Footscray Trip Overview
The excitement and joy of forging objects from hot steel is not something confined to the past, nor is it the sole bastion of large, strong, bearded blacksmiths. When you participate in an introductory blacksmithing activity at Waterside, you will discover that forging is a skill that can be readily learnt by persons from all walks of life and capabilities.
In this era of instant gratification, there is a unique pleasure in having to wait and watch steel heat up in a fire until colours signal it is ready to be forged between hammer and anvil. There is also magic in the process that allows a material with such strength at room temperature, to be easily bent and deformed. For many people, forging with a hammer is also a cathartic process and the ability to reverse mistakes (get it hot again and bend it back) takes the pressure away from having to get it right the first time. If you are looking to try something different, come on down to Waterside and Get it Hot!
Additional Info
Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes
Starts: Footscray, Australia
Trip Category: Classes & Workshops >> Craft Classes
Explore Footscray Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Footscray, Victoria, Australia
The excitement and joy of forging objects from hot steel is not something confined to the past, nor is it the sole bastion of large, strong, bearded blacksmiths. When you participate in an introductory blacksmithing activity at Waterside, you will discover that forging is a skill that can be readily learnt by persons from all walks of life and capabilities.
In this era of instant gratification, there is a unique pleasure in having to wait and watch steel heat up in a fire until colours signal it is ready to be forged between hammer and anvil. There is also magic in the process that allows a material with such strength at room temperature, to be easily bent and deformed. For many people, forging with a hammer is also a cathartic process and the ability to reverse mistakes (get it hot again and bend it back) takes the pressure away from having to get it right the first time. If you are looking to try something different, come on down to Waterside and Get it Hot!
Itinerary
This fun activity will be undertaken over 3.5hrs and will involve forging of a fire poker from red hot steel using a hammer and anvil. Attendees will initially be undertaken on a short tour of the facility and the heritage listed aspects of the building discussed. They will then undergo a safety induction and be provided with all personal protective equipment necessary to forge safely.They will then be allocated their own forging station equipped with an anvil, tongs and hammer.
A 15minute demonstration will then be provided on how to light/maintain the fire and use it to heat steel to a temperature suitable for forging. The demonstration will cover each progressive step required to forge a functional fire poker and show that successful blacksmithing does not require brute strength. Participants will then proceed to light their fires and begin to forge their poker under the guidance of an experienced instructor/s.
A short 15min break is generally undertaken after 1.5hrs for participants to relax and enjoy complimentary hot beverages and biscuits. At the end of the class, completed fire pokers are hot waxed in preparation for taking away.
