Hedge Ironworks reviews

Paul Bassett reviewed: Two person Rose making workshop - blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Brilliant course! Jake is a superb teacher who inspires confidence and provides enough gentle encouragement for students to be enthusiastic to want to attempt tackling some challenging activities. He is equally happy at letting capable students just get on with it but also recognises when to step in where necessary and carefully guide students onto the correct technique. Jake's principal objective seems to be that students should complete the course confident that the work produced is substantially from their own efforts and skills. Jake has a great sense of humour and also an abundance of patience. Spacious and well-equipped workplace in a lovely part of the country. Having done previous blacksmithing courses we felt that this would be a hard task to complete but Jake's advice, support and guidance made it a breeze! We will be going back to make more flowers in the future."

Haf & Matt reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"We had such an amazing time with Jake. I was really worried when we started that I’d find it really difficult but Jake was an excellent teacher and made me feel more confident. He also knew when to step in to lend his expert hand. My husband absolutely loved it and is desperate to come again! Thank you Jake for such an amazing experience. :-)"

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

"First rate course. Had a fantastic day with Jake at his new location within the rolling hills of south Shropshire. I had the pleasure of one on one tuition with Jake who outlined the content of the day and the necessary safety measures needed to have a safe time whilst enjoying the full experience. The absolute best part of the day, not surprisingly, was just working with the metal. You have full instructions and demonstrations of the skills and techniques needed and then encouraged to just have a go. Jake was at hand to correct any errors but basically just get stuck in and have fun. There was the opportunity to have a go with the power hammer but in all honesty my preference was just the hammer against the hot metal and feeling the metal develop as you worked it. This is something I would certainly do again and in all likelihood will. Thank you Jake for a cracking day."

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

"This was a fantastic day and a great way to gain an appreciation of the skills that go into the blacksmiths art. Jake was a very patient teacher, clear in all his explanations and very skilled in seamlessly recovering any minor student mistakes without any fuss. His teaching style achieves the tricky balance in ensuring that you do everything safely and to a good standard for a beginner while not being intrusive, all of which leaves you with a great feeling of achievement at the end of the day when you leave with items made through your own efforts. Jake himself is incredibly skilled, making all the techniques look easy when he demonstrates what you will be doing yourself later, but his talent lies in then breaking these down into easily understood and manageable bits so that you surprise yourself when you are able to replicate what you have been shown, albeit much more slowly! We had a great day and this taster has led to us wanting to learn more as soon as Jake sets up a blacksmithing part 2 course in his new forge. Would recommend this course to anybody. Thanks for a fun day Jake."

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

"Fab day at the forge with Jacob, who really knows his stuff. Very relaxed teaching style, enough guidance so you stay on track but equally willing to let you have a bash (pun intended). Learnt loads of different techniques and left feeling tired but very satisfied with what we produced. If you fancy a go at blacksmithing you should definitely check this place out."

JT and Ann Marie reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Jake runs a brilliant and tailored introduction to Blacksmithing. The course is well structured and adaptable to your needs. Good chat all day and very supportive. We will enjoy using our handmade implements for years to come."

Debbie & Nathan reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"What a great day out! We really enjoyed ourselves. We not only came away with a taste of Blacksmithing but some impressive creations too! Jake has a very easy friendly way about him and takes the day at a steady pace ensuring you understand what you're doing as you go along. We would highly recommend that if you've ever fancied a go, this is the place to do it."

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

"My friend bought me this experience as a fabulous birthday treat. We both love to learn new skills & truly this couldn't have been better. Jake was a brilliant teacher, enthusing about his craft & clearly enjoying passing his skills on to others. Nick & I produced some pieces of work we were thoroughly proud of & enjoyed the process from start to finish. This was an experience that will never be forgotten!! Thanks Jake & keep up the fantastic work!"

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

"What a super day. My husband bought this as a treat for me and my sister in law and we had the best time ever. Jake gave great demonstrations and explained everything really clearly. We got to make a poker and letter opener and they look brilliant, especially the poker in which you try different techniques to get the details and finish. Lunch was at a cute little cafe and gave the boost for the afternoon. Jake is a true artist, incredibley talented and a great teacher. I have a new appreciation for the hard work and creativity involved in being a blacksmith. I can’t reccommend highly enough."

