Axe Making

with the

Ancient Forges

Group courses (between 3 and 6 people) are run out in the open using archaeologically reproduced Iron Age and Roman/Saxon forges, basically holes in the clay with charcoal and bellows! The whole process of making the axe is done using hand tools but there is no reason why you can’t turn out very good tools with this set up, despite the lack of mod-cons. Afterall, if it weren't possible we would never have progressed to where we are today!

These forges require a little more effort on the part of the operators than a modern forge, because when not actually forging you are likely to be pumping the bellows for your comrades. Time constraints are a little tighter due to the heat treating, but I still let YOU decide what you make, the only restriction is the metal we start with.

We start with a piece of virgin tool steel of the appropriate size (normally about 1" square by 4" long) and a bit of ash (from my woods of course) and we gradually turn them into a small hatchet or adze. I used to provide small hammer heads for people to reforge, but the virgin steel allows for much more freedom in design.

Click on the images below for a better idea of what you could do. I've arranged them to show the whole process from forging through to carving and fitting a handle.  The second gallery is the rogues gallery, showing you a selection of former students and their finely crafted axes and adze!

Here are some of the axes and adze produced in the Iron Age forges. Most of the pictures includes the  axe that I made alongside the group.