AZ CUSTOM KNIVES COURSES
WE ARE PLEASED TO OFFER A VARIETY OF CLASS OPTIONS.
Choose your project, timeframe & group size. Basic materials are included.
Our goal is for EVERY student to succeed in our shop! We strive to provide the education & communication that will result in meeting and managing expectations - and lead to success.
Questions? Ideas? Connect with us!
ONLINE BOOKING FOR COURSES IS IN PROGRESS. If you have any questions, ideas, challenges or can't find what you are looking for, please reach out. We may have limitations with this booking system that don't show all the dates or options we are able to offer. Thank you!
Blacksmithing Class
Come forge with us! Learn the art of forging from our Swiss-trained Journeyman Artistic Blacksmith, Alessio.
In this class, you will learn the foundational skills of forging.
This includes body position and form when working at the anvil, how to move between the forge and anvil + safe and effective techniques for manipulating steel while holding and using tools correctly.
Each student is encouraged to come with at least one idea, if not two or three, for their potential project. Examples of forged items would be a railroad spike knife, fire poker, BBQ tools, letter opener, coat hooks, dinner bells, keychains, etc.
Aside from having fun, the most important thing is learning skills that will minimize injury and help maximize efficiency.
We welcome almost any age and ability! No previous experience required.
Knife Making Class
Have you ever dreamed of making your own knife?
If you are a fan of the television show "Forged in Fire", you are likely one of many people who has developed the desire to challenge themselves with making a knife (or two!).
Television aside, this is an opportunity many people would like to experience and in our shop, we make sure every person succeeds.
Our Knife Making Courses involve a stock-removal process; we have a selection of quality steels we are able to provide. If you want to forge your own steel, this would be considered a Blacksmithing Course.
Not sure what the right approach is? Don't worry, we'll tell you what the proper technique is for the type of knife you would like to make because the best blades are functional ones.
Sheath Making Workshop
Every knife, custom or not, needs a custom storage solution; so why not learn how to make your own sheath?
Our sheaths start with one of two material options: Kydex (thermoplastic) or premium leather.
Choose your material and any features (such as straps, buckles, embossing, etc.) + bring the knife the sheath is being made for - and we'll teach you how to do the rest.
This can be as simple as a half day course.
Our sheaths are 100% handmade, 100% of the time.
Sharpening Workshop
Our goal is to teach you the skills that will help you feel confident in safely maintaining your own cutting tools.
In this course, we will explain the differences between popular sharpening tools and techniques that are on the market today and educate you what method(s) are appropriate for specific applications.
Worried about damaging your knives? Don't be - that is exactly the purpose of this course. You will be provided with a take-home kit; all you need to bring is a knife!
This is a great course for anyone who loves sharp blades and has the desire to properly maintain them at home.
RULES & REQUIREMENTS
1. Every student must come with proper clothing (100% cotton where possible) + safe footwear and any applicable PPE they wish to bring. We do have a selection of PPE available for sale including respiratory, eye and ear protection and will do our best to provide reasonable items when hygienic and appropriate.
2. Each student must sign a liability waiver pertaining to the potential hazards of the course activity.
3. Students are responsible for providing their own food and beverages as well as choosing their timing and duration for taking breaks during their course.
4. Payment terms: a 50% non-refundable fee is due at the time of booking OR the redemption of a valid gift certificate. The remaining balance will be due upon completion of the course.
5. ALL cancellations must be made in accordance with our Cancellation Policy (see below).
6. We typically book courses Thursdays – Saturdays but always do our best to accommodate schedules, especially for one-on-one courses. Have something in mind? Just ask! We may have limitations within our booking system that prevents us from showing everything we are able to offer.
7. AZ Custom Knives Ltd. reserves the right to stop the course at any point in time due to inappropriate or hazardous behaviour. Any form of abuse or misuse of tools, equipment or damage to the blacksmith shop will not be tolerated and the student will be billed for any damages incurred. Refunds will not be given for courses that must be stopped due to inappropriate or hazardous behaviour and the student potentially may not be invited to return, depending on the circumstances. Let’s all be safe, respectful, and have an amazing time!
FAQs & IMPORTANT INFORMATION
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ALL COURSES INCLUDE BASIC MATERIALS.
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We are fully licenced and insured for the safety and well-being of our staff, clients, and students.
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We have a selection of PPE available for sale – this includes respiratory, eye and ear protection.
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In the event of injury, the course will be stopped immediately, and the remaining hours of the course will be rescheduled for another day. We cannot guarantee this will happen within a certain amount of time, but we’ll do our best to make it as soon as possible.
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It is not up to the student to find other people to attend a group course unless they have friends or family members they would like to attend with.
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Students are not expected to complete their projects within their initial course timeframe. Once a project has been started, students are able to complete their projects at their own pace and book courses as their schedule and budget allows.
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AZ Custom Knives Ltd. reserves the right to stop the course at any point in time due to inappropriate or hazardous behaviour. Any form of abuse or misuse of tools, equipment or damage to the blacksmith shop will not be tolerated and the student will be billed for any damages incurred. Refunds will not be given for courses that must be stopped due to inappropriate or hazardous behaviour.
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We offer a selection of plush (zippered) nylon storage cases for students to safely store their knives in.
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If you are interested in having a course catered for an event, this can be arranged for an additional fee.
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All students receive a 10% discount in the AZCK store on the day of their course (discount does not apply to custom knives or courses). This may be used on retail items and/or knife making supplies.
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Want to give a course as a gift? Contact us to discuss our personalized packages that can be made for a gift recipient. This includes a physical gift certificate, course information, policies and more. Complimentary gift wrapping is available. A digital version of this package can also be provided.
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Almost all courses received as gifts may be used as a credit to upgrade to a different course. For example, if a student wishes to upgrade from a Group Course to a One-On-One, the amount of their gift certificate will be used as a credit towards the cost of the upgrade. An exception to this may be if the course was purchased via a third party (such as a radio station) for a specific event or within a specific promotion falling under different terms.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Please be aware that we rely on our courses being attended. Last-minute cancellations and the loss of revenue associated with those create drastic challenges for us. Despite our wishes, we must implement a system and cancellation policy that provides an incentive to attend scheduled courses as well as prevents our company from dealing with frequent loss of revenue. Thank you kindly for your grace and understanding in this situation.
In the event of a cancellation due to no fault of ours, we reserve the right to keep half of the cost of the cancelled course unless the course has been cancelled 7 or more days prior to the date of the scheduled course. If the course was paid for beforehand, the remainder of the course cost will be credited towards the rescheduled course. In the event the course was unpaid at the time of cancellation, half of the cost will be billed to the client. We promise to do our absolute best to clearly communicate any scheduling changes on our end and to reschedule as promptly as is reasonably possible.