Knife Making Masterclass

Advanced 4 Day Workshop

Wishlist
$225.00 per guest
1 - 4 guests 4 hours 08:00
Hosted by Hoang Sinh

Highlights

  • Experience first hand how to forge your own hand-made knife from start to finish using traditional methods and techniques
  • Under the guidance of your expert local blacksmith, create your own personalized hand made knife to take home with you
  • Recreate the process back home after being familiar with the entire process of making a knife
  • You get a rare opportunity forging knives at a local blacksmith's workshop

Inclusive of:

  • All equipment, tools and materials necessary for the workshop
  • Knife to take home with you
  • English speaking guide
  • Light refreshments
  • Mask and eye protection accessories

Not Inclusive of:

  • Pick-up and drop-off service within Hanoi (can be included at additional cost)
  • Other personal expenses
  • Knife cover
$US 225.00 per guest
Instant confirmation
1 - 4 guests
4 hours
08:00
Cancellation Policy: Moderate

Full refund available for cancellations made up to 48 hours prior to booking start time.

More About This Experience

Total classes: 4 Days Number of hour per class: 3 hours Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm or 1:00pm - 4:00pm Set of tools provided and used: - Hammer - Chisel - Steel cutting machine - Grinder - Sandpaper - Sandstone - Steel Size of knives: Various so that you can practice on different shapes, however normally it is about 15-20cm long. Day 1: The first class is for ice-breaking and introductions. You will get to know your guide and your host, who will be your teacher for the next 4 days. The host will introduce to you the history of the blacksmith village as well as his experience of growing up learning the craft from his parents and his take on the blacksmithing craft until now. Then he will introduce necessary tools, safety notes, some important techniques and also briefly introduce the sequence of events for this masterclass. 9:00am: Pick up at the pick up location. 9:15am - 9:30am: Have tea and get to know hosts and his family and his workshop too. The host will share his story of how long he has been doing this job, his struggles and his passion for blacksmithing. 9:30 am - 10:00am: Village history and class introduction Historically, two blacksmith ancestors of the profession were Nguyen Thuat and Nguyen Thuan who came to the village several hundred years ago, and taught forging techniques for locals. During the wars in Vietnam, the village was the main source supporting weapons for Vietnamese military. However, when peace returned to Vietnam 40 years ago, the Da Sy people returned to making to agricultural implements such as ploughs, rakes and machinery parts or kitchen implements. Introduce brief process of making a handmade knife: making rough drafts, maintaining the forge fire, banging red-hot iron into shape with hammers, tempering (strengthening) the metal with water and then sharpening the final product. Introduce tools and equipments that is needed for the class, how dangerous it is and what should be used/noted to keep safe. Visit the kitchen in host's house to see the knives they use in daily life. 10:00am - 12:00pm: You will learn to make a simple small knife as a trial so that you can have an overview of the whole process. Host will then give you feedback on your representation and introduce the next classes. You can think of shape/type of the knives you want to make to bring back after the class. You can make one or many (maximum 3) depending on the size and difficulty. At the end of class you will be taken to the Old Quarter and visit the knife street to take a look at the trade market of local knives nowadays. Day 2: On this day you will learn how to shape the knife. You will also learn to burn the charcoal and using the stove, to measure the heat of the knife when burning it in the stove. You will also take lesson with hammer to adjust thickness of your knife . 9:00am - 9:30am: You will see different types of steel that host have. He will introduce which is better and why it is better to be used for knife-making. See products from high and low quality steels. Then you will be introduced to the brick stove that the host has made. He will also show you how to build it and a simpler version of the stove that can be easily set up anywhere. The host will demonstrate for the first time and you will be required to follow him. Remember to wear mask (host will prepare this for you) because some people cannot stand the smoke from charcoal. In this process the charcoal must be dry or it will not burn properly. Once the charcoal is ready and burning, you will be taught how to adjust the heat on the forge with the help of a fan to maintain the right amount of heat. 9:30am - 11:30am: First you will learn to use the steel-cutting machine properly. The host will show you different shapes that he has, and which ones are easy or difficult to make. He will introduce the use of every different shapes of knives. Pick 3 shapes to learn from. We start with the most simple one. First you use the machine to cut the piece of steel. This is the most simple way that people invented after hundreds of year using hand-made