FOOTSCRAY WORKSHOP FIELD GUIDE
Forge Your First Blade: A Day at Waterside Metal Art Studio in Footscray
A single-day, beginner-friendly workshop that teaches you to hand-forge a high-carbon knife from blank to finished tool.
Forge Your First Blade: A Day at Waterside Metal Art Studio in Footscray.
Join a hands-on workshop in Footscray where, under the guidance of Robbie Alderson and studio staff, you will learn the full sequence of making a traditional hand-forged knife — forging and shaping a high-carbon steel blade, hardening and sharpening it, shaping a handle and receiving assistance with a leather sheath. The course is designed for absolute beginners and runs as an intensive single-day session.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Forging a high‑carbon blade
You will forge and shape a high-carbon steel blade from start to near finish, practicing traditional hand-forging techniques under close supervision.
Expert instruction for beginners
Robbie Alderson leads the workshop and studio staff assist; the program is explicitly structured for those with no prior experience.
Heat‑treating, sharpening and finishing
The day covers hardening and sharpening the blade and shaping a handle; participants also get help fashioning a leather sheath for their finished knife.
What the day feels like
What the day feels like
The workshop is an intensive, hands-on progression from metal to tool: forging and shaping the blank, heat-treating and sharpening the edge, then fitting and shaping a handle with time for sheath work. Instruction is practical and direct, paced for beginners but requiring active, physical participation throughout the day.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this workshop suits best.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Runs on Saturdays from 9:00am to 4:30pm (a 7.5‑hour session).
The workshop is hands-on and requires some physical output; participants should be prepared for active work throughout the day.
The session is held in Footscray at Waterside Metal Art Studio.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the workshop?
The workshop runs Saturdays from 9:00am to 4:30pm — a 7.5‑hour session.
Do I need prior metalworking experience?
No prior experience is required; the workshop is suitable for absolute beginners.
What is the minimum age to participate?
Minimum age is 15. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult who is also enrolled.
What will I make during the day?
You will craft a traditional hand-forged knife: forging and shaping a high-carbon steel blade, then hardening, sharpening and fitting a handle; there is also assistance with leather sheath making.
Who teaches the workshop?
Robbie Alderson leads instruction, with assistance for sheath work provided by Ron Blint and studio staff.
Is the workshop physically demanding?
The course requires some physical output but is structured to be appropriate for beginners.