Outdoor Summer Series: Blacksmithing 101

https://greybrucemakers.ca/event-6743481

COST: $175

WHEN: Saturday, August 15th, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

WHERE: Outdoor Forge Area, Grey Bruce Makers 1130 8th Street E, Owen Sound, ON

Step into one of the world's oldest trades and experience the thrill of shaping red-hot steel with hammer and anvil.

This hands-on introductory blacksmithing course is designed for complete beginners and anyone curious about traditional metalworking. Under the guidance of experienced blacksmith Brian Clowes, you'll learn the fundamentals of working at the forge while creating your own forged project to take home.

Throughout the day you'll discover how steel behaves under heat, develop confidence using traditional blacksmithing tools, and experience the satisfaction of transforming raw metal into something both useful and uniquely your own.

By the end of the course, you'll leave with foundational blacksmithing skills and a handcrafted item—such as a decorative hook or bottle opener—that reflects your own craftsmanship.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Forge safety and proper PPE
• Fire management and heating steel
• Hammer control and striking techniques
• Basic forging techniques including drawing out, tapering, bending, and scrolling
• How to use the anvil, forge, tongs, and blacksmithing hammers
• Techniques for creating clean, functional forged pieces
• Finishing your project for years of use

WHAT YOU'LL MAKE

Each participant

 will forge and finish a small personalized project to take home, such as a decorative hook, bottle opener, or similar beginner-friendly forged piece.

WHAT TO BRING

This course takes place outdoors as part of our Outdoor Summer Series.

Please bring:

• Water bottle
• Sunscreen
• Closed-toe shoes (required)
• Long pants made from natural fibres (cotton or denim recommended)
• Weather-appropriate clothing that you don't mind getting dirty

Safety glasses and hearing protection will be provided if needed.

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Brian Clowes has worked in the metal trades since 1996 and has been blacksmithing since 2004. His career has taken him from Alberta, where he specialized in architectural ironwork, design, and installation, to the United Kingdom, where he spent two years studying traditional joinery techniques within contemporary ironwork. In 2018, Brian founded Forty Hills Forge, where he continues to design and create handcrafted forged works. His practical, hands-on teaching style makes this an ideal first experience for anyone interested in the timeless craft of blacksmithing.

https://www.fortyhillsforge.com/