Step into the world of traditional blade smithing and experience the magic of transforming raw steel into your own finished knife. This hands-on course is designed for knife enthusiasts, collectors, and aspiring makers who want more than just a knife — they want the experience of making one.

You’ll leave with your own interpretation of the historic Harry Wolhuter “Lion Killer” knife — a blade with a legendary story and your personal craftsmanship built into it.

🔥 Why This Course Is Different

At Fire Goby Forge, you don’t stand around watching. You do 90% of the work yourself, under the experienced and watchful eye of Jean Wilke and his assistants.

• No waiting for machines.
• No spectators.
• No “watch-the-instructor-do-it-all” sessions.

Just real forging. Real grinding. Real knife-making.
(And yes — if something goes wrong, Jean will step in and help rescue your blade.)

🛠 What to Expect

Theory: We cover more than just practical skills. You’ll scratch the surface of: Knife steels, Heat treatment, Fact vs fiction in knives, Sharpness and sharpening fundamentals.

Forging: Heat. Hammer. Steel. You’ll forge your blade from scratch. It’s physical, exciting, and incredibly satisfying.

Grinding: Every knife is refined at the grinder. Each student has their own machine — and plenty of time to practice.

Handle Fitting: You’ll fit and shape a wood or synthetic handle to complete your knife.

Sharpening: Your knife will leave the forge shaving sharp. (No, not Jean’s hair 😊)

👊 Who This Course Is For

• Knife enthusiasts & Collectors
• Outdoor lovers & DIY makers
• Anyone wanting a unique hands-on experience

All you need: This course is not physically demanding, most people can do it. Willingness to work hard, ability to stand for a few hours, a love for knives, and a couple of bucks 😊

💰 Course Dates & Pricing

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“We came, we saw, we made a great knife!”

This course is usually run immediately after the 2-day knife-making course, but it can also be scheduled later. Please note: it is designed specifically for making sheaths for knives created on the course.

💼 What You Will Make

During this hands-on course, you will:

• Work with high-quality bovine vegetable-tanned leather
• Create a simple fold-over sheath
• Add decorative pattern stamping
• Construct a functional belt loop
• Dye and wet-form the sheath to fit your knife perfectly

By the end of the day, your sheath will fit your knife like a glove and showcase your personal craftsmanship.

📐 What You Will Learn

This beginner-friendly course covers the essentials of leatherworking:

• Basics of working with leather
• How to use leatherworking tools
• Fundamentals of sheath design
• Leather stamping techniques
• Hand-stitching and finishing

No prior experience is required — this course is simple, fun, and completes the knife-making journey beautifully.

💰 Course Dates & Pricing

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“We came, we saw, we made a sheath!”

Combine the 2-Day Forge Knife-Making Course with the 1-Day Leather Sheath-Making Course into a full 3-day immersive journey!

🛠 Over three immersive days, you will:

• Forge your own knife under the expert guidance of Jean Wilke.
• Grind, shape, and sharpen your blade to a professional standard.
• Craft a custom leather sheath perfectly fitted to your knife.

By the end of the course, you will leave with a complete, handcrafted knife-and-sheath set — a truly personal and memorable creation.

👊 Who This Course Is For

Ideal for knife enthusiasts, collectors, DIY makers, and anyone looking for the full hands-on knife-making experience.

💰 Booking Information

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“We came, we saw, we made something wonderful!”

Designed for makers who feel their sheaths undermine their knives. You will leave with a far better understanding of sheath-making... and maybe hate it a little less 😉

🎯 Course Goals

• Work safely
• Have fun
• Learn the craft
• Make 2½ sheaths

💼 What You Will Make

• Fold-over sheath with a riveted belt loop.
• Three-piece sheath with high-carry belt loop.
• Inlay Panel for a three-piece sheath (homework).

📝 The Details

Includes: Tools instruction, materials, certificate, and two light meals (boerewors rolls & hamburgers).

What to Bring: Your own knife (blade 100mm–150mm). Your own tool set is recommended.

💰 Availability & Pricing

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Fridays & Saturdays | 08:00 – 17:00