Forged or ground: two ways to make a knife on a course
The difference between forging and stock removal, and which kind of knife making course suits you.
Knife making courses fall into two broad camps: forging and grinding (also called stock removal). Most listings on this site say which one a course uses.
Forging
You heat steel in a forge until it glows, then shape it with a hammer on an anvil. You draw out the point, set the bevels and form the tang, before heat treating and finishing the blade.
- Best if you want the traditional blacksmithing experience
- Common on Viking knife, Damascus and bushcraft courses
- Physical work: expect to be on your feet and swinging a hammer
Grinding (stock removal)
You start with a flat bar of steel, mark out the knife and remove material with grinders and files until the blade emerges. Heat treatment and finishing follow.
- Best if you want precise shapes, such as a thin kitchen knife
- Less heat and hammering, more careful grinding
- Common on some kitchen and folding knife courses
Which should you choose?
If the day itself is the point, forging is hard to beat: fire, sparks and a hammer in your hand. If you want a particular kitchen knife profile, a ground course may get you closer. Many forges combine both, forging the shape and grinding the final bevels.
Browse all UK knife making courses and check the method on each listing.