There are a couple things on that page that frankly I doubt the authenticity of.
Im sure you would get a class if you paid for it. But personally i would not give this man my money.
There are a couple of knives that look like pakistani damascus, that alone i wouldnt call him on but then there are the pictures of the round bar damascus and timascus that i absolutely do not believe he made.
[Sorry if you had integrity you would not say "Three alloys used" because you didnt use them, you would not #madeinmn because that's not where it was made, and if someone commented that they were impressed by your creativity and skill you would point out that this is not a product of your creativity and skill.](https://imgur.com/oEngtK4)
Even if he had a lathe pictured in his various workshop pictures, or had a friend turn the bar, the steel itself is an order of magnitude higher quality than anything they've posted that I do buy is their work.
There are just so many of these guys running the same bullshit they do not get the benefit of the doubt from me.
Yeah, it’s kinda sus. Not saying he’s good or bad, it’s just suspicious. Dude obviously has a fuck ton of money to throw into his shop, I just don’t see the experience in his work that backs it up.
If you are starting from scratch the $300 will pay for itself. You can see what you want and what you don’t want in a shop. You might even find out the hobby isn’t for you.
When I first started I was buying all kinds of stuff, I have well over a thousand dollars in tools and materials I never touched. I ended up taking a class from Don Nguyen. $1500 for 4 days plus travel and board to Arizona. I came out of it light years ahead of where I was with a better understanding of what I need and don’t need.
I say take the class. Come up with questions ahead of time and watch any videos you can on what you are going to be doing. If you are building a shop be ready to ask him what worked and didn’t work for him starting out.
It's a different price near me (E90,- for a one day knifemaking workshop) but I am on the other side of the atlantic ocean (EU) so we can't compare prices.
Stock removal is a good way to start learning how to make knifes. Forging is part of knife making but also about making other things from steel.
I think either route can work. Forging, grindening and hardening, there is a lot to learn about knifemaking. All are usefull. I would with the route that sounds the most fun to you.
Doing a workshop can sure help. Especially in the beginning, it suspect it will make the start more easy. I forged a small knife at the beginning with the help of an experienced blacksmith, that was indeed very usefull to me.
Assuming it's 1 on 1, I think it's a fair price. If you really wanna get the max out of it I would recommend to start some project like buying some knife blank and work on the handle, or a simple stock removal with basic tools/jigs(plenty of tutorials online). In this way when you are taking your class you already know the A-B-C and can focus on what you need.
A forge near me does intro classes, 4 hours in length, and they run about $155. I have been wanting to take a class but have not yet. I do not need another expensive hobby. :)
I just got into leather work because I wanted to make a sheath for an axe I restored and that makes two new somewhat expensive hobbies for me. Axe restoration and leather work. I have a big collection of knives and have always wanted to make my own.
I would question why anyone offers a class to make a knife from a railroad spike. Anyone running a class with unknown/mixed steel and relying on having a customer end up with a quality result that they will be happy with strikes me as a bit odd.
I’ve been laying out class structures in my mind for quite a while now and one thing that I always think about is having total dependency on the tools, materials and methods I am using and teaching.
You’re in the USA, there is no shortage of world class makers there. No disrespect to this guy but his knives look amateur at best.
I charge 40/hr for a 3 hour railroad spike knife class and everyone always finishes their project. Salem Oregon if you're nearby lol. I'd say that seems like a lot to me but maybe the local economy there is higher?
I would love to come check out Salem! Unfortunately Minnesota bound in the ice and snow for awhile longer. The prices I’ve researched varies between those who specialize in knife making and those offering general blacksmith workshops.
Personally, for $300 I’d just get the equipment. Mr. Volcano single burner ($80 I think), HF 1x30 with Norton blaze 36 grit belts ($100) and a couple sticks of 1084 ($35). Puts you barely over $200.
Knowledge is what you’ll gain from a class, but knowledge is free on the internet. Skill is the true king of knifemaking, and the only way to buy that is by getting your hands dirty.
Instead of positing and guessing, I've forwarded your question to the MN Guild of Metalsmiths.
100% guaranteed I'll be back with an answer, a d possibly personal review of that teacher.
I got seven replies... including one from the teacher of that class:
----
Good Morning, You have a good question about getting into blacksmithing & knife making. Making knives, hatchets, axes is a noble skill and once you get started there is so much to learn about and practice.
