All classes are taught at my new shop in Whiteford, MD.

Since I started teaching Blacksmithing classes in 2008, I’ve enjoyed helping students reach their goals within the craft. With a lot of experience under my belt, I have found that it is beneficial to the students that class sizes are kept small, so students are able to have the best experience possible and gather as much information from the class as they need.

I look forward to helping you start your blacksmithing adventure!

Blacksmithing Basic class -

Group class, up to 6 people - Cost $275 per person, materials included.

One on One - Cost $650, materials included. Limited availability for one-on-one classes on weekends.
If you would like to book a one-on-one class, please fill out the contact form farther down on this page, and we will happily book you a private class.

Description of class -
This is a class designed to give the student an experience in the craft of blacksmithing.
No experience is required to take this class.
In this class students will be learning the fundamental skills of blacksmithing, including how to work safely and efficiently, with an emphasis on hammer control and body mechanics.
The student will learn appropriate use of the various parts of the anvil, the use of top and bottom tools, drawing and tapering, punching/drifting holes.

Students will complete 2 projects in this class.

Start time is 10am (no matter the date). Class time frame 4 to 6 hours in a single day. There will be a 1-hour break for lunch.

Instructor - Derick Kemper
Location - Damselfly Forge Inc. Located in Whiteford, MD. The location is just over the line into MD.
You will be contacted within two days of your class date with info to know, including the address for the shop.

Age restrictions -
For safety reasons we cannot accept students under 13 years of age.
If a student is under 18 years of age, we encourage the guardian to take the class alongside them.
If a student is under 18 years of age a guardian must be present for the entirety of the class.

Refund/Re-schedule Policy – Please Read Before Purchasing Your Class
Class purchases are Non-refundable for any cash amount.
If you should need to re-schedule your class due to illness or emergency, you will need to communicate with Derick Kemper via phone call (any time of day or night) at 410-937-4244 in order for us to be able to re-schedule your class for you. Please leave a voicemail if he is unable to pick up at the time.
We are unable to re-schedule your class for you if you text or email to initiate this request.
If you do not show up for your class without communication via phone call, your purchase of the class will not be refunded or re-scheduled. If you would like to book another class with us you will need to re-purchase, and we will be happy to have you.
Damselfly Forge Inc. reserves the right to cancel a class at any time, if this should occur, we will make every attempt to re-schedule with each student. If you are unable to re-schedule with us, we will issue a full refund of your class purchase price.

Purchase a Blacksmithing Basic class from available dates below -

Please Note: If you should want to purchase classes for multiple people, please purchase each class separately. (You will not be charged differently)
We ask that you do this because we need the form filled out that appears when you purchase a class. We are working on a way to allow more than one form to be filled out at a time.
Thank you for your understanding as we figure out this technicality!

Blacksmithing Basic & Basic Axe Making -

Spend a Weekend at the forge with a Blacksmithing Basic class on Saturday, and a Basic Axe making class on Sunday.
This is a Group class, up to 6 people - Cost $480.00 per person, all materials included.

Blacksmithing Basic Class – Saturday
Description of class -
This is a class designed to give the student an experience in the craft of blacksmithing.
No experience is required to take this class.
In this class students will be learning the fundamental skills of blacksmithing, including how to work safely and efficiently, with an emphasis on hammer control and body mechanics.
The student will learn appropriate use of the various parts of the anvil, the use of top and bottom tools, drawing and tapering, punching/drifting holes.

Students will complete 2 projects in this class.

Start time is 10am (no matter the date). Class time frame 4 to 6 hours.
There will be a 1-hour break for lunch.

Basic Axe Making Class – Sunday
Description of class -
In this class students learn the wrapped eye technique to make a tomahawk/camp axe.
This class will cover an array of different construction methods historically used and the tooling needed to make them.
The student will also be introduced to the skills of proper heat treatment.

Process of construction -
Students will forge a pre-form then wrap and forge-weld the pre-form before forging the axe to shape.
The axe will then be prepared for heat treatment, hardened, tempered then taken to the grinder to make the final edge bevel, then the handle will be attached.

