Firebird Forge reviews

25 Jun 18'

Andy Collie reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Had a brilliant day at the forge, would strongly recommend anyone giving it a go. As a novice i went with an idea of what i wanted to create and Mort gave me all the advice and help i needed to turn it from an idea in to reality, good banter was had by all during the day and even a history lesson which was fascinating! I returned home with a creation to be proud of, saving up now for the next visit.... perhaps a suit of armour next time :-) Thank you Mort and thanks to my wife for buying it as a present.... Perfect all round."

4 Jun 18'

Sally Woodcraft reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Mort is an excellent teacher and very knowledgeable in more than just blacksmithing. My husband and I had a fantastic day with him both making what we set out to (me with a lot of help from Mort!) Highly recommend this day out to anyone. 5 stars all the way."

3 Jun 18'

James Waters reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Great course with a very patient and knowledgeable teacher. We were able to create a couple of pieces of ironwork which have been put to good use, but only with a lot of help from Mort. We would highly recommend the course."

30 May 18'

Wayne Clark reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"A brilliant day spent with a great teacher. Mort has a the ability to allow you to work on, but step in at just the right moment. My wife and I had the opportunity to to make the items we wanted with guidance and advice on the best way to do it. I'd recommend Mort and his courses to any one. You don't need to have any previous skills or knowledge to get the most from the course. If you do have some previous experience the Mort is the man to stretch those skills further."

30 May 18'

Ed_ reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"A really rewarding way to spend a day - not only do you learn the practicalities of the craft but also plenty about the history and culture of blacksmithing. Mort's tuition is very well balanced - letting you get on with your chosen piece for long periods and then stepping in when more assistance is needed."

12 May 18'

Calum Fenegan reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Mort is a great teacher, very patient and very knowledgeable. I had several ideas for my piece at the beginning of the day and Mort encouraged me to challenge myself. First off I made a small practice piece and after that I was put onto a harder steel to create the final object. All in all a great day, I would highly recommend Mort and his forge to anyone thinking of trying blacksmithing."

12 May 18'

Jeremy Rosie reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"What a great experience. It is genuinely fascinating to see a craftsman at work and Mort was a great teacher. He is patient and helpful. I had come with a very basic design in mind and he encouraged me to consider other ideas. In the end I came away with something I'm really pleased with, a candle holder with several spirals in its design. I was a little apprehensive to start but Mort creates a really relaxed and fun atmosphere. He is also well versed in history so we had some good conversations. I will have to make a return visit to Hampton Court to look at the Jean Tijou ironwork. The day whizzed by but was very rewarding. Note: the forge is in a lovely but not easy to find location. If you use GPS, follow Mort's instructions. Simply set it for Withyham Church and keep straight on past the church until you turn right at the cattle grid. Don't use the post code."

8 May 18'

Ralph reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Great day out last Thursday at Firebird forge tucked away in a remote part of the beautiful Sussex countryside. Mort not only quickly gets you introduced to the basics of working with a traditional open coal furnace and working metal by hand but also adds his extensive knowledge on the history of this ancient craft skill. There is considerable skill in this craft and learning how to manage the fire and heat in the metal, accurately using the hammer and other tools requires a lot of patience and practice but with Mort there to help its amazing to look back and see what you have learnt in just one day. The day was very relaxed and overran on time but Mort made sure we came away with a finished item, in my case a set of fire tongs, which impresses everyone I have shown."

30 Apr 18'

Kevin Sollis reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Just spent a great Saturday with Mort at the Firebird forge. I booked the day for my son Sean and i to attend and try a taste of Blacksmithing. I did not expect to actually leave with something that I had a hand in designing and hammering out around the forge. Sean produced an interesting door knocker in the form of a snake and a dragon and I went for a funky tea light holder. Mort is a very patient teacher and happy to guide in the right direction when our hammer blows went astray. Also had some very interesting conversations around history and the the art of blacksmithing. After our day I am clear it is an art form. Thoroughly recommended to anyone looking for a great experience day!!"