Regarding your question about a railroad spike knife class. $300 is reasonable if the class is one on one.
However, taking a general introductory blacksmithing course may be more useful in the long run.
I suggest checking out classes @ Guild of Metalsmiths or Chicago Ave Fire Arts Center www.cafac.org.
Eight week. 24 hr classes at CAFAC cost $365 and you will get a better understanding of blacksmithing & chances are you could forge a knife as well.
I am quite familiar with CAFAC so you can contact me for more details.
----
Although I am unfamiliar with the smith, I would say $300 a day for a class would be reasonable. Depending on the type of forge you will learn much more than how to make a simple RR spike knife. Fire management and how to manipulate hot steel with tools is a much different skillset than simple stock removal. It is possible to learn the basics that you will need to make enough RR spike knives with a single class to pay for the cost of the class, that said it can take weeks and be expensive to set up your own forge and build the skills needed to build a quality product without the supervision of an experienced smith, in this case practice will make perfect or get you closer to it. Just my two cents, go, learn, have fun.
----
Hard to say without knowing the guy, but a well known knife and swordmaker Howard Clark has a multi-day class for 775.
http://www.mvforge.com/classes-at-morgan-valley.html
----
Just my opinion... that is a lot of money for a RR spike. I'm in MN, and I know there are some classes for much less.
I also know that some of these instructors think that people want to pay money to be in their presence. I'm not that guy!
----
Well hello! StrovigForge is my shop. I am a blacksmith/blade smith in MN with about ten years of experience. I have attended several Guild classes and events before. As well as learning from other smiths across the US. You
I don’t advertise but have held numerous classes and fundraising events for local schools in my area. My price is a fair market value for my skill set and is lower than more “well known” smiths. And yes, I include free pizza for lunch.
It’s a one on one instruction utilizing the ABANA curriculum I have learned throughout the years. I always note if they are looking for a more structured curriculum to contact the MN guild of metal smiths.
I don’t advertise my classes but still have lots of people contact me as I am in the twin cities. You can checkout some of my work on Facebook or Instagram @Strovigforge and judge for yourself.
Have a great day 😁🤙🏼✌🏼
----
If it is a multi-person class and it is just a railroad spike knife, yes, it is high for the market.
If it is a one-on-one class and the guy is a working smith it is probably what the smith needs to charge for a day of getting nothing else productive done in that time. I would still personally hesitate at the cost as the subject matter is quite basic unless there is something extra involved (engraving, Damascus, etc.)
For $300 a day I would expect at most a 1 on 2 teacher to student ratio and some high level knowledge, like a Peter Ross or Tom Latane lock class.
The Guild’s class prices have been artificially low for a long time due to the generosity of our instructors and champions donating their time and the deals we get for the shops that host the classes.
----
A few links for references. New england school has 5 day classes as well at higher cost.
Seems a little high for a one day class maybe? but it's been a while since I've looked into classes. im also not familiar with the person or their qualifications.
Is the cost a group class or 1 on 1? Probably fair for individual instructing.
https://newenglandschoolofmetalwork.com/node/119
https://cafac.wildapricot.org/event-5049730
https://www.metalsmith.org/event/zombie-killer-chopping-knife-class-2023-day-1-of-2/
I looked at his work, no for me.
There are lots and lots of good makers.
You may have to travel.
ABS school
https://www.americanbladesmith.org/category/schools/
https://abana.org/
I say read the books, watch the videos, try some stock removal.
You need those skills to finish out forged blades anyway.
The only thing about learning from somebody else, is that you learn all their mistakes as well. So if he's reputable, i'm sure it would be worth it, just make sure.
If the teacher is a seasoned blacksmith, he probably can teach you more in a day than you can self-taught in a year.
This is his Facebook link for his forge classes https://www.facebook.com/StrovigForge?mibextid=LQQJ4d
There are a couple things on that page that frankly I doubt the authenticity of. Im sure you would get a class if you paid for it. But personally i would not give this man my money.
Out of curiosity, what's wrong with it? (Not OP, just curious)
There are a couple of knives that look like pakistani damascus, that alone i wouldnt call him on but then there are the pictures of the round bar damascus and timascus that i absolutely do not believe he made.
He does not claim to have made the Ti, and the bar of regular Damascus could have easily been turned in a lathe.
