Forging a Viking Styled Hand Knife (2 day course) – A collaboration between the Folk School and Calypso Farm and Ecology Center

Instructor: Tom Zimmer

This 2 day class will introduce you to the world of tool steel, from how to work it to the processes of annealing, hardening and tempering.  Day one we explore the properties of tool steels and we will draw out knife blanks from tool steel round stock. By day’s end we will have roughed in knives that we will then anneal overnight.  Day two starts with fine tuning our hammering skills as we refine the blade shape.  We will then file the blades to close to final before oil quenching our knives and learning to draw a temper on the blade.  Then it is on to sharpening and dressing the knife.  This is a good introduction to knife making.

This style of knife, blade and handle all in one, makes for a simple and beautiful knife.  The Viking women supposedly wore these as utility knives from their tunics.

(*The Blacksmithing Overview is required for anyone who is interested in taking this class.)

Dates of the class: Friday and Saturday, November 17 & 18, 2017

Times of the class: Friday 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.

Ages of students: 15 and up

Maximum number of students: 3

Cost: $140 (Calypso members); $165 (non-members)

Location: Calypso Farm and Ecology Center, 4780 Old Nenana Hwy., Fairbanks, AK 99709

To register for this class, please call Calypso Farm at 907-451-0691.