Blacksmithing 102 with Luz - 4/7/25, 4/14/25, 4/21/25

What you will learn!

In this three-day course, the student will utilize the skills from the 101 class to make different projects depending on the student's aspirations. This class is continuity from 101. In this class, the student will learn to use fullering techniques to be able to move metal faster in many different directions.

If you want to learn how to make knives, you can make a knife from a railroad spike in this 102 course. If not, we can choose a different project. 

The project list will be provided ahead of time, and the chosen project must be able to be completed in nine hours. 

Example Project List*

Knife (made from a Railroad Spike)
Chisel 
Punch

*In this class, two student teams must collaborate and choose the same project. Each student will go home with that completed project.

Required

You must have completed a Blacksmith 101 class taught at Past Lives Makerspace or equivalent to register.

Luz Bio

I come from a blacksmithing family on both sides of my family. My grandfather, Jesus, has been a blacksmith every day since I can remember. As a child, I became curious about Blacksmithing because the noise of the anvil would wake me up every day at around 6 am. I wanted to join them and do something, but they told me I was too little. I remember standing outside the forge watching my grandfather, father, and some of my uncles blacksmithing and looking at all the metal they were throwing away. That scrap pile looked like a treasure to me!

After hundreds of hours watching, at the age of seven, they gave me a cold metal, a punch, a chisel, and a small square hammer and told me to sit in the corner away from the forge. They gave me a flat rock and a piece of sheet metal, and I tried to cut it with my new tools. I intended to make a toy, but the chisel and punch were so dull that they could not punch a hole. They were useless. I asked them to please sharpen them for me, and I was shocked because they told me no and to keep trying.

So, one day, while everyone was at lunch, I turned on the grinder and sharpened the chisel! My uncle Manuel was the first one to arrive back from lunch. He saw I cut about 6 inches, maybe more, off of the sheet metal. He started to scream at me, asking who sharpened the tool for you. I said nobody, I did it myself! Well then, who taught you how to sharpen a tool? I said nobody taught me; I have been watching you all do it for hours. 

He raised his hands, screaming Ahhhhhhh, lowered his hands, and said I see. Well, Luz, yes, you can keep doing it; this is your start to a long journey of Blacksmithing. When my father and grandfather returned, they were proud of me and shocked.