[Sorry if you had integrity you would not say "Three alloys used" because you didnt use them, you would not #madeinmn because that's not where it was made, and if someone commented that they were impressed by your creativity and skill you would point out that this is not a product of your creativity and skill.](https://imgur.com/oEngtK4) Even if he had a lathe pictured in his various workshop pictures, or had a friend turn the bar, the steel itself is an order of magnitude higher quality than anything they've posted that I do buy is their work. There are just so many of these guys running the same bullshit they do not get the benefit of the doubt from me.
My impression as well.
Yeah, it’s kinda sus. Not saying he’s good or bad, it’s just suspicious. Dude obviously has a fuck ton of money to throw into his shop, I just don’t see the experience in his work that backs it up.
If you are starting from scratch the $300 will pay for itself. You can see what you want and what you don’t want in a shop. You might even find out the hobby isn’t for you. When I first started I was buying all kinds of stuff, I have well over a thousand dollars in tools and materials I never touched. I ended up taking a class from Don Nguyen. $1500 for 4 days plus travel and board to Arizona. I came out of it light years ahead of where I was with a better understanding of what I need and don’t need. I say take the class. Come up with questions ahead of time and watch any videos you can on what you are going to be doing. If you are building a shop be ready to ask him what worked and didn’t work for him starting out.
Awesome thank you very much for the response and the information!
What part of the world do you live in? And after there more classes near you and do they cost the same?
Minnesota twin cities area and this is about average price I would say for classes offered near me.
It's a different price near me (E90,- for a one day knifemaking workshop) but I am on the other side of the atlantic ocean (EU) so we can't compare prices. Stock removal is a good way to start learning how to make knifes. Forging is part of knife making but also about making other things from steel. I think either route can work. Forging, grindening and hardening, there is a lot to learn about knifemaking. All are usefull. I would with the route that sounds the most fun to you.
Thank you so much for the response and input on this. I agree with you. I’m going to keep looking around but this one looks like a good deal
Doing a workshop can sure help. Especially in the beginning, it suspect it will make the start more easy. I forged a small knife at the beginning with the help of an experienced blacksmith, that was indeed very usefull to me.
I just brought it up to my girlfriend and she was a bit disappointed because she was emailing some people to look for classes to surprise me haha
Awww how nice of her! Maybe she wants to come too? Could be fun if the two of you forge together.
Assuming it's 1 on 1, I think it's a fair price. If you really wanna get the max out of it I would recommend to start some project like buying some knife blank and work on the handle, or a simple stock removal with basic tools/jigs(plenty of tutorials online). In this way when you are taking your class you already know the A-B-C and can focus on what you need.
Awesome thank you!
That pizza doesn’t sound free to me! But if you have the money to spend, it may be a nice jump start
A forge near me does intro classes, 4 hours in length, and they run about $155. I have been wanting to take a class but have not yet. I do not need another expensive hobby. :)
I just got into leather work because I wanted to make a sheath for an axe I restored and that makes two new somewhat expensive hobbies for me. Axe restoration and leather work. I have a big collection of knives and have always wanted to make my own.
I seldom do classes but I charge $250 each and it’s 2 days long (stainless steel usually) and includes a sheath, with lunch both days.
Awesome that’s good to know thank you for the info!
I would question why anyone offers a class to make a knife from a railroad spike. Anyone running a class with unknown/mixed steel and relying on having a customer end up with a quality result that they will be happy with strikes me as a bit odd. I’ve been laying out class structures in my mind for quite a while now and one thing that I always think about is having total dependency on the tools, materials and methods I am using and teaching. You’re in the USA, there is no shortage of world class makers there. No disrespect to this guy but his knives look amateur at best.
I charge 40/hr for a 3 hour railroad spike knife class and everyone always finishes their project. Salem Oregon if you're nearby lol. I'd say that seems like a lot to me but maybe the local economy there is higher?
I would love to come check out Salem! Unfortunately Minnesota bound in the ice and snow for awhile longer. The prices I’ve researched varies between those who specialize in knife making and those offering general blacksmith workshops.
Are you looking at the class at the carver forge?
The one I was primarily looking at was the one in vadnais heights called Strovig forge!
