2026-04-17 - Forging a Viking Flint Striker
Class Details
- Schedule: April 17-19 (9:00 am-5:00 pm CT)
- Location: This is an in-person class held at Vesterheim Folk Art School.
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Instructor: Tom Latané
- Level of Instruction: Intermediate to Advanced
Description
The class will start with a simple form that was common during the period and beyond. Using salvaged wrought iron, the students will forge a bar for the body of the striker to which they will forge weld a strip of high carbon steel to make the sparks. For an extra challenge, participants may try trapping twisted bars and / or wavy bars within the shape. The instructor will bring some bits of cast iron for any students wishing to experiment with blending this material, which is too high in carbon to be workable, with wrought iron to create their own steel.
Prerequisites
Forge welding experience required.
Supplies
Students should bring as many of the listed tools as they can. The instructor tried to send a comprehensive list so no one is left wishing that he or she had known about something that could easily have been brought from home. Students can get by without a complete set of these tools by using school tools, sharing, or altering a design to do without a particular tool.
There will be a $15 materials fee paid directly to the instructor.
- Favorite forging hammer The school has several sizes of hammers but if you have your own that feels comfortable, bring it. There will be a lot of hammering.
- Lighter hammer for fine work and a heavier hammer for coarse work.
- Hammer with a domed face – this helps drive slag out from between layers being welded.
- Tongs – the school has a lot of tongs but not many on lighter or more delicate togs. Most are heavily constructed, designed to hold up to the abuse given them by beginning classes.
- Pick-up tongs for pulling pieces out of the forge and placing them in the tongs that will grip them for control during hammering. Long reins help keep hands away from the flames and thin or pointy jaws help get hold of the piece in the forge. These tongs are generally too light for holding metal being hammered.
- A selection of tongs down to a size to hold 1/8” thick material. School tongs will be adequate for holding the raw stock, but as the pieces get smaller your own tongs will likely be an advantage.
- Small chisel for pricking up burs in the steel for securing to the iron.
- Fine center punch
- Fine scrolling tongs (or round needle nose pliers) for creating wavy strips.
- Half round coarse file 8-10” , Old file for using on scaled metal
- Abrasive paper or cloth in several sizes 240-100 grit
- Sharpie extra fine point for drawing on clean metal
- Silver pencil for drawing on oxidized metal
- Paper and pencil for sketching designs
- Favorite welding flux if you have something you like better than borax which the school will provide
Materials the school can provide
- Vinegar in plastic buckets (maybe two five-quart pails) to clean flux and scale from projects. Two gallons would be plenty
- Anhydrous borax for welding (unless you have discovered a safer option)
Additional Supplies
All students should have the following safety equipment:
- Safety glasses
- Hearing protection
- Natural fiber clothing (smolders rather than bursting into flame or melting to skin)
- Glove for holding tools over hot metal
Tom does not normally wear gloves because they interfere with his control of the hammer and the manipulation of tongs. However, a soft leather glove to protect the hand holding a punch from radiant heat is very helpful. Please note, welder’s gloves are terrible for handling any blacksmith tools.
The forge welding we will do spatters molten flux and slag across a person’s front at about waist level. Wearing a leather apron or clothing that is not going to be a great loss if riddled with small burn holes is a good idea. It would also be good to have a dust mask for when we sweep up.
Enrollment Deadline
March 27, 2026