Student will complete an axe head with a tomahawk style handle.

Start time is 10am (no matter the date). Class time frame 6 to 8 hours.
There will be a 1-hour break for lunch.

Instructor - Derick Kemper (both days)
Location - Damselfly Forge Inc. Located in Whiteford, MD. The location is just over the line into MD.
You will be contacted within two days of your class date with info to know, including the address for the shop.

Age restrictions -
For safety reasons we cannot accept students under 13 years of age.
If a student is under 18 years of age, we encourage the guardian to take the class alongside them.
If a student is under 18 years of age a guardian must be present for the entirety of the class.

Refund/Re-schedule Policy – Please Read Before Purchasing Your Class
Class purchases are Non-refundable for any cash amount.
If you should need to re-schedule your class due to illness or emergency, you will need to communicate with Derick Kemper via phone call (any time of day or night) at 410-937-4244 in order for us to be able to re-schedule your class for you. Please leave a voicemail if he is unable to pick up at the time.
We are unable to re-schedule your class for you if you text or email to initiate this request.
If you do not show up for your class without communication via phone call, your purchase of the class will not be refunded or re-scheduled. If you would like to book another class with us you will need to re-purchase, and we will be happy to have you.
Damselfly Forge Inc. reserves the right to cancel a class at any time, if this should occur, we will make every attempt to re-schedule with each student. If you are unable to re-schedule with us, we will issue a full refund of your class purchase price.

Purchase a Blacksmithing Basic & Basic Axe Making class from available dates below -
Please Note: If you should want to purchase classes for multiple people, please purchase each class separately. (You will not be charged differently)
We ask that you do this because we need the form filled out that appears when you purchase a class, and we are working on a way to allow more than one form to be filled out at a time.
Thank you for your understanding as we figure out this technicality!

Blacksmithing Basic Class - Intensive

Group class, up to 6 people - Cost $300 per person, materials included.

One on One - Cost $650, materials included. Limited availability for one-on-one classes on weekends.
If you would like to book a one-on-one class, please fill out the contact form farther down on this page, and we will happily book you a private class.

Description of class -
This is a class designed to give the student a strong foundation for pursuing the craft of blacksmithing.
No experience is required to take this class.
In this class students will be learning - hammer control, drawing and tapering, punching/drifting holes, how to use a variety of tooling at the vice and anvil.

Students will complete 3 projects in this class.

Start time is 10am (no matter the date). Class time frame 6 to 8 hours in a single day. There will be a 1-hour break for lunch.

Instructor - Derick Kemper
Location - Damselfly Forge Inc. Located in Whiteford, MD. The location is just over the line into MD.
You will be contacted within two days of your class date with info to know, including the address for the shop.

Age restrictions -
For safety reasons we cannot accept students under 13 years of age.
If a student is under 18 years of age, we encourage the guardian to take the class alongside them.
If a student is under 18 years of age a guardian must be present for the entirety of the class.

Refund/Re-schedule Policy – Please Read Before Purchasing Your Class
Class purchases are Non-refundable for any cash amount.
If you should need to re-schedule your class due to illness or emergency, you will need to communicate with Derick Kemper via phone call (any time of day or night) at 410-937-4244 in order for us to be able to re-schedule your class for you. Please leave a voicemail if he is unable to pick up at the time.
We are unable to re-schedule your class for you if you text or email to initiate this request.
If you do not show up for your class without communication via phone call, your purchase of the class will not be refunded or re-scheduled. If you would like to book another class with us you will need to re-purchase, and we will be happy to have you.
Damselfly Forge Inc. reserves the right to cancel a class at any time, if this should occur, we will make every attempt to re-schedule with each student. If you are unable to re-schedule with us, we will issue a full refund of your class purchase price.

Beginner Knife Making Class -

Must have prior Blacksmith Basic Class or have had prior experience in blacksmithing, to take this class.

Group class, up to 3 people - Cost $300 per person, materials included.

