone: (850) 575-8684
• Location: 3945 Museum Dr. Tallahassee, FL 32310

Tallahassee Museum is a 52 acre museum that was founded in 1957. The Museum offers hands-on learning experiences and exhibits for children and adults. A range of topics are explored at the Museum, including science, art, history, and culture. 

Blacksmithing at Tallahassee Museum is taught by resident blacksmith Michael Murphy. Classes are tailored to students without previous blacksmithing experience. 

Classes take place outdoors and cover the basics of forging. Students take home a few pieces created during the class session.  

13) Traditions Workshop

• Type: Blacksmithing, various other folk arts
• Classes: 4 students per instructor, Friday Afternoons and Saturdays. Occasionally a multi-day blacksmith intensive class like “Nails to Knives” or for forging larger projects and blades.
• Price: $92 for 5-hour introduction classes, up to $400 for multi day classes.
• Website: https://traditions-workshop.square.site
• Telephone: (850) 974-1548
• Location: 418 Green Acres Rd., Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547

Traditions Workshop teaches a rotation of classes. During a typical month, in addition to their monthly Introduction to blacksmithing class which covers safety, history, and six of the seven basic forging processes, they offer at least one class a month on tool making, one type of knife or weapon forging experience, a class on forging hardware/houseware and some type of iron jewelry. Other folk classes include wood turning, stained glass, leather craft and making yarn using a drop spindle.

Blacksmith classes take place outdoors under the cover of a large tent using gas or coal forges as appropriate for the task. You always get to take home the pieces you make during the class.

Traditions Workshop is also host to the Florida Artist Blacksmith Association Far West Region, supporting their monthly workshops and open forge time. Far West Regional events, dates, times and locations are also listed on the Workshop pages.