The BBQ Tool-Set Making Course

1-day course led by Max Anderson, Giles Clarke and/or Tom Quinnell. Priced per person and limited to 8 students.

*** Please scroll to the bottom to choose from available dates ***

Your course will start promptly at 9:00am and finish approximately 6:00pm (may go on a little longer if required).

Your tutor will guide you through the various techniques involved in the fascinating craft of forging hot iron (‘blacksmithing’). All items you make, you can take home with you. This 1-day course is suitable for beginners who are capable with hands-on activities or for those who have attended any course with us before.

You will warm up in the morning by getting stuck in straight away with hands-on introductions into some of the key blacksmith processes whilst forging the following items:

• BBQ fork - split, tapered with a punched hole and chiselled detail

• 4 x BBQ Skewers - forged points and your choice of triple-fullered or scrolled and looped handles (or a combination of both)

• Spatula/Burger Flipper - fullered and flattened end, tapered handle with a punched-hole bottle opener in the handle and chiselled detail. The stainless-steel ‘spatula end’ will be riveted to the handle with copper rivets.

• Each participant will receive a high-quality, suede, 6-compartment tool wrap/roll to store the tools upon completion of the course, for you to store and protect the tools you have made. These are handmade in the UK by Gibbins of Suffolk. These are also available to buy separately in our products shop for £75.

• A locally brewed beer from the Pilgrim Brewery in Reigate (or J20) will also be provided at the end of the day, for you to ‘test’ your bottle opener-handled spatula on.

There will also be a follow-on/’part 2’ course released soon, to make additional tooling to add to the kit.

You will be taught how to correctly use a variety of hand tools and equipment. By the end of the day you will have learnt to manage your own fire, alongside a variety of skills and techniques required to manipulate the metal. You will have also utilised a variety of blacksmithing processes including: Drawing down/tapering, bending, twisting, punching a hole, splitting.

Please bring a packed lunch with you.

• Tea, coffee & bottled water is provided all day. (decaf tea and coffee also available)

• Homemade cake and/or brownies, and a selection of biscuits (not homemade) on offer throughout the day

• All required PPE is provided (with the exception of boots - see notes below)

Feel free to take a look at our photo gallery to get an idea on what to expect.

Our booking terms can be found via the menu on our website or by following this link

Your course takes place at the Rowhurst Forge blacksmithing and heritage site, where decorative ironwork of a world-class standard has been produced by the Quinnell family since 1932. You will based in the teaching area of our forge, and you will have the chance to see the beautiful work of leading British artistic metalworkers in our well-known Fire & Iron Gallery.

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Classes are limited to 8 students, each with their own forge, anvil, leg vice and all necessary hand tools. PPE is provided - safety glasses, leather gloves, leather apron, and optional earplugs & face masks. For hygiene reasons, you are required to bring your own safety boots - please read our health & safety information for further details on this.

With our decades of experience, and over 2,000 very happy students to date, we can confidently guarantee that you will enjoy yourself enormously!

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or queries QSB@fireandiron.co.uk - 01372 375148 (mobile)

*** We can take younger students, from 11 years old, but only on condition that if under 16, they must have a parent or close family adult member also booked on the course to work alongside them. However, I would suggest that they try one of our other 1-Day courses first, as this one requires some hard graft! They must be well-motivated and really want to take the course and must have reasonable stamina. Alternatively, we offer shorter and tailored ‘one on one’ courses, suitable for younger students - with these, an adult does not need to participate, but must be present and can observe throughout. Please contact us to discuss before booking.