Blacksmithing Class

Get hands-on with this fun blacksmithing experience in Edinburgh!



4.5 hours Class size 1 to 3 (public classes), 1 to 4 label £160

Whether you're looking for one-off fun things to do in Edinburgh or a new hobby, why not rediscover an ancient craft with this thrilling blacksmithing class?

During this unique craft class, you will enjoy a full introduction to the enthralling world of blacksmithing as you explore what it takes to turn raw steel into a working tool/ decorative piece.

Don't worry if you're not the handiest person around or if you've yet to give blacksmithing a try, this fun class is all about trying something new and welcomes all abilities!

During this class, you learn about:

  • Upsetting.
  • Drawing.
  • Tapering.
  • Bending.
  • Punching.

Using your newfound skills and with the guidance of your friendly teacher, you will make a small item such as a hook or bottle opener – this is an ideal beginner DIY project to practise your skills with. You will then set to work on your main piece, a fire poker (or an item of your choice within reason).

At the end of the class, you'll walk away with your exciting new blacksmithing skills, your very own creations and lastly, a sense of achievement!


Knowledge required
Beginner-friendly.
 
What you'll get
  • Coaching
  • PPE
  • Materials and tools
  • Your two forged pieces to take home
What to bring
  • Water Bottle
  • Sturdy Shoes/boots
  • Cotton clothing
Suitable for

Suitable for adults, and kids (minimum 17 years old).

An adult must accompany any attending kids. The adult may observe at the class for free.

This would also be a lovely gift for her, gift for mum, anniversary gift or birthday gift.

Location

9 Harvest Road, Unit 8, CoVault Newbridge, Edinburgh, EH28 8PJ

Blacksmithing Class location
Your teacher
Athelstane Forge
Athelstane Forge

5.0 (22)
Instagram followers2k

Hi there, I’m Sandy, a 29-year-old blacksmith. I create functional metal items at my forge in Newbridge, Scotland. I began this journey to learn blacksmithing in 2019 after working in a corporate environment and seeking something more fulfilling. I love the challenges of working with metal and the things you can create.

Blacksmithing is an incredible and ancient art, it takes raw metal and turns it into something of use and beauty. Starting out with a piece of unassuming steel and applying force and heat, I am constantly amazed at the shapes and forms I can create. As my skills develop, my appreciation for the art grows and I look forward to making even more incredible works with you.

Verified reviews

We only show reviews from customers who have paid for and attended this class


Khaterine Castellano Nov 2023


Our class with Alex was entertaining and a lot of fun. He took the time to teach us all his techniques, shared lots of stories and metaphors and allowed us to create bracelets because we were not able to bring the fire poker. We definitely recommend this class to anyone who would like to try blacksmithing.

Graham Thom Oct 2023


A great day out. Learned some new skills with a couple of nice class mates.

Blacksmithing Class review by Graham Thom - Edinburgh

Kirsty Holmes Jul 2023


My two friends and I had a fantastic day at Athelstaneforge with Sandy. The time just flew by as we learned about the forging process. There was an excellent mix of instruction and hands on experience, and we would all recommend this option for a thoroughly enjoyable and very different day out.

Craig Thomson Jul 2023


I had a great time. The teacher is a working blacksmith who had ongoing projects in the workshop and who was happy to talk about the tools of the trade and answer any questions. Safety was clearly covered and very good instructions and individual support was given while making the two pieces on the beginners course. We were even shown how to safely use the blowtorch and bam bam the very large machine in the corner.

Michelle Rae Jul 2023

2 ClassBento workshops attended


Great experience, good laugh and now have a true appreciation of the art of blacksmithery. We will be back X

David Johnston Jul 2023


A huge thanks to Sandy for our intro to Blacksmithing!
My son (12 years old) and I had a fantastic day learning how to heat, bend and fashion metal into beautiful and useful objects!
Sandy was quite simply a brilliant teacher and was particularly great with my son who has come away from the experience inspired and hungry for more!
We’ll be back and I couldn’t recommend the day highly enough!
Thanks again Sandy,
David and James

Blacksmithing Class review by David Johnston - Edinburgh

John Andrew Jun 2023


A great experience with lots of great guidance and assistance from our instructor. It was even better than I thought it would be and I would absolutely suggest it to anybody interested!

Callum Reed Jun 2023


Amazing experience, Sandy is an amazing teacher and has a huge depth of knowledge. This is something I’ve been wanting to try for along time and he definitely didn’t disappoint. Manage to make a bottle open and a fire poker which will last a lifetime!