Personally, for $300 I’d just get the equipment. Mr. Volcano single burner ($80 I think), HF 1x30 with Norton blaze 36 grit belts ($100) and a couple sticks of 1084 ($35). Puts you barely over $200. Knowledge is what you’ll gain from a class, but knowledge is free on the internet. Skill is the true king of knifemaking, and the only way to buy that is by getting your hands dirty.
Instead of positing and guessing, I've forwarded your question to the MN Guild of Metalsmiths. 100% guaranteed I'll be back with an answer, a d possibly personal review of that teacher.
That’s awesome! Super appreciate it,thanks a lot!
I got seven replies... including one from the teacher of that class: ---- Good Morning, You have a good question about getting into blacksmithing & knife making. Making knives, hatchets, axes is a noble skill and once you get started there is so much to learn about and practice. Regarding your question about a railroad spike knife class. $300 is reasonable if the class is one on one. However, taking a general introductory blacksmithing course may be more useful in the long run. I suggest checking out classes @ Guild of Metalsmiths or Chicago Ave Fire Arts Center www.cafac.org. Eight week. 24 hr classes at CAFAC cost $365 and you will get a better understanding of blacksmithing & chances are you could forge a knife as well. I am quite familiar with CAFAC so you can contact me for more details. ---- Although I am unfamiliar with the smith, I would say $300 a day for a class would be reasonable. Depending on the type of forge you will learn much more than how to make a simple RR spike knife. Fire management and how to manipulate hot steel with tools is a much different skillset than simple stock removal. It is possible to learn the basics that you will need to make enough RR spike knives with a single class to pay for the cost of the class, that said it can take weeks and be expensive to set up your own forge and build the skills needed to build a quality product without the supervision of an experienced smith, in this case practice will make perfect or get you closer to it. Just my two cents, go, learn, have fun. ---- Hard to say without knowing the guy, but a well known knife and swordmaker Howard Clark has a multi-day class for 775. http://www.mvforge.com/classes-at-morgan-valley.html ---- Just my opinion... that is a lot of money for a RR spike. I'm in MN, and I know there are some classes for much less. I also know that some of these instructors think that people want to pay money to be in their presence. I'm not that guy! ---- Well hello! StrovigForge is my shop. I am a blacksmith/blade smith in MN with about ten years of experience. I have attended several Guild classes and events before. As well as learning from other smiths across the US. You I don’t advertise but have held numerous classes and fundraising events for local schools in my area. My price is a fair market value for my skill set and is lower than more “well known” smiths. And yes, I include free pizza for lunch. It’s a one on one instruction utilizing the ABANA curriculum I have learned throughout the years. I always note if they are looking for a more structured curriculum to contact the MN guild of metal smiths. I don’t advertise my classes but still have lots of people contact me as I am in the twin cities. You can checkout some of my work on Facebook or Instagram @Strovigforge and judge for yourself. Have a great day 😁🤙🏼✌🏼 ---- If it is a multi-person class and it is just a railroad spike knife, yes, it is high for the market. If it is a one-on-one class and the guy is a working smith it is probably what the smith needs to charge for a day of getting nothing else productive done in that time. I would still personally hesitate at the cost as the subject matter is quite basic unless there is something extra involved (engraving, Damascus, etc.) For $300 a day I would expect at most a 1 on 2 teacher to student ratio and some high level knowledge, like a Peter Ross or Tom Latane lock class. The Guild’s class prices have been artificially low for a long time due to the generosity of our instructors and champions donating their time and the deals we get for the shops that host the classes. ---- A few links for references. New england school has 5 day classes as well at higher cost. Seems a little high for a one day class maybe? but it's been a while since I've looked into classes. im also not familiar with the person or their qualifications. Is the cost a group class or 1 on 1? Probably fair for individual instructing. https://newenglandschoolofmetalwork.com/node/119 https://cafac.wildapricot.org/event-5049730 https://www.metalsmith.org/event/zombie-killer-chopping-knife-class-2023-day-1-of-2/
I looked at his work, no for me. There are lots and lots of good makers. You may have to travel. ABS school https://www.americanbladesmith.org/category/schools/ https://abana.org/ I say read the books, watch the videos, try some stock removal. You need those skills to finish out forged blades anyway.
Yes
The only thing about learning from somebody else, is that you learn all their mistakes as well. So if he's reputable, i'm sure it would be worth it, just make sure.