What you’ll do
over two days
1
When you arrive
On arrival, you’ll be signed in and introduced to the smith who will talk through the course step-by-step and help you select which design you would like to make. We’ll discuss what you want to achieve for the day before providing you with protective equipment and a safety briefing.
2
Firing up the forge
The forge will have been lit and heating up before you arrive, so it’s ready to go! You will get an introduction on how to control and maintain the fire of the forge to a forging heat.
3
Forging the Blade
First, you will be forging the blade, you will begin by forging the tang with processes such as set downs, squaring and tapering. Then to the business end of the sword, you will forge the taper onto the blade. You can then choose to forge a sword fuller, a fuller is designed to provide stiffness for a blade. You’ll then bevel the blade, and it’s onto the pommel and cross guard.
4
Forging the Pommel and Crossguard
The pommel is the counterweight to balance the sword. In forging the pommel, you will be shaping steel using formers and hammers to decorate the pommel. For the crossguard, you will punch a hole in the crossguard, then use a process called drifting to fit the crossguard to the tang. You’ll then begin to shape and decorate your crossguard through a number of processes such as tapering, rounding, splating and scrolling to give your sword extra flair.
5
Finishing
You’ll begin the finishing process in the grinding bay, using angle grinders. You will then fit the handle to the sword through a process known as a burn through, where the tang is heated and the wooden handle is then pushed onto the tang to burn away a hole that fits the tang, once the handle is fitted it is time for final assembly, and one of our smiths will fit all the components together.
6
Photo Time
It’s great fun working alongside one another and crafting something unique! Once the forging is complete, it’s time to pose for those all-important photos at our wooden stage!
GUIDELINES FOR TAKING PART
Our experience day packages are physically demanding and have the potential for minor injury. Therefore, please seek advice from your doctor or our booking team if you’re unsure.
Be sure to dress accordingly, remembering that in the colder months it can get pretty chilly inside the workshop, despite the fires! Please wear long trousers and suitable footwear.
Make sure you follow the guidance on our website and what’s sent to you ahead of the event. And always listen to the instructions of our expert team on the day.
AVAILABILITY
The Forge is open all year round, seven days a week. Our online booking system will show you the availability in real time. Please be aware that weekends should be booked well in advance!
HOW BOOKING WORKS
Our online booking system is easy to use and allows you to choose a time and date that suits you. Once confirmed, you will receive an email with all the details you need, as well as an important form to complete.
HOW PRICING WORKS
The price of this booking covers two people making one decorative sword together over two full-day sessions.
This experience is also available for solo forgers over a three-day period.
For large bookings we recommend our Decorative Sword Making experience over one day.
If you’re buying a voucher, the voucher will entitle the recipient to two full-day sessions making one decorative session with another person.
Reviews
The staff are amazing and so happy, helpful and knowledgeable
Well, I cannot recommend this place enough. What an experience the sword making over 2 days was. It was so hands-on and so intricate that I felt like I was a genuine blacksmith. I especially enjoyed Lugar the Orc Smith who helped me forge my sword. Definitely worth every penny for an experience and obviously getting to keep your sword after. Thanks so much, Oldfield Forge, I will certainly be returning to make something else.
Superb experience. Made brilliant by the passionate people who work there.
5-star experience (I didn’t stop grinning all the time I was there), made brilliant by the passionate people who work there. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly. The biggest thing that makes this a great experience is the interaction, advice, and support you get from people who clearly love what they do. A big shout out to Joe and Helen who were our main trainers/guides/mentors, but also huge thanks to Luke, Aaron, Sam, Theo, and the team.
Fantastic experience, time well spent
What a fantastic experience! We booked a sword-making two-hour course for my son’s 18th birthday and spent two wonderful days learning new skills, working together, and generally enjoying heating up and bashing steel. The staff was all incredibly friendly and helpful and a particular shout out to Ben who guided us through deciding what type of sword to make, and through to how to finish it. Can’t wait to have another go!
We had an amazing time at the forge
I purchased a two-day sword-making experience for my husband’s birthday as he had previously been on a 3-hour taster experience and loved it. I loved being in the forge. I thought the team was great, giving us autonomy with our project but being on hand when needed for advice/help. It was a great environment to work in and we even enjoyed the safety briefing. Big thanks go out to everyone for helping to make a great memory with us, especially Ben, Yanto and Luke
Explore Our Other Experiences
Ethan came to Oldfield Forge on a hammer course and instantly fell in love with the craft. He originally trained in carpentry and is the youngest blacksmith on the team. […] Ethan came to Oldfield Forge on a hammer course and instantly fell in love with the craft. He originally trained in carpentry and is the youngest blacksmith on the team. Ethan enjoys all aspects of the trade and wouldn’t consider going back. His favorite course to teach is the knife-making experience.
Ben has been at Oldfield for many years. He was one of the first teachers and has seen the number of students increase greatly! Ben has been blacksmithing for over […] Ben has been at Oldfield for many years. He was one of the first teachers and has seen the number of students increase greatly! Ben has been blacksmithing for over 12 years and has an active role as our social media manager. Some of his hobbies include Norman era reenactment in which he became a world-famous (now dead) meme.
Josh first discovered blacksmithing when he was on a trip to Dover Castle and saw a smith making arrowheads and fell in love with the craft. He did his initial […] Josh first discovered blacksmithing when he was on a trip to Dover Castle and saw a smith making arrowheads and fell in love with the craft. He did his initial training at Canterbury College and then his BA(HONS) in artist blacksmithing in Hereford. Josh comes from Deal in Kent and moved to Hereford and began teaching the craft at Oldfield Forge in the summer of 2022. His interests include Dungeons and Dragons and archery.
Aaron started by dabbling in farriery after getting bored at his old desk job and found out that he was pretty good at it. Even years later he doesn’t regret […] Aaron started by dabbling in farriery after getting bored at his old desk job and found out that he was pretty good at it. Even years later he doesn’t regret a thing. His favorite part about the job is being able to express himself artistically and smashing hot steel.