2 Apr 18'

Colin Winn reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"I was lucky enough to have been bought this experience day and really lucked out with the expertise and knowledge which Mort provided all day - particularly as I had not been near a forge since school days and am not great with heat! He instilled confidence in me such that the modestly designed items I had gone along to create came about. Good company from a co-working guest and a joy to watch end products coming alive from inert materials! Recommended - highly!"

1 Apr 18'

Tim jones reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Thank you for a great time Mort. I really enjoyed the days experience, even overheating my metal and leaving some in the furnace.. bit more practice needed I'm sure ... you are a great guy and very patient with us as green novices ... I can only rate this as high as poss. Thanks Mort."

24 Mar 18'

Nick Saffell reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"This course exceeded all my expectations. Mort is a fantastic teacher, very encouraging and patient as well as extremely knowledgeable. I have never done anything like this before, and was therefore very surprised that I could jump straight in and make a coat rack with Mort's expert guidance. I would highly recommend this course to anyone, regardless of experience, and hope to return again in the future."

24 Mar 18'

Trevor Jones reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Just returned from a great day with Mort. Having done some blacksmithing at school (55 years ago!!) I was very uneasy and lacking in confidence that I could do very much. Mort encouraged me to aim much higher than I thought I could and I came away with a very presentable fire companion set of poker/log roller, toasting fork and rake complete with twisted basket handles. Mort is a great teacher, very patient, lets you get on with it, but keeps an eye out for any errors which he will assist in correcting to prevent disasters. I will certainly try to get back for another day with him as I anticipate most of his students will. 5 well earned stars."

14 Mar 18'

Padraig McEntee reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"This was a great days course. I really enjoyed it. Mort was a great teacher and to watch him work is really impressive. After I spent about a hour shaping a piece of high carbon steel that takes him about 5 minutes to do with a big hammer its amazing what experience can do. Good hands on practical course that shows you how to do some really impressive techniques and if you are a hobbyist or plan to become one I think a course like this is essential to teach the basics."

11 Mar 18'

Henry Porter reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"If you’re considering taking a blacksmithing class, I highly recommend allowing Mort to guide you through this fascinating craft. The day was fantastic, we were introduced to the basic tools and techniques and it wasn’t long before we jumped in and got our hands dirty! I choose to forge a chef’s knife, and ended the day with a blade far better than I could have hoped for. Mort was friendly, knowledgeable, and an entertaining tutor (and was even kind enough to provide transport to and from the train station). Take this course!"

1 Mar 18'

Alex reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"As an engineer I was already predisposed to liking metal, fire and hitting things. When I found out I'd been bought a 1 day forging course by my partner, I was over the moon. Training with Mort for the day was a unique experience, and I left with a much deeper appreciation for the skills and artistry that goes into hand forging. I made a wine bottle and glass holder and my partner made a candlestick holder, and we learned how to fire weld, split, scroll and a range of other techniques. Couldn't recommend highly enough!"

15 Feb 18'

Simon reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"I've always wanted to have a go at blacksmithing. My wife got me a day at Firebird forge. What a great day. Simon made me feel at ease with emails prior to meeting. There was two of us, both beginners and Simon went through all the processes and kept an eye on us. I made a candle holder and was so amazed in 1 day what I learnt. It is hard work but so enjoyable. I would do it again. If you ever fancied it definitely try this place."

14 Feb 18'

Dan Skinner reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"A hugely enjoyable 1 day course in Jan, keeping warm by the forge out of the freezing rain! Impressed to see that the day focusses on just 2 people at a time which meant lots of time for 1:1 support to bring your ideas to life (inc. help to get everything finished before home time). Be sure to take along thoughts for what you’d like to make to avoid wasting too much time in the concept phase. Plenty of help and inspiration once you know roughly where you’re heading. It really felt like anything was possible and I appreciated the practical - problem solving approach. Fantastic levels of knowledge and enthusiasm for the art, combined with aching arms and ‘rustic’ outcomes, the day really made me appreciate the skill and experience required. I’ll never look at a fire-welded piece the same way again!"

