Hedge Ironworks reviews

24 Feb 20'

Sacha reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Jake was really accommodating and enthusiastic in helping me with a specific metalworking technique I wanted to try (mokume gane), he had done his own research into the technique which I really appreciated. We also had some time to do some traditional blacksmithing at the end! Jake was a patient and thorough teacher, and I would definitely recommend this course!"

22 Feb 20'

Roger reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"My wife bought this course with Jake for my Christmas present after we met him at the Ironbridge Xmas fayre. My son in law Ryan joined me for the day and we had a fantastic time making our fire pokers and letter knives. Jake is a great teacher and an expert in his field. He really took time to help us learn some blacksmithing techniques something I had always wanted to do. I would really recommend spending some time with Jake at Hedge Forge. Superb day and thanks Jake. Let me know when you start the axe making workshop and I will be booking."

16 Feb 20'

Anthony Radford reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Me and my lad had a great day blade smithing and came away with some nice pieces. Would definitely recommend as we learnt some interesting techniques moving the metal, and my lad had a knack of using the powerhammer."

10 Feb 20'

Tim Foster reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"An excellent session pitched at just the right level, Jake allowed me to work by myself after demonstrating how to create my designs in metal, but was ready to step in when I started to make mistakes. I came away with the confidence to tackle making more of the brackets by myself at home."

7 Feb 20'

Alan reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"This was a Christmas present which initially seemed a little 'random' but on close reading of the itinerary looked very enjoyable. The reality was that is was a great day which I shared with 2 of my sons, we had fun whilst doing our utmost to closely follow Jake's detailed instructions. The results, whilst differing from each others and Jake's, were great and we left with a poker and letter opener each which we were all very pleased with. Jake was engaging, informative and his instruction was clear and easy to follow, it was just the putting it into practise we struggled with. When we did 'stray' from the plan Jake stepped in and put things right without making us feel either foolish or helpless, he was very patient and approachable, there was a degree of banter between us all which added to the day. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun day, remember to pack a lunch and wear old clothes because the forge can get dusty! Jake provided tea, coffee and bottled water which would be needed on a hot day. A great day - many thanks Jake."

3 Feb 20'

Philip Clapham reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"My Dad, brother and I had a fantastic day trying our hand at blacksmithing. Jake is a great teacher; he made us feel really welcome, is very patient, and couldn't have done more to make sure we had an enjoyable time. He is clearly very passionate and skilled at what he does. I would thoroughly recommend this course if you want to try a traditional (and fun!) craft in a beautiful setting and produce some lovely pieces. 10/10!"

17 Jan 20'

Dorothy reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"I booked this course as a Christmas present for my husband and son who had always wanted to try their hand at blacksmithing, and they were both in their element from start to finish, don’t know where the time went as they were having so much fun. Jake gave them a demonstration on how to make a blacksmiths knife and made it look so easy. He is so talented and clearly loves what he does. We would highly recommend a day with Jake, he’s easy to get along with and a great teacher. At the end of the day my husband and son had made two blacksmith's knives each and was very proud of what they had achieved. What a unique day. Give it a go you won’t be disappointed. Thank you once again Jake, we definitely will be back to try another project ."

25 Dec 19'

Janet Lewis reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"I had organised a surprise day for myself, husband and two grown up sons as Christmas presents for everyone. Jake very generously accommodated us on Christmas eve and we had an excellent day of bashing metal. Even I, at only 4' 11'' and ancient, managed to come away with a poker and a knife which I had made (mostly) myself. Dead chuffed. Jake's cheery good humour and professionalism shone through and we ended the day after leaving the forge comparing blisters and our handiwork and being enormously critical of the inferior ironwork in the pub fireplace! Thank you Jake."

24 Dec 19'

Edward Lewis reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Epic time - thanks Jake! Despite having no experience of being in a forge I walked out with two beautiful and functional bits of kit (in no small part due to Jake's help). I'd definitely recommend this course!"

26 Nov 19'

Laura smith reviewed: Individual 'Bushcraft blade in a day' course in Shropshire

"My partner and I both thoroughly enjoyed the knife making course. Jake was very welcoming and accommodating of my requests right from the initial enquiry stage. He explained all the different stages very well at the correct level for us, and taught us an amazing skill. We left with a huge satisfaction at making knives ourselves, starting from a cylinder of metal. Most importantly we had fun doing it (especially the power hammer!) I would highly recommend going, thank you Jake for an amazing day!"

22 Nov 19'

Ivan Grove reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Really enjoyable day with Jake, a real craftsman. Goals set for the day were realistic and achievable and good advice along the way. Good approach where you watch Jake carry out the process first and then you try to emulate it, with pointers from him. Safety at the forefront of everything, which was good to see. Jake is a pleasure to be around and a calm and friendly atmosphere. Looking forward to going back to do other courses."

2 Nov 19'

Catherine and Nick reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Slightly apprehensive having never done this before, however Jake’s clear instructions, calm demeanour and an obvious passion for his craft made it such an enjoyable day. We enjoyed making our pokers and knives and look forward to our next challenge. Give it a go! It is certainly value for money and Jake is fantastic teacher ???"

31 Oct 19'

Paul Downing reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"We (my 16 year-old son) and I both thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the day. We got stuck in straight away and were very proud of the results. Jake was a clear and enthusiastic tutor and knew just when to step in to help, and when to step back and let us flail a little :-) We also enjoyed getting to explore a range of tools/techniques throughout the session. Would highly recommend for anyone looking for a taste of metalworking!"

