Give Them a Knife-Forging Adventure They’ll Never Forget

A full day at a real working forge in Lanseria, where they will heat, hammer, grind and finish a knife of their own—with professional guidance and no previous bladesmithing experience required.

Choose a Day & Book Buy a Flexible Gift Voucher

Give Them a Knife-Forging Adventure They’ll Never Forget

A full day at a real working forge in Lanseria, where they will heat, hammer, grind and finish a knife of their own—with professional guidance and no previous bladesmithing experience required.

Choose a Day & Book Buy a Flexible Gift Voucher

Give Them a Knife-Forging Adventure They’ll Never Forget

A full day at a real working forge in Lanseria, where they will heat, hammer, grind and finish a knife of their own—with professional guidance and no previous bladesmithing experience required.

Choose a Day & Book Buy a Flexible Gift Voucher

Give Them a Knife-Forging Adventure They’ll Never Forget

A full day at a real working forge in Lanseria, where they will heat, hammer, grind and finish a knife of their own—with professional guidance and no previous bladesmithing experience required.

Choose a Day & Book Buy a Flexible Gift Voucher

Give Them a Knife-Forging Adventure They’ll Never Forget

A full day at a real working forge in Lanseria, where they will heat, hammer, grind and finish a knife of their own—with professional guidance and no previous bladesmithing experience required.

Choose a Day & Book Buy a Flexible Gift Voucher

R2,400 per person • No experience required • Full-day adventure
Forge a real knife • Lunch included • Lanseria, Gauteng • Ages 14+

Book Their Adventure or Let Them Choose the Date

  • Know when they can attend? Book a specific date and give them a confirmed adventure to look forward to.

    • Secure a place on an available class date
      Ideal for planned birthdays and shared outings
    • Best when you have confirmed their availability
    • Suitable when you want to attend together

      Please choose carefully: fixed-date class bookings are final and cannot be rescheduled.

      The standard class fee is R2,400 per person, with special pricing sometimes available on selected dates.
    VIEW DATES & CURRENT PRICES 

  • Not sure about their diary? Send a gift voucher and let the recipient choose an available class date that suits them.


    • Delivered by email after payment
    • Valid for one year from the issue date
    • Ideal for surprises and last-minute gifts
    • Removes the risk of choosing the wrong date

    PLEASE NOTE:
    1. Gift vouchers cannot be redeemed for cash
    2. Gift vouchers are valid for one (1) year from the date of issue
    3.Gift vouchers are non refundable

    BUY A GIFT VOUCHER 

Bladesmithing Experience Photo Gallery

Step inside Black Dragon Forge and see what a day of fire, steel and hands-on craftsmanship really looks like.

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More Than a Gift. It Is a Story They Will Tell

Most gifts create a brief moment of excitement. This one begins before the recipient even arrives.

There is the anticipation of stepping into a real forge. The first wave of heat. The sound of steel meeting an anvil. The concentration required to guide each hammer blow. Then comes the moment when an ordinary bar of steel starts to look like a blade.

By the end of the experience, they will not simply have watched a demonstration. They will have taken part in the major stages of forging a knife, and they will leave with the result in their hands.

It is an adventure, a practical lesson and a lasting keepsake in one unforgettable day.

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From Raw Steel to a Knife They Forged Themselves

1

Heat the Steel

They begin at the forge, heating the steel until it is ready to move under the hammer. This is where the transformation begins.

2

Forge the Blade

With step-by-step guidance, they use a hammer and anvil to shape the hot steel and develop the basic knife profile. It is physical, focused and deeply satisfying

3
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Grind & Heat-Treat It

They refine the shape, develop the bevel and learn how hardening and tempering help turn forged steel into a functional blade.

4

Finish It & Take It Home

The knife is finished and sharpened before the participant leaves with the blade created during the class.

No Experience? That Is Exactly Who This Is For

The recipient does not need bladesmithing, blacksmithing or metalworking experience. The class welcomes complete beginners and introduces the process one stage at a time.