4 Feb 18'

Wayne Dawson reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"My brother and I just had a fantastic day with Mort at the forge. He is a brilliant and patient teacher who imparts his vast knowledge of blacksmithing as well as being an expert on medieval history to boot. Managed to get more done in the day than we thought particularly with Mort stepping in to "help you dress it up" when things were going wrong i.e. a very polite way of saying he would correct our mistakes (of which there were many). We both made small knives in the morning and then I tackled a bigger blade in the afternoon whilst my brother made a very elaborate toasting fork. Overall it was great fun and I would definitely recommend it and hope to be back once I've worked on my hammer muscles a bit more."

1 Feb 18'

Callum fowle reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Truly Fantastic day!! I got this as a Christmas present and it was the best i've ever gotten. Mort is every easy going and interesting to talk to even taking us to the pub for lunch half way through the day and really went the extra mile so we left with what we intended to make despite our lacking skill. I will be making this a biannual thing for every birthday and Christmas to come."

30 Jan 18'

Jazmine reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"Brought as a Christmas present for my boyfriend Callum and we loved every second of it, even if we did get lost. Mort was incredible and helped us both with our different projects. I made a candle holder and Cal made various knives, my favourite being a viking knife. Mort then took us to a lovely little pub for lunch where we had a great chat and Cal was asking about various ways to try and get into the industry and Mort had all the answers. After lunch we then carried on blacksmithing and I was definitely struggling but Callum was loving every second of it. Once we both finished, Mort polished off the candle holder in beeswax and etched one of Callums knives. At this point I was playing with the wellbehaved dogs. As soon as we got in the car to pull away, Cal wanted to go back and he definitely will. What an incredible day! Thank you Mort!"

29 Jan 18'

Charlotte Cozier reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"I recently had a great day with my husband in Mort's forge. Mort was so patient with us and I managed to make a cracking trivet which is now has pride of place in my kitchen. It was just the two of us for the day (and Mort's lovely pooches snoozing in their basket!) so we had lots of attention and couldn't have asked for a more hands on experience. I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a unique day and would love to go again."

26 Jan 18'

Chris Cozier reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"My wife and I had the pleasure of spending the day with Mort at Firebird Forge. It was a truly amazing experience! Mort asked us what kind of things we were interested in making and, after doing a few sketches, he showed us how to do it. Mort was incredibly patient with us. He demonstrated the techniques we needed to forge our projects before letting us lose with the hammer and tongs. He was constantly by our sides, ready, not only to correct our mistakes, but to show us how to improve our technique. I think the reason that Mort is such a great teacher is because he explains the 'why' as well as the 'how'. This course is very hands on. Mort had me try as many different blacksmithing techniques as my project would allow-he even had me forge welding (which I managed on my third attempt). This course is worth every penny and offers a fantastic opportunity to learn under a master. The moment I get another holiday, I’m booking up again and going back! Highly recommended."

20 Jan 18'

Jon English reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"I had a great time with Mort yesterday. He is so approachable and easy-going, getting his message across clearly and calmly. It was a superb introduction to the skills and techniques involved in blacksmith work. I was extremely lucky to have the chance to create something of my own design, and I'm delighted with the result! Mort is such an interesting person, and was a very engaging partner for the day. He was also very patient with my feeble attempts to copy the skills he demonstrated - what a lovely man! I thoroughly recommend this to anyone with even the slightest interest in learning about the world of the blacksmith."

22 Dec 17'

Liz Rowland reviewed: Firebird Forge Blacksmithing School

"My husband and I had an amazing time with Mort at the forge. From first email contact, Mort was nothing but lovely. His patience and knowledge as a tutor shone through and from the moment we arrived he was kind, instructive and extremely helpful. Although we were complete beginners he took the time to explain things as many times as we needed, no amount of beginner ineptitude was too much for him and he always was on hand to help correct anything that went wrong. We left the forge with a number of exceptionally beautiful items which had been made with his support and guidance, rather than him doing the work for us, which makes them extra special. He never once rushed us and his calm, friendly manner made us feel immediately at ease in the forge environment. We would thoroughly recommend him to anyone looking to have a wonderful day learning about blacksmithing and ending with some fantastic creations. Thank you very much Mort! From Ben and Liz."