Metalwork class review by Callum Reed - Edinburgh

Yashwanth Madem Jun 2023


Sandy taught perfectly well, and there was no rush at all. The best thing, to be honest, was that he provided theoretical and practical demonstrations to make sure everything is clear. I am looking forward to attending more sessions.

Thank you for your time, Sandy.

Austin Fossey Feb 2023


Sandy was amazing and put so much planning into setting up the class for our group. We had seven people there for a stag/bachelor party, and he made sure that there were plenty of work stations, safety gear, and materials laid out for each person. He even provided snacks! What I was most impressed by was that Sandy tailored the class to the group. He scaled to a larger group--bringing in another instructor, Connor, to help out, plus setting up three anvils and two furnaces so someone could always be working their metal. He also picked a project for us that we could do in one session (we made bottle openers!). However, I know he can also do more in-depth workshops with slightly more complex projects for smaller groups. Both Sandy and Connor were really nice and fun, and we had a blast! None of us had any experience with blacksmithing, and it was so awesome to try out a new skill. Thank you Sandy!

Metalwork class review by Austin Fossey - Edinburgh

Graeme Miller Feb 2023


Sandy was great fun and obviously knew his stuff explained and demonstrated brilliantly. A fantastic experience.

Pete McOmish Jan 2023

2 ClassBento workshops attended


Instructor Sandy very knowledgable and genuine nice guy, took time to explain everything well and make sure I knew what I was doing before letting me loose, made suggestions on how to improve techniques while making a bottle opener and fire poker, thoroughly enjoyed this first course and looking forward to the advanced course in three weeks

If you fancy a go at blacksmithing as I have for years then I can thoroughly recommend this course I went home buzzing from this course and I am a highly skilled multi trained engineer from heavy industry background for over 30 years

Blacksmithing Class review by Pete McOmish - Edinburgh

Dode Graham Oct 2022


After thinking i had turned up at offices, I was lucky to bump into Sandy, who walked me to his unit. Brilliant set up. Sandy was a fantastic, patient teacher and an all round good guy. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My only complaint being, the time flew by too fast. I'll be back.

Bernhard Müller Oct 2022


A lesson that is definitely worth it. Sandy was experienced and a great teacher, giving great feedback and advice. From using the different hammers to using the power hammer to create the different pieces, it was a great experience.
Would highly recommend.

Neil Stevenson Oct 2022


The experience and the teacher (Sandy) were above and beyond what I expected.
Went with a friend for a day out and didn’t know what to expect but everything was really straightforward and well managed. I didn’t need to bring anything and everything was provided safety-wise and I felt safe throughout. Instructions were clear and easy to follow and it was a lot of fun with a bit of competition. Ultimately I’ll go back, it’s an expensive day out but it was the right choice and a good one. Would make a good gift.

Blacksmithing Class review by Neil Stevenson - Edinburgh

Emma Youell Aug 2022


Athelstaneforge was a brilliant experience! The venue was easy to find and plenty of parking (even for our campervan!)

Firstly, great communication before booking, I was able to book myself and my husband onto the Saturday experience quick and easily. We started at 10am and straight away (after a quick safety briefing!) we were into making our own bottle opener each. We were taught how to manipulate the hot metal to shape it to our needs for our project. Once the bottle opener was complete, we had a break (cookies were provided!) and then moved onto creating our own items. I chose a hanging basket bracket and my husband, a branding tool. Had never tried anything like this before and it was a lot of fun and super proud of what we made!

Metalwork class review by Emma Youell - Edinburgh

Andre Phillips Aug 2022


Fantastic lesson! The teach was amazing, allowed up to be hands on, make mistakes (but then he could fix them!) so got to learn how to use everything and make 2 of our very one-of a kind items.
Really great value for the time the teacher puts in, the length of the session and the amount of different tools, (including the power hammer!)
Would highly recommend.

Andrew Macgregor Apr 2022

24 ClassBento workshops attended • 14 reviews


Fantastic few hours spent learning how to shape a basic piece of metal into something useful. Sandy is a fantastic teacher, covering all aspects of safety, techniques and explaining just how metal “works”. He pitched the level of instruction perfectly and I could have happily spent a lot longer there just learning stuff. The day is run at your own pace and nothing was too much trouble for Sandy. I’d also recommend that you treat yourself to one of his fantastically tactile workshop hammers!

Blacksmithing Class review by Andrew Macgregor - Edinburgh

Elizabeth Creissen Mar 2022


Amazing class, Sandy was such a good teacher and let me do so much. It was a wonderful fun day and I went home with some amazing pieces. Would highly recommend to anyone who likes to make useful beautiful things.

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