One on One - Cost $700, materials included. Limited availability for one-on-one classes on weekends.
If you would like to book a one-on-one class, please fill out the contact form farther down on this page, and we will happily book you a private class.

Description of class -
In this class the student will make a full tang knife.
The student will also learn hardening and heat treating.

Student will complete a full tang, all metal knife. (The knife and handle are one piece of high carbon steel)

Start time is 10am (no matter the date). Class time frame 6 to 8 hours in a single day. There will be a 1-hour break for lunch.

Instructor - Derick Kemper
Location - Damselfly Forge Inc. Located in Whiteford, MD. The location is just over the line into MD.
You will be contacted within two days of your class date with info to know, including the address for the shop.

Age restrictions -
For safety reasons we cannot accept students under 13 years of age.
If a student is under 18 years of age, we encourage the guardian to take the class alongside them.
If a student is under 18 years of age a guardian must be present for the entirety of the class.

Refund/Re-schedule Policy – Please Read Before Purchasing Your Class
Class purchases are Non-refundable for any cash amount.
If you should need to re-schedule your class due to illness or emergency, you will need to communicate with Derick Kemper via phone call (any time of day or night) at 410-937-4244 in order for us to be able to re-schedule your class for you. Please leave a voicemail if he is unable to pick up at the time.
We are unable to re-schedule your class for you if you text or email to initiate this request.
If you do not show up for your class without communication via phone call, your purchase of the class will not be refunded or re-scheduled. If you would like to book another class with us you will need to re-purchase, and we will be happy to have you.
Damselfly Forge Inc. reserves the right to cancel a class at any time, if this should occur, we will make every attempt to re-schedule with each student. If you are unable to re-schedule with us, we will issue a full refund of your class purchase price.

Basic Axe Making Class -

Must have prior Blacksmith Basic Class or have had prior experience in blacksmithing, to take this class.

Group class, up to 6 people - Cost $300 per person, materials included.

One on One - Cost $700, materials included. Limited availability for one-on-one classes on weekends.
If you would like to book a one-on-one class, please fill out the contact form farther down on this page, and we will happily book you a private class.

Description of class -
In this class students learn the wrapped eye technique to make a tomahawk/camp axe.
Process of construction - students will forge a pre-form then wrap and forge-weld the pre-form before forging the axe to shape.
The axe will then be prepared for heat treatment, hardened, tempered then taken to the grinder to make the final edge bevel, then the handle will be attached.

This class will cover an array of different construction methods historically used and the tooling needed to make them.
The student will also be introduced to the skills of proper heat treatment.

Student will complete an axe head with a tomahawk style handle.

Start time is 10am (no matter the date). Class time frame 6 to 8 hours in a single day. There will be a 1-hour break for lunch.

Instructor - Derick Kemper
Location - Damselfly Forge Inc. Located in Whiteford, MD. The location is just over the line into MD.
You will be contacted within two days of your class date with info to know, including the address for the shop.

Age restrictions -
For safety reasons we cannot accept students under 13 years of age.
If a student is under 18 years of age, we encourage the guardian to take the class alongside them.
If a student is under 18 years of age a guardian must be present for the entirety of the class.

Refund/Re-schedule Policy – Please Read Before Purchasing Your Class
Class purchases are Non-refundable for any cash amount.
If you should need to re-schedule your class due to illness or emergency, you will need to communicate with Derick Kemper via phone call (any time of day or night) at 410-937-4244 in order for us to be able to re-schedule your class for you. Please leave a voicemail if he is unable to pick up at the time.
We are unable to re-schedule your class for you if you text or email to initiate this request.
If you do not show up for your class without communication via phone call, your purchase of the class will not be refunded or re-scheduled. If you would like to book another class with us you will need to re-purchase, and we will be happy to have you.
Damselfly Forge Inc. reserves the right to cancel a class at any time, if this should occur, we will make every attempt to re-schedule with each student. If you are unable to re-schedule with us, we will issue a full refund of your class purchase price.

Interested in a class that we don’t have any dates showing on this page, or have questions, please fill out the form below for yourself, or a loved one!

Full payment due prior to class via online payment or check.