Description
What was the sound that heralded the arrival of mankind? Perhaps, about two and a half million years ago, it was the sound of pebbles striking together, as one of our distant ancestors Homo habilis (skilful man) made the first stone tool – a functional blade. It could be argued that it was this act that defined our species.
As a mammal, we are the only apex predator without natural weapons. No horns, fangs or claws – only our intellect and our ability to shape the environment. Our species has literally carved a niche in this world using a blade – by cutting and shaping natural materials, from shelter and clothing; to food and weapons. It is hard to think that the attitudes and lifestyles of today’s high-tech society are entirely based on a broken rock. The word blade originates from the Anglo-Saxon word blæd, which means a leaf.
Join us for a five-day workshop, jumping through time; charting the development of the blade, from stone… to bronze… to iron.
Days: Sun PM – Thur PM (4 Nights)
Location: Lake District, England
Food & Accommodation: Fully catered and includes camping fees
Activity: Knapping, Smelting & Forging
Group Size: 6-12
Physical Rating: Med
2021 Dates: 11-15 July
Highlights
- Knapping principles
- Reading flint
- Controlling conchoidal fractures
- Hard & soft hammer
- Pressure flaking
- Stone blades
- Resin glues
- Blast furnaces
- Bellows
- Malachite preparation
- Smelting copper
- Bronze alloys
- Lost wax technique
- Bronze blades
- Simple coke forges
- Forging & smithing
- Annealing & tempering
- Iron blades
- Handling & sharpening
Inclusions
Stone – Your instructor will be John Lord, arguably the countries most experienced and finest flint knapper. John studied Stone Age technology at Grime’s Graves, neolithic site, for over a decade. He has crafted many replica stone artefacts for universities and museums. John was recently awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the flint industry.
Bronze – Your instructor will be Will Lord, John’s son, Will spent many years mastering the entire spectrum of skills needed to survive any time before the end of the Bronze Age, from flint knapping to the magical alchemy of transforming rocks into metal.
Iron & Steel – Your instructor will be David Watson, who has created and runs the Moorforge Viking Settlement. David started blacksmithing for British Steel, but now specialises in traditional blacksmithing and forging skills.
- This course is fully catered throughout.
- It includes camping fees and any specialist equipment.
- We offer a complimentary pick-up and drop-off service from and to the nearest railway station at set times.
tattsbridge –
My first ever Bushcraft Course. Definitely 5 *
My Highlights..
* Knapping principles
* Reading flint
* Controlling conchoidal fractures
* Hard & soft hammers
* Pressure flaking
* Stone blades
We covered this all. In a day! And i crafted a hand axe, several blades and a couple of arrowheads. How amazing is that?!
Butchering an entire deer with a single flint knife that I had flaked (from a superbly-prepared block of flint by the master himself – John Lord) was a real highlight. It was as sharp at the end as at the first incision. And the meat was delicious.
I left with several of these blades, a frightening hand axe, some arrow heads, all made by myself with the expert, subtle and masterly advice and coaching by John.
I even feel confident that I will be able to knapp when I next find a flint node, assuming I can find a suitable hammer stone first.
This was the highlight of the course for me.
Next day..
* Resin glues
* Blast furnaces
* Bellows
* Malachite preparation
* Smelting copper
* Bronze alloys
* Lost wax technique
* Bronze blades
The magic alchemy of casting my own bronze axe head was totally brilliant. I now plan to do some smelting and casting for a project at home.
Again great tutoring, this time by John’s son, Will.
And to finish
* Simple coke forges
* Forging & smithing
* Annealing & tempering
* Iron blades
* Handling & sharpening
David, from Moorforge Viking Centre, was a delight to learn from beside his mobile forge in our group of 4. He was a lovely tutor and entertaining companion. As gentle a blacksmith-giant as one could hope for. The knife I made, with gorilla-glue/resin-bonded oak-stock, is annealed, beaten, tempered, hardened and honed to well-short-of perfection. But it’s mine! And I made it!
What a terrific 4 days.
The course is in the Lakes a 30 minute cycle from Lake Windermere in a beautiful private woodland that Debs has been rewilding for almost 2 decades. It was a privilege and a joy to be there and engage with its wildness. Washing in the river; eating in the group spaces; learning under 3 different canopies and in the best kit-shed EVER(!); chilling under mature oaks in a hammock.. these ‘peripheral’ aspects of the course were as good or if not better than the ‘formal’ course itself.
If these are things that feed your soul, you’ve found a veritable 5-star banquet here!
I’m someone who seeks out wilderness and is a self-taught wild human. The sharing of expertise by the entire group of much more experienced bushcraft folk was especially appreciated.
This course attracts some seriously interesting and lovely people but was topped off by Debs, Ben and our 3 excellent tutors.
What a fabulous location.
What a brilliant course!