FERRUM Daniel Gentile's Forging courses
1-Day Custom Knives Forging Course
In this course, forge your own simple kitchen knife/outdoor knife from high-quality carbon steel or, optionally, from Damascus steel prepared by me, with a simple wooden handle.
Compared to the 2-day Damascus steel course, 1 day is not enough to produce Damascus steel from scratch and then make a complete knife from it. That's why I offer my Damascus steel as an option for the 1-day course (depending on availability: 80-160 layers, folded steel in tool steel quality).
The course includes so-called "carbon steel" as standard - a high-quality, simple but functional knife steel.
In addition to the simpler wood, I also offer a variety of handle materials from stock.
The aim of the course is to produce complete, but also simple knives with a blade length of up to approx. 20cm.
The course can be booked from Tuesday to Sunday.
There is also the option of having your own blade provided with a personal laser engraving.
Max. 5 participants
Price per person: Carbon steel CHF 400.- / Damascus steel CHF 650.-
2-Day Damascus Steel Forging Course
In this course, forge your own chef's knife/outdoor knife from your self-forged Damascus steel.
In this course, it is also possible to produce somewhat more complex handles. You have the freedom to choose whether your knife is made with a full tang & handle scales, a stick tang, a 2-piece wooden handle, or possibly with a hand guard/handle end.
This course includes the complete production of your own Damascus steel - The goal is to forge a package with approximately 80 layers in a “wild pattern” and then use it to make your own knife.
In this course, you can create somewhat larger chef's knives and stronger outdoor knives.
I also offer a selection of high-quality handle materials from stock as an option.
There is also the option of having your own blade provided with a personal laser engraving.
Max. 5 participants
Price per person: CHF 980.-
3-Day Forging Course - Elaborate Knives & Damascus Steel
In this course, forge your own sophisticated kitchen knife/outdoor knife from more complex Damascus steel.
This course is aimed at participants who either want to learn more complex techniques of Damascus steel production (torsion, composite, simple mosaic structures, feather Damascus…) or simply want to make a more complex / larger knife.
In this course, you can, for example, make traditional Japanese kitchen knives in a 3-layer construction with a one-sided grind (Hocho deba, yanagiba…), large hunting/outdoor knives with elaborate handles and hand protection. Or how about a Nepalese Khukri? a Tanto? or simply your own special design? The three-day course offers the right platform for this!
In this course, it is also possible to produce more complex handles. You are free to choose whether your knife is made with a full tang & handle scales, stick tang, 2-piece wooden handle or, if necessary, with a hand guard/handle end.
The course is ideally suited for all participants - beginners and advanced learners. Previous knowledge is NOT required. But especially for people who already have experience in crafts/forging or for hobby knife makers, this is the ideal course to learn advanced knife making techniques.
It is also possible to have your own blade laser engraved with a personal design.
Max. 4 participants
Price per person: CHF 1600.-
1-Day Axe Forging Course
Axe made of carbon or Damascus steel
Forge a simple axe with a head weight of approx. 600g from carbon steel - or optionally from Damascus steel prefabricated by me.
Due to time constraints, it is not possible to produce the Damascus steel yourself from scratch in the 1-day course (the 2-day course is intended for this).
A prepared standard axe shaft will also be used.
If a bearded axe ("Viking axe") or generally a larger axe and, if necessary, a custom-made shaft is desired, I recommend the 2-day axe forging course!
Max. 4 participants
Price per person: Carbon steel CHF 500.- / Damascus steel CHF 850.-
2-Day Damascus Steel Axe Forging Course
In this 2-day course, forge your own axe from self-forged Damascus steel!
In terms of the possibilities within the course framework, axes with a head weight of up to approx. 1.2kg are easily feasible. Also bearded axes in Viking style.
The Damascus steel is produced from scratch in the course itself.
When it comes to the shaft, there is the option of making it completely yourself or using a standard shaft for easy replacement later.
Max. 4 participants
Price per person: 1200.- CHF
Sword Forging Courses 4-12 Days
Important: Dates for all sword forging courses are to be arranged individually! Please contact me to plan your sword forging course.
Sword Forging Courses can be carried out with a maximum of 2 participants.
4-Day Sword Forging Course
In the four-day course, you will make simple swords – this can be a simple Katana or various European swords.
The 4-day course offers an insight into the extremely complex topic of sword forging - with the aim of making your own, simple sword.
However, with 4 days, the focus is not on historical accuracy, and especially with the mounting (handle, hand guard, canoe, etc.), the work is kept very simple so that you can make a sword within the time frame.
For the handle of the katana, so-called Iaito sword handles are used and the rest of the mounting is also prepared.
The mounting is also kept very simple for European swords.
Optionally, it is possible to work with pre-forged Damascus steel (100-250 layers). (The course time is not sufficient to forge Damascus steel yourself…)
Cost per person: Carbon steel CHF 2900.- | Damascus steel: CHF 3400.–
6-Day Damascus Steel Sword Forging Course
Forge your own Damascus steel sword in six days!
In the six-day course, you will create more elaborate swords from self-forged Damascus steel (100-1'000 layers).
This can be a Katana (simple hardening; the 10+ day individual course is intended for traditional differential hardening in a clay coat) or various European swords up to 1-1/2-hand size. In the six-day course, the simple mounting is completely self-made.
In contrast to the four-day course, in this course you not only forge the Damascus steel yourself from scratch, but you can also produce larger/more complex swords as well as hand-crafted, simple mountings.
Especially with Japanese swords, if more elaborate, traditional work is desired, such as a blade with real differential hardening (hardening of the blade in a clay coat, real "Hamon" as a result), with high-quality polishing and more detailed mountings and high demands on the blade, I recommend the 10+ day individual course…
Cost per person CHF 4900.-
Individual Sword Forging Course from 10 Days
Elaborate, more traditional work with great attention to detail - Individual offer
This is about swords with a very high attention to detail – all mounting parts are made by hand.
Japanese blades are traditionally hardened in a clay coat.
Elaborate Damascus steels are made or worked with Tamahagane.
Or multi-lane “worm-colored” damask Viking swords.
Classic 1-1/2-hand swords, katana, etc. are possible from the blade size. But also other historical edged weapons - almost anything is possible... The duration is from 10 days and the number of participants is limited to 2 people.
Cost per person: FROM CHF 7900.- excl. material
In these courses, the exact price depends not only on the duration but also significantly on the desired materials, complexity, and details.
Please contact me with your wishes so that I can create a suitable, non-binding offer for you!
Inquiry for Sword Forging Courses
If you would like to book a Sword Forging Course, or request an offer for a 10+ day individual Sword Forging Course, please fill out the following form.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me: Contact Information