tools only. Then it is time for the next skill, the knife will be put into the oven, and once it is 'soft' enough you will learn cutting them by hammer and chisel. The process goes on with 2 other shapes. We move from the most simple knives to the harder knives so that you can practice and conquer any shapes that you like. After that you will be taught how to hold hammer in the correct posture and also the amount of pressure to apply while hammering the raw metal on the anvil. Next stage will be about putting the hammered knife into the forge and estimating the duration it should be left in there at all stages of the process. Using the knives that was cut on Day 2 to put in the forge. You will be shown how to check by looking at the knife, particularly the redness on it. If it is not hot enough it takes very long to be thickened, and if the temperature is too high then it becomes brittle. You will do this several times until you master it, this is just draft. Once you're confident, you can try with the knife you've designed. While learning to measure the heat and redness, you will aso learn to use hammer for thickness adjustment. Each time you take the knife out of forge, immediately punch it with the hammer when it is still hot. This step is repeated several times over until the knife is the correct thickness. Host will show you how to know if it is done or just by sight. 11:30am - 12:00pm Check the finish products and host will give you feedback. You can design your knife and make it from the very beginning without any help from host, to make sure that you can do it on your own. This knife is also your final product. You will cut 5 different knives from raw steel so that should there be any damages along during the learning process then you have additional rough cut knives as back-up. Day 3 On this day you will learn to use the hand-made machine to sharpen the knife. This is the only step you use the electric machine. The machine is customized by host to be suitable for sharpening the knife. This is the hardest and most dangerous step among the whole process so on this day we will just focus on this particular skill. Firstly, the host will introduce how the machine works, how it was invented and customized. Select a sitting position to be convenient enough for sharpening process but still safe. Learn how to hold the knife at the right angle and pressure to you use when putting the knife to the machine. You will learn how to test thickness of the knife, how to sharpen the knife edge without breaking it. Practice sessions will be on the 3 draft knives created on Day 2 and once you conquer it, start with your own designed knife. Day 4 On this day you will learn to make wooden handle and discover the secret liquid that make the knife sharp. Then we finish the class by sharpening the knife by sandstone. This day it also take longer since the progress is more gradual than earlier days. 9:00 am - 10:00am: From a piece of wood, you will learn how to measure and carve it into cylindrical shape to fit the knife. Host will guide you how to hold the sickle and control it to carve easily. You're free to pick as many wooden pieces as possible to practice. Once the carving is finished, you will use sandpaper to make it perfectly smooth to fit the base of the knife. 10:00am - 12:00pm: Collect the knives that you're working on the previous days and finish it with the final steps which is applying secret liquid and smoothing by hand. The host will teach you how to make the secret liquid from the easiest-to-find material and how it became a personal formula of each family in the village. Nearing the end of the masterclass you will learn to apply the liquid to edges of the knives on the draft knives first, once you're confident then you will go on to your final piece. The last step involves further sharpening of the knife on the grindstone and fitting the handle to the knife. 12:00pm - 2:00pm: As the last step to check your mastery, the host will give you a new shape of knife and you will applied all the techniques you learned to complete it from a piece of steel!

Additional Information:

  • Pick-up location: Exact pick-up location address along with map direction will be sent to your email instantly after booking
  • You also have the option to be picked up. Simply select this option from the add-on section
  • You do not need previous blacksmith experience
  • Dress Code: Long sleeves, sun glasses and covered shoes are recommended. Dresses are not recommended for females
  • Be at the pick up location at the tour start time

Cancellation Policy: Moderate

Full refund available for cancellations made up to 48 hours prior to booking start time.

Location

The pick-up location address will be sent to your email immediately upon booking.

Upcoming availability

Your Local Host

Hoang Sinh

Mr. Hoang Sinh was born in the family with 3 generations making knives and scissors so he learned this trade when he was very small. Sinh and his wife have been working hard every day to make the best knives and sc...

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US$ 225.00 4 hrs 08:00
25 Reviews
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Instant confirmation