30 Oct 19'

Katie and Fergus reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Had a super day! Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Thank you Jake! Jake is a patient teacher whose clear expertise helped us create some beautiful metal work that initially I thought would be beyond me. We left with smiles on our faces and some treasures. Would highly recommend the course to everyone and am very tempted to have another go."

29 Oct 19'

Stuart Main reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Really informative and thoroughly enjoyable practical day with Jake’s easy-going, friendly and reassuring guidance. So absorbing that the day disappeared all too quickly and would not hesitate to go again sometime and recommend to anyone else too."

2 Oct 19'

Hazel and Paul reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"This was the absolute highlight of our holiday. Jake is lovely person and a superb teacher - he makes the day relaxed and fun. He paces the introduction of different techniques perfectly - we were busy but never rushed and achieved so much more than we expected to. He is great at assessing and adapting to each individual’s ability and level of confidence. I was certain that I’d need loads of help with the hammering and twisting the iron but, with Jake’s guidance, I actually ended up with pieces that were over 90% my own work. We are so chuffed with the pieces we have made. We’d have no hesitation in recommending the ‘Have a Bash’ day to anyone."

23 Sep 19'

Jack Creed reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Booked this day course for myself and my friend, we had an absolute blast! Jake is a brilliant teacher and walked us through each step with clear, easy to follow instructions. Highly recommend this course for a bit of a different day out, plus you get to take home your own fire poker and knife! Jake is a very talented blacksmith and if he runs anymore courses like this one I'll be signing up for them."

11 Sep 19'

Gill Guest reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"I had a brilliant day ‘Having a Bash’ at Blacksmithing. Jake was a wonderful teacher - very friendly, encouraging and patient. His clear instructions and ‘how to’ demonstrations quickly made me feel more confident about handling hot metal and hitting it with hammers. I was amazed to make anything in a day, let alone to manage a passable poker with twirly bits and fancy twists, as well as a useable knife with a scrolled handle. An amazing day, I highly recommend it."

20 Aug 19'

Simon Perry reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"My wife and I had an absolutely fantastic day with Jake. Neither of us had done any kind of metal working before and thanks to Jake’s clear explanations and demonstrations, we both left with pokers and knives that we are very proud to have made. They may be at the “rustic” end of the scale, but are unique, hand-made artefacts that we will treasure. Jake is a great teacher; he’s very patient and is happy to step in and help if you need it, but makes sure that what you make is yours and not just a piece that you’ve had a hand in. A day that we will remember for a long, long time. Thanks again Jake!"

12 Aug 19'

Peter Mintoft reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"A present from my wife, what a fantastic day! I’ve occasionally badly bashed bits of metal for myself but this was a first taste of proper blacksmithing and couldn’t have wished for better. Jake’s course was really enjoyable, informative, productive and fun. His enthusiastic teaching style is very relaxed yet thorough and comprehensive giving a great insight into this highly skilled trade. Confidence builds as he gently reminds you of the processes and offers encouragement as you have a go yourself. I can’t recommend it highly enough! Whether you’ve done a lot of mechanical engineering before or none at all, this is a window into another world of real skill and art mixed with proper sweat and hard work! Do it now - book a day with Jake, you’ll be very pleased that you did!"

6 Aug 19'

Claire Churms-griffiths reviewed: Individual 'Bushcraft blade in a day' course in Shropshire

"My husband and i had a very enjoyable day knife making. Jake was welcoming and put as both at ease from the start. He explained everything easily and we had a few laughs as well. We both got to use the power hammer and he showed us a lot of the various techniques used on the anvil to forge the knife. Would recommend this course to anyone and it was brilliant to see the finished knife knowing you had made it yourself. Thanks again Jake for a fantastic day."

2 Aug 19'

Sarah Burnham-Slipper reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Jake was an excellent teacher and blacksmith. All had a great time (13 year old son, his 14 year old cousin and parent). Would definitely recommend!"

31 Jul 19'

Steve Upton reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"We had such a great day! I took my two kids and they loved it. My son (10) and my daughter (13) learnt new skills and really enjoyed every aspect. Jake was patient and fun and put us all at ease. We made 3 different things that now have pride of place in our home. Really cannot recommend this day enough, you’ll love it!"

28 Jul 19'

Gary Street reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"This experience was bought for me as a surprise for my birthday by my wife. After a lovely drive out through the Shropshire countryside we arrived at the forge. Both my son and I took part. Jake is an excellent teacher and host, very friendly and he knew his stuff. The day was well paced and plenty of support is at hand. Jake keeps the numbers low so is always available to help out. The facilities are everything you need for the day. Who knew that metal bashing could be such fun. I am now the proud owner of an excellent poker and letter opener. Highly recommended, go and do it!"

27 Jul 19'

Nicola reviewed: Individual 'Bushcraft blade in a day' course in Shropshire

"I would recommend this course to absolutely everyone! It’s such a wonderful experience. Jacob welcomes you into his workshop and gives you an insight into the highly skilled work of a blacksmith for the day. I booked this course for my partner as a birthday present and I knew he’d love it but I was surprised how much I loved it myself! Jacob is amazing and the work he does really inspired us. We made craft knifes for our course and now we want to arrange another trip to make more! Thank you Jacob you’re a legend!"