Brick Tatara Steel-Making Workshop

In this weekend workshop, join Wayne Potratz and take a hands-on deep dive into smelting: the process of reducing Minnesota magnetite iron ore into high carbon steel. We'll use a brick version of the Japanese Tatara to make high carbon steel blooms that can be consolidated and hammered into billets suitable for blade making or tool making. It's a unique opportunity for any knife-makers, blacksmiths, sculptors, metallurgists, and students of the history of technology.

Features of this two-day immersive experience: presentations about the process and comparisons to other iron smelting traditions, building the furnace, preparation of materials, firing the tatara, hot cutting and consolidation of the bloom. You should come away with a piece of high carbon steel in an amount suitable for a small blade or other tool.

Fee: $260  ($210 tuition + $50 materials)

Instructor: Wayne Potratz