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Welcome to Tharwa Valley Forge
Tharwa Valley Forge runs courses every weekend and most days of the week. We provide everyone from novices to experts with the opportunity to experience traditional crafts and to learn new skills.
Bladesmith Karim Haddad established Tharwa Valley Forge in 2003. Karim trained in the early 1990's under Australia's first Master Bladesmith, Thomas Gerner, and has gone on to use his experience as a professional educator to share his knifemaking expertise with many others. Since establishing Tharwa Valley Forge, Karim and his staff have shared the skills necessary to create high quality knives and tools with hundreds of students.
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Featured Courses

Leatherworking Foundations

Mon 10-05-2021 8:00 am - Fri 14-05-2021 5:00 pm

The key to getting into leatherwork isn't just learning basic skills. It’s about meta-skills. To be successful, you need to learn how to learn leatherwork.

Our five-day Leatherwork Foundations course will teach you the fundamental leatherwork skills required to successfully complete intermediate level projects. Importantly, you’ll also learn how to avoid wasting money on tools and material and how to choose projects that will end in success and growth. This course is suitable for anyone aged 16 years and up, no prior leatherwork experience necessary.

Asado BBQ

Fri 02-07-2021 7:00 pm - Sun 04-07-2021 6:00 pm

A South American tradition, the asado BBQ can also be used to cook in a variety of other BBQ styles, including some you may already be familiar with, that use spits and grills.

Of course, a spectacular BBQ deserves spectacular equipment. Asides from making your own asado BBQ, you’ll also be making a massive stainless steel carving knife out of fine Swedish cutlery steel. Best of all you’ll learn how to use what you make during a BBQ feast on the course.

No BBQ or metalwork experience necessary; this course is suitable for anyone age 16 and up.

Leatherworking Foundations

Mon 12-07-2021 8:00 am - Fri 16-07-2021 5:00 pm

The key to getting into leatherwork isn't just learning basic skills. It’s about meta-skills. To be successful, you need to learn how to learn leatherwork.

Our five-day Leatherwork Foundations course will teach you the fundamental leatherwork skills required to successfully complete intermediate level projects. Importantly, you’ll also learn how to avoid wasting money on tools and material and how to choose projects that will end in success and growth. This course is suitable for anyone aged 16 years and up, no prior leatherwork experience necessary.

Leatherworking Foundations

Mon 13-09-2021 8:00 am - Fri 17-09-2021 5:00 pm

The key to getting into leatherwork isn't just learning basic skills. It’s about meta-skills. To be successful, you need to learn how to learn leatherwork.

Our five-day Leatherwork Foundations course will teach you the fundamental leatherwork skills required to successfully complete intermediate level projects. Importantly, you’ll also learn how to avoid wasting money on tools and material and how to choose projects that will end in success and growth. This course is suitable for anyone aged 16 years and up, no prior leatherwork experience necessary.

Custom Courses
Course dates don't suit? Is the course you want booked out? Get a group of friends together and book a course when it suits you. Not only can do any of the courses we offer, you can customise them to learn things that you don't see on our website. Custom courses usually cost the same as our scheduled courses and can be run with as little as two participants. Dates fill fast, so it's better to talk to us now rather than miss out.
Book a Custom Course »
Production Cutlery
As one of the largest production knife makers in Australia, we've worked with a huge range of clients and made a diverse range of wonderful cutlery. Oyster shuckers, machetes, steak knives, combat knives, cleavers, cheese knives, carving swords for roast meat, champagne openers, kitchen knives... you get the idea. We provide our clients with the expertise to develop and manufacture a product that meets both their requirements and their budget.
Create a Product »
Gift Certificates
One of the many cool things about running a Forge is the diverse range of interesting people we meet on our courses. At least a quarter of our bookings are made using Gift Certificates bought as birthday presents, anniversary gifts, rewards for employees, or as memorable surprises. We've seen some really cool and unique ways people have used our Gift Certificates. Check out some of our stories, or get your own Gift Certificate.
Give a Gift Certificate »
Shop Online
Our award winning bladesmiths are some of the best in Australia and hand-forge knives and cutlery every day of the work week, all year round. Some of their creations are available from our online shop with new releases every Friday at 11AM Canberra time. These pieces deliver the highest level of performance and will literally last a lifetime. If you're in Canberra, you are most welcome to drop by and make your purchase in person.
Buy Handmade Knives »

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