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Online Bladesmithing?

Too many well-respected, knowledgeable knifemakers on line for free to consider a paid, online program. Not sure who is who, there are several knifemaking forums you can ask for input on who to watch and who to avoid.
Too many people trying to cash in on "the game". JMO.
 
It's a slick website. It's not clear who was filmed other than, "Our instructors have achieved the Journeyman Smith or Master Smith levels and are 100% knowledgeable about all aspects of bladesmithing." It's also not clear how much video there is or the quality of the video and audio. The main benefit to an in-person class is someone is there to give you instant feedback watching you work. And I don't see anything in the marketing information about any interactive element to the online version. I'm not saying that the online "course" is bad but it's hard to tell how good it is.
 
That is a chunk of change.

Check out Tai Goo and the videos he offers for learning the basics.
 
AVigil said:
That is a chunk of change.

Check out Tai Goo and the videos he offers for learning the basics.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info, i once did a primitive forging class with Nhavi Forgeworks. Tai Goo videos are found on that website as well.
 
I've only taken one forging class. I'm mostly a stock removal guy. However the instructor I had was able to correct my technique, particularly in choosing hammers and how to swing them, because it was in person. I don't think I could have learned that online; or it would have taken three times as long, maybe longer. Or I would have developed bad techniques I would later have to unlearn.

Of course if you don't have anyone within reasonable distance to learn from, online is what you got. I think it's better than learning by yourself from scratch.
 
I don’t know much about this specifically, but I wouldn’t be so quick to poo poo this. It appears like they may have ABS affiliation, which would be a big deal if so. There are only a few places in the country (like New England School of Metalwork) that are accredited to teach the ABS courses. If you don’t live close enough to one of those and want an affiliated course this could be interesting. There is also the time factor. There are places that teach small weekend courses, and places like New England School of Metalwork have non ABS classes that are a week long. The ABS course is two weeks though. Official ABS courses not only have a certain level of credibility but can also reduce the time wait to JS test if that is something someone is interested in pursuing. As to cost. A weekend course will run you $200-$300 at most places, and I think the official ABS courses are $1k or more. In that context, while expensive it doesn’t seem completely unreasonable.
 
You might want to contact the ABS to see if this actually IS affiliated with them.

You're in California. Have you thought about joining the California Blacksmith Assn? https://www.calsmith.org/
 
I would just fire up the forge and start forging. You will quickly develop questions and most of us are very willing to help with answers. Also YouTube is chuck full of forging videos. Thy might not be “how to” videos but watch how thy do things and you will pick up the tricks,
 
The course is affiliated with Texarkana College and the ABS. The college sees it as a way for prospective students to get some basics without having to pay and take the full two week Intro to Bladesmithing course. It will not get you a year off for your JS testing as the full Intro course does. It does provide you with a years membership in the ABS and the instructors are ABS rated smiths. Texarkana College put a lot of work into the online course and it is pretty good. Does it substitute for the two week course and hands on forging? No, but it gives you a good introduction.
Brion
 
BRTATCK said:
The course is affiliated with Texarkana College and the ABS. The college sees it as a way for prospective students to get some basics without having to pay and take the full two week Intro to Bladesmithing course. It will not get you a year off for your JS testing as the full Intro course does. It does provide you with a years membership in the ABS and the instructors are ABS rated smiths. Texarkana College put a lot of work into the online course and it is pretty good. Does it substitute for the two week course and hands on forging? No, but it gives you a good introduction.
Brion
Click to expand...
Thank you!
 
My feeling is that the ABS wanted to have a source of training for people who couldn't make a two week trip to learn. It provides a vetted and proven training program from instructors who truly know what they are doing. That can't be said for much of the stuff on You-Tube and for many available videos and blogs.

However, the price is high, as is most ABS stuff. They may need the income stream to keep afloat.
 
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