Forge a Carving Axe + Make a Hardwood Handle

With Phoebe Everill
Learn to forge your own small woodcarving hatchet from high-carbon steel with me, before being guided by renowned fine furniture maker, Phoebe Everill, to hand-carve and fit a custom hardwood handle, to create a finished tool of your own. Ideal for returning students, this workshop covers forging, heat treating, handle making and edge grinding, as well as crafting a leather sheath.
  • $680.00
  • 2 Days
  • Intermediate

Class description

This is the perfect course for anyone who has completed a prior course with me and loves green wood carving.

In this two-day course, you will forge a small woodcarving hatchet from a bar of high-carbon steel. From forging the eye, to drawing out the shape and heat treating the steel, you will learn each step in the tool making process. You will then hand carve your own custom handle with Phoebe Everill from a local hardwood timber.

The final steps involve using a belt grinder to profile your axe head and grind a final edge onto your tool.

You will learn about:

  • Making your handle from a bandsaw blank and carving with a drawknife.
  • Using a shave horse
  • Forging and tempering steel
  • Making a leather sheath for your carving axe.
Key information
  • Cost per person: $680.00
  • Experience Level: Intermediate - Some confidence with tools necessary
  • Location: Drummond VIC, Australia

Where the full address is not shown, this will be provided to you after booking.

Time & date

This course runs over 2 days.
  • Class length per day: 7 hours
  • Starting time: 9:00am (please arrive 15 minutes prior to this)

Sorry – this class is sold out for all currently scheduled dates.

Additional class dates may be possible upon request. Please use the form below to enquire:

What's provided & what to bring with you

You will need to bring your own personal protective equipment (PPE):

  • Earmuffs
  • Safety glasses
  • P2 dust mask

Suitable PPE is provided during this class, including:

  • Earmuffs
  • Safety glasses
  • P2 dust mask

However, if you’d prefer to wear your own, you’re most welcome to bring it along.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided for morning & afternoon tea.

Please bring your own lunch. If you’d like to buy lunch, Malmsbury Bakery or Glenlyon General Store are great options (each are a 10 minute drive away). Glenlyon General Store is not open on Tuesdays.

What to wear

  • Please wear covered shoes - they don't need to be steel-capped.
  • Please don't wear particularly loose clothing e.g. baggy sleeves or long skirts. These present additional risks when working around lit forges.

Accessibility & inclusivity

I believe that the forge and the workbench belong to everyone. While blacksmithing and woodworking have historically been exclusionary spaces, I am committed to fostering an environment where women, the LGBTQI+ community, and people of all backgrounds feel at home and empowered to create.

Physical & Neurodiversity

Most classes can be adapted to accommodate various physical abilities and neurodivergent needs. Please reach out to discuss how I can best support your learning style or physical requirements.

Note on access: My workshop is not yet wheelchair accessible, though I am actively working to change this as soon as possible. If you have mobility concerns, feel free to contact me to see if we can make it work for your specific needs.

FAQ about classes

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Ut elementum, enim sed malesuada ornare, tortor eros lobortis arcu, non vulputate turpis metus at nunc. Nullam id nulla interdum, feugiat nisl eget, volutpat tortor. Nam luctus luctus dapibus. Etiam luctus ut turpis non malesuada. In ut magna nunc. Suspendisse ac dapibus massa. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos.

Ut elementum, enim sed malesuada ornare, tortor eros lobortis arcu, non vulputate turpis metus at nunc. Nullam id nulla interdum, feugiat nisl eget, volutpat tortor. Nam luctus luctus dapibus. Etiam luctus ut turpis non malesuada. In ut magna nunc. Suspendisse ac dapibus massa. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos.

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