June 21-27
June 21, 2026
JJ was back today to continue working on her monster sword! This thing is a beast! But she got all the hammering done, and next time is grinding grinding and more grinding!
June 21, 2026
Three generations for Father's Day Knifemaking! These 4 all made super sharp Railroad Spike Knives.
June 23, 2026
What a great pair in the forge this evening! Ken brought his son, Cole, in to make Railroad Spike Knives. They did an awesome job!
June 23, 2026
Lots of fun with this group of friends and family! They came from all over Michigan and Indiana to Downtown Kalamazoo to forge their first knives!
June 24, 2026
Evan was back this morning to make his first commission! It's always fun when students started getting commissions! He made a very nice tanto style blade.
June 25, 2026
Evan volunteered to be a guinea pig for the steel chili pepper! He did a great job! Its getting closer to being a new class.
June 25, 2026
Such a fun class today with this family! Peter made a dagger while his son Gabriel made a great Railroad Spike Knife. Mom and sister watched...and planned their future classes!
June 26, 2026
Fun morning with Hadley and her father! They came to the forge as part of a 4-H program this summer. Allegan County 4-H is sponsoring beginner blacksmithing, steel flowers, and basic welding classes at the forge. They both did really great learning the basics!
June 27, 2026
Our 2nd 4-H class yesterday was Steel Flowers! This was a great group of kids that learned plasma cutting, cold shaping steel, and welding. They also learned that every project goes through that "ugly duckling" stage I joke about-- where it doesn't look like how you started, but it definitely doesn't look like how you want it to be. Then a couple of hits in the right spot and suddenly it's a flower! We have a lot more of the 4-H classes planned this summer, sponsored by Allegan County 4-H , through the Michigan State University Extension!
June 27, 2026
Yesterday Brandon was back and brought his father! Brandon and his wife Maghan have made things in the forge, but it was his father's first time. They both made beautiful Railroad Spike Knives!