The instructors demonstrate the techniques, explain the tools and guide participants through the practical work. Safety procedures are introduced before the class gets underway, and the required protective equipment is provided.

  • Beginner-friendly: previous forging experience is not required.
  • Professionally guided: the team supports every major stage.
  • Hands-on: participants do the work instead of only watching.
  • Real outcome: each participant leaves with the completed class knife.

    They do not need to arrive as a bladesmith. They only need curiosity, patience and a willingness to try something extraordinary.

Made for People Who Would Rather Do Than Unwrap

This experience is a strong gift for:

  • The person who has everything and is difficult to surprise with an ordinary present
  • The adventurous partner who enjoys experiences outside the usual routine
  • The practical dad who appreciates tools, craft and hands-on challenges
  • The knife or outdoor enthusiast who wants to understand how a blade is made
  • The creative maker who enjoys building, fixing or working with their hands
  • The curious teenager who is ready for a demanding and rewarding new skill
  • The close friend who would value a shared adventure more than another object
  • The employee or client who deserves a genuinely memorable reward

    It is equally suited to birthdays, Father’s Day, anniversaries, graduations, retirements, milestones, Christmas gifts and bucket-list surprises.

Everything They Need for the Adventure

The one-day bladesmithing experience includes:

  • A full day of guided, hands-on bladesmithing
  • Steel and the workshop materials used for the class project
  • Access to the forge, anvils, grinders and required workshop equipment
    Safety glasses, a leather apron and leather gloves
  • Instruction in forging, grinding, heat treatment, finishing and sharpening
  • A traditional South African lunch
    The completed class knife to take home
  • Access to supporting Bladesmithing 101 tutorial material

    The class knife does not include wooden handle scales or a sheath.

Real People. Real Fire. Real Achievement.

Choose a Date & BookBuy Flexible Voucher

Real People. Real Fire. Real Achievement.

Choose a Date & BookBuy Flexible Voucher

Their Day at Black Dragon Forge

7:45 AM: Arrival and Introduction
They meet the team, enter the working forge and prepare for the practical day ahead.

Morning: Safety, Fundamentals and Forging
The class covers essential safety, basic blade design and the first stages of heating and shaping the steel.

Around 11:00 AM: Lunch
A traditional South African lunch is provided, including beef boerewors, pap, tomato-and-onion sauce, coffee, tea and Oros.

Participants with different dietary requirements or preferences should bring their own food and refreshments.

Afternoon: Grinding, Heat Treatment and Finishing
The blade is refined, hardened, tempered, finished and sharpened under guidance.

Before 4:30 PM: Leave With the Completed Knife
The participant finishes the day with a blade made through their own effort and a new appreciation for the craft behind handmade knives.

Before You Book

Minimum age: classes are offered to participants aged 14 and older.
Minors: anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian for the full class.
Clothing: non-flammable clothing and long trousers are required.
Footwear: sturdy leather shoes or safety boots must be worn. No plakkies.
Safety equipment: safety glasses, an apron and leather gloves are provided.
Physical activity: the class requires standing, movement and physical exertion for much of the day.
Alcohol: no alcohol is permitted.

Anyone with mobility concerns or uncertainty about their ability to participate safely should contact Black Dragon Forge before booking.

Choose a Date & Book

Choose the Right Booking Option

Class places are reserved for a specific date and cannot be moved or rescheduled. Please confirm the recipient’s availability before booking. When their schedule is uncertain, choose a gift voucher and let them select the date.

Choose a Date & BookBuy Flexible Voucher

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the recipient need experience?

No. The experience is designed for complete beginners.

Will they make the knife themselves?

Yes. They participate in forging, grinding, heat treatment, finishing and sharpening under guidance.

Do they take the knife home?

Yes. The completed class knife goes home with the participant.

Does the knife have a wooden handle or sheath?


No. The one-day project does not include handle scales or a sheath.

Is lunch provided?

Yes! We provide a traditional South African lunch around 11 AM, including:

- Beef Boerewors
- Pap (maize meal)
- Tomato and onion sauce
- Coffee, tea, and Oros (South African fruit drink) available all day

Please note, we only cater with beef boerewors. If you have specific dietary requirements or preferences, feel free to bring your own meals and refreshments - we’ll make sure you have access to the necessary facilities.

