Tutorials
We get lots of questions on how do do things. As we get time we'll put up some step by step tutorials so you can do it yourself. As always, please use common sense when making things and don't hurt yourself. It's not our fault if you follow the pictures and it goes wrong. There is not substitute for having a bit of a think first.
Let us know if there is you have requests for tutorials.
There's a particular kind of satisfaction that comes at the end of a making course that's difficult to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it. You're tired, your arms ache, and you're holding something you made yourself - a knife, an axe, a piece of ironwork - and something in you feels genuinely, deeply settled. Not just pleased. Settled.
That feeling isn't accidental. It has a basis in how our brains are actually built.
Read more: Why Making Something With Your Hands Is Good for Your Brain
A well-made knife handle deserves proper care. The exotic timbers used on handcrafted knives - Tasmanian blackwood, zebrano, ironwood, stabilised burl - are chosen for their beauty and durability, but like all natural materials they respond to their environment. Neglect them and they'll dry out, crack, or lose their lustre. Look after them and they'll develop a rich patina that improves with every year of use.
Here's what we actually do at Tharwa Valley Forge to care for the handles on the knives we make.
If you've spent any time in our knifemaking courses, you'll know that timber is the most common handle material we reach for - and for good reason. Wood is beautiful, it's workable, and it connects a handmade knife to something ancient and elemental. But it's far from the only option, and for certain knives and certain uses, it's not the best one.
G10, Micarta, and stabilised timber sit in a category that experienced makers turn to when they need something tougher, more consistent, or more resistant to the elements than natural wood can offer. Each has a different character, different strengths, and a different feel in the hand. Here's what you need to know about all three.
Read more: Handle Materials Beyond Wood: G10, Micarta, and Stabilised Timber
Got bits of high-carbon steel too small for a full knife? Perfect. A kiridashi—the traditional Japanese marking/utility knife—is a brilliant way to turn scrap into something sharp, useful, and gift-worthy. You’ll practise profiling, heat-treating, and chisel-grind sharpening on a project you can finish quickly and use every day in the workshop.
What is a Kiridashi?
A kiridashi is a compact, single-bevel knife used by Japanese carpenters and makers for marking lines, scoring, carving, opening boxes, trimming leather, and general workshop chores. Traditionally laminated, but a simple monosteel version from offcuts works beautifully. Because it’s chisel-ground (bevel on one side, flat on the other), it teaches excellent control and sharpening fundamentals.
Read more: Turn Offcuts Into Kiridashi: Small Steel, Big Skills
MIG welding is one of the easiest and most accessible welding methods for beginners, making it a great choice for metalworking projects at Tharwa Valley Forge. Whether you're repairing tools, fabricating equipment, or just starting out, understanding the basics will help you achieve strong, clean welds.
In this FAQ, we cover essential tips on choosing the right welder, setting up your machine, and troubleshooting common issues. If you're new to welding or looking to refine your skills, this guide will set you on the right path.
Happy welding! ⚒️
One of the early skills that is difficult to master in knifemaking is grinding bevels. There are many methods from free hand grinding to using jigs. One of our favourite techniques in getting a clean, consistent result is push stick grinding, one we teach in all our classes. This method was taught to us by ABS Mastersmith Shawn McIntyre.
Its very simple requiring just a rest on the grinder and a suitable push stick. Its suitable for anmost any blade shape and allows you to grind even consistent blades on both sides. By changing the flat platen to a wheel it can be also used to do hollow grinding.
At Tharwa Valley Forge, we know that a knife is more than just a sharp edge—it’s a precision tool designed for a specific purpose. Whether you’re preparing food, heading into the wilderness, hunting game, or carrying a blade for daily tasks, selecting the right knife can make all the difference in performance, safety, and durability.
This guide will help you understand different types of knives and their ideal uses so you can choose the perfect tool for the job.
Read more: Choosing the Right Knife for the Job: A Guide to Function and Performance
Whether you are wanting to sell your handcrafted knives or just document the progress on your knife making journey, quality photographs are an essential element. The process of correctly photographing your knives can also help you as part of your final review process, examining the knife from multiple angles and reviewing each of its unique features. Many knifemakers are masters of their craft, but their ability to capture the knife in a high quality image that reflects the skill that has gone into it can be lacking.
One essential piece of bow making hardware is the tillering stick. Some people hate it, deriding it because to use it requires the bow to be left on it under tension. These people usually have something fancy with pulleys and very long ropes that allow them to draw the bow from the other side of the room and see the bow flex from a distance.
I am sure these devices work well for those that use them. I have not so couldn't say for sure. I don't know how many bows I've made; into the hundreds perhaps. But I can't remember the last one I made without a tillering stick.
For me, the tillering stick is a wonderfully simple device that makes tillering easy.
Many tutorials and buildalongs on the web assume the bowyer (or bow maker, whichever you prefer) already has a great trove of tools available to make that precious first bow.
Of course, not everyone has a fully kitted out workshop with all the best equipment. Some people have almost nothing but enthusiasm and some plans for a fearsome longbow or elegant flatbow. This article is aimed at just such a bowyer: the person who is keen to make a bow but has little hardware to get started.
Fortunately, there are only a few tools which can be considered truly essential for making a longbow or flatbow. With the tools in this article, you certainly wonât get a bow to tiller stage as quickly as with a bandsaw and belt grinder, but it will be accurate, and the end product will look identicalâ¦provided your hand is steady.
We run quite a lot of knifemaking courses at Tharwa Valley Forge, so it’s no surprise that we field a lot of questions from students about how to get into knifemaking at home.
As with any creative pursuit, we meet a lot of people who delay getting into knifemaking because they are overwhelmed by options; at the other extreme we see quite a few people who rush out and buy a huge amount of expensive equipment but don’t have any idea how to use it.
Read more: Beginning Knifemaking - What Equipment Do I Need?