2025-07-28 – Viking-Style Padlock (In-Person)
Schedule:
July 28-30 (9:00 am-5:00 pm CT)
Instructor:
Tom Latané
Location:
This is an in-person class held at Vesterheim Folk Art School in the new forging classroom.
Students will forge and fabricate a tapered square body with a key slot in one side. The body of the lock will be held together by tenons on the ends of straps until the top and bottom can be brazed in the forge. The shackle will be forged with a flared flange to cover the top of the lock. “V” shaped springs will be forged that retain the shackle until they are compressed by the key. Various types of warding will be discussed and options for ornamentation offered.
Level of Instruction:
Prior blacksmithing experience will be necessary.
Supplies:
Student tools
Safety gear: Eye protection, ear protection, glove for tool holding hand (light leather glove, not a welder’s glove), natural fiber clothing (synthetics melt to skin or burn rapidly), ratty long sleeve covering for when forge welding, leather apron (if desired ) for forge welding, closed toe shoes (no flip flops)
- Hammers: Favorite forging hammer, hammer to strike tooling
- Tongs: Tongs to hold sheet, 1/8” x 1/4” pieces, 1/2” square, 1/4” square and round
- Hand or electric drill and bits
- Punch to make 1/8” square holes (these can also be drilled and filed by those who prefer)
- Chisels: 1/4” wide, about 1/2” wide, wider for cutting sheet to size for pattern
- Butcher and flat bottom tool
- Fuller with 3/8” radius (3/4” diameter) nose
- Layout tools: ruler, center punch, sharpie pen, silver pencil, pencil, and paper
- Files: 8-10" half round file, square file up to 1/4" (but bigger than a needle file), 6-8" mill file, needle files 00 or 0 cut square and warding
Materials fee $20 paid directly to the instructor - mild steel sheet and bar stock, spring steel
Enrollment Deadline:
Click here to learn more about instructor Tom Latané
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