Oct. 3 & 4, Blacksmithing: Knife Making; Oct. 17, 24, 31, Antique Engine Repair and Maintenance Class

September 26, 9-5. Make a Metal Casting Furnace or Blacksmithing Forge. We supply the materials, tools, and know-how to create a functioning furnace or forge. The class involves cutting a metal tank for the purpose, welding ( we do that), and forming an interior chamber inside the tank for refractory cement with Sana tube and cardboard. We are using refractory rated at over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.We provide the the 10 PSI regulator as well as a propane delivery valve that we have created for the purpose. This takes all of 7 hours to create. The refractory will need to dry for a week or so but will set up by the end of the class. See photos. $300 Complete. 

October 3 & 4, 9-3.  Make a Bowie Knife or Puukko Hunting Knife. Form a blade and handle tang from high carbon steel. Learn the process of shaping, hardening, tempering, filing and polishing with master bladesmith Adriaan Gerber. make one or two knives depending on your productivity. This is a class intended for the beginner touching upon the basics of hand forging. Ticket to our Octoberfest, Oct. 3, 4-7:30 with tuition. $195 Call: (207) 793-2784, director@willowbrookmuseum.org

October 17, 24, & 31, 9-3. Antique Engine Repair & Maintenance Class. This is our second class with antique engine mechanics Russ Welch and Doug Kimball. Learn the mechanics and the ignition systems of make n' brake/ one lunger/ hit n' miss engines. We take 'em apart and put them back together, replace and sometimes fabricate parts. A must for the budding hobbyist. You can take one class or all three. We are starting with a 7HP Economy engine. $195, (207) 793-2784,

See an article in Popular Mechanics that was informed by bladesmith Adriaan Gerber. He is an expert on how to sharpen edge tools. See some of his edge tools in the right and left columns of this blog.

Click this to enlarge it in order to read it.