What is the minimum age?

The minimum age is 14. Anyone under 18 must attend with a legal guardian for the full duration of the class.

Should I book a date or buy a voucher?


Book a date when you know their availability. Choose a voucher when their schedule is uncertain.

How long is the voucher valid?


One year from the date of issue.

What time does the class start and end?

Classes run from 7:45 AM to just before 4:30 PM.

Please plan to arrive a little earlier to get settled, especially as the last stretch of the drive is on a dirt road inside a Nature Reserve with a speed limit of 40 km/h. We recommend allowing an extra 15 minutes for travel.

The Knife You Will Make

During the Bladesmithing Experience, every student forges the same knife design. This keeps the group on track and guarantees that you leave with a completed, hardened and sharpened blade by the end of the day.

You will make a forged integral hunting and utility knife, forged from a single piece of steel. The blade and handle are one continuous piece, similar in concept to a butter knife, but engineered for serious work. There are no handle scales fitted during class, and we do not drill or prepare the tang for wooden handles on the day. The focus is on learning to move hot steel, shape a clean profile, forge in the integral features and complete a fully functional working knife.

Typical specifications (these can vary slightly from student to student):

  • Overall style: Forged integral hunting / utility knife
  • Steel: Medium to high carbon spring steel, suitable for a tough, hard-use blade
  • Blade length: Approximately 100 mm
  • Overall length: Approximately 230 mm
  • Blade shape: Drop point style with a straight or very slightly curved cutting edge
  • Spine thickness: Robust at the spine near the handle, tapering towards the tip
  • Grind: Flat primary bevel, taken thin enough for real cutting performance
  • Edge: Heat treated and sharpened in class so you leave with a ready-to-use knife
  • Finish: Clean, working finish on the bevels and spine, with forge texture often retained in selected areas for character
  • Handle section: Integral handle forged as part of the blade, with forged-in transitions and shaping for a secure, comfortable grip without a fitted wooden handle

This knife is designed as a practical, hard-working tool. It is ideal as a small hunting or camp knife, a utility blade in the workshop, or as a proud reminder of your first day at the anvil. Each student follows the same pattern, but every knife carries the personal touch, hammer marks and decisions of the maker who forged it.

What should they wear?

Non-flammable clothing, long trousers and sturdy leather shoes or safety boots.

Where is the Forge Located?

Hidden in the heart of the Crocodile River Reserve, in Lanseria, 45 minutes from both Johannesburg or Pretoria, Black Dragon Forge is more than a destination - it's a journey.

You’ll drive the final 7.5 km through protected wilderness, down a winding dirt road with a 40km/h limit - a fitting lead-in to the raw, grounded experience that awaits.

This isn’t a city workshop. This is the real deal! The setting is quiet and surrounded by nature - the perfect environment to focus, create, and connect.

Download Printable Map (PDF Format)

Is there a fitness level required?

Bladesmithing is a physical activity that requires a reasonable level of fitness. You’ll be standing, hammering, and working with tools throughout the day.

If you have any doubts about your physical ability, we recommend you call us in advance at 083 451 3105 to discuss. Please note: discovering on the day that you're unable to complete the class will not be grounds for a refund.

Any Accommodation Close To The Forge?

Don't know where to stay? Click the button below for a list of nearby accommodation options for visitors attending classes and events at Black Dragon Forge.

View Accommodation Options

Free Tempering Service

Attendees who cannot temper their knife within the required period may leave the knife with Black Dragon Forge for tempering at no additional charge.

Once tempering is complete, the knife may be collected from Black Dragon Forge free of charge, or returned by courier for a standard courier and handling fee of R250.

Additional courier charges may apply to remote or surcharge delivery areas.

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Ready to Give Them an Adventure Made of Fire and Steel?

They will not simply open this gift. They will step into a working forge, shape hot steel and leave with a knife they made themselves.

Choose Date & BookBuy Flexible Voucher