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

"My sister in law and I were treated to a day at Jake’s workshop to spend the day learning about and turning our hands to blacksmithing. We both had a fantastic time, Jake took the time to explain everything and demonstrate what we’d be doing, and helped us along the way as needed. Lunch was very pleasant, and well needed after finishing our pokers. Afterwards it was straight back to the workshop to craft our knives. Overall it was a really enjoyable day, and we both said that we’d definitely like to do it again!"

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

"My wife booked this course as a Christmas present to me. I had such a great day with jake, the whole day was relaxed and I learnt so much from this very talented blacksmith. The day started with a look around the forge with a coffee then straight to work firstly watching jake demo a poker , then my turn came jake was very informative and clear with instructions giving me confidence with what I was doing. A bit on lunch in a charming bistro around the corner from the forge and back to it. I will certainly recommend this course as it was such a memorable day, Jake is a hugely talented blacksmith and such a down to earth guy who clearly is passionate about his craft and I will be booking another day with him to further my skills as a ‘hobby’ blacksmith."

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

"I booked this course for my boyfriend's birthday in January and it could absolutely not have gone down better! Jake is really fun to be around and so clear in explaining how to do everything, and very knowledgeable about blacksmithing in general - even coping with the zillion questions Nick threw at him! I was (stupidly) surprised at how long everything took to make and it gave us a real appreciation of the art and skill in blacksmithing. We came away with a blacksmith knife and a poker each and they all look great, I particularly love the poker, it's so pretty on the fireplace. The whole day was really good fun and Nick loved having a go with all the tools (although I was way better at the power hammer!) and really seeing what traditional blacksmithing is all about. All in all an absolutely brilliant day and earned me some serious girlfriend points. Might have to come back for another go! p.s. sorry abut slow review Jake, hope the gates are going well!"

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

"Me and my wife a had a great day with Jake at his forge! I would certainly recomend it to anyone. The joy you get from creating something with your own hands (with a little expert help from time to time) is immense. Jake was very easy to get along with and a very good instructor. He even was able to help me create a Mjolnir (Thors Hammer) pendant. As a side note the cafe was very nice for lunch also providing a tasty selection. The parking at the forge is a little tight so if you have a large car or arent very confident in squeezing through tight spaces i would recomend parking on car park around the corner. An excellent day all round!!- will definatley look at more blacksmithing in future"

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

"What a brilliant day from start to finish. Jake's teaching style was very informative and yet relaxed, putting me at ease straight away. Looking around the forge at some of the pieces Jake has produced, I thought there was no hope for a complete novice like me, but by the end of the day I had managed to make a poker, amongst other things, that I was truly proud of. I've spent the last week saying to anybody and everybody I've met "Let me show you my poker". Jake is really easy to get along with, conversation just flowed all day, and he never tired of answering my numerous questions. Really keen to have another day's blacksmithing. I cannot recommend Jake highly enough, he deserves to go far. Many many thanks."

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

"I had an absolutely great time. Good old hard yakka. Fantastic teacher, helpful and understanding offering guidance but allowing me independence to work the metal myself and create the designs I had in mind. Jack made me feel confident and capable and I was thrilled with what skills I was able to develop in such a short time. Thanks Jake......'bonza mate'!"

Hedge Ironworks responded:

"Thanks for the great review!! Was a pleasure to have my first international student in the forge!"

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

"I really loved the day with Jake in the workshop and surprised myself by being able to make a poker and four hooks in the time. Jake was an excellent teacher. Very encouraging. Helped when needed but allowed us to have a good go by ourselves. By the afternoon session I felt pretty independent which is surprising in one day and with such a new skill. Thanks Jake. You were great !"

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

"What a GREAT DAY, proper hands on from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and day, the time flew by. I have never done any metalworking before but with excellent friendly tuition and guidance from Jake managed to make some pretty nice pieces ( If I do say so myself ). I was amazed at what stunning pieces of art, by Jake, can be achieved in metal. He is a very talented and a natural teacher. Thank you for a very memorable day and WILL recommend Jake and and his course to anyone who wants a terrific first taste of the blacksmiths art. A**** All the best for the future."

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

"I took my grandson last weekend to Jake's introduction to blacksmithing course at Ludlow. The whole day was excellent, the teaching was well structured and delivered with a very friendly approach, and considering we had never done this before we both made good progress and left with some recognisable pieces of work !. My grandson Sam is considering going on to college to study Blacksmithing and this was just the positive experience he needed. I would thoroughly recommend Jake's course to anyone interested, and would like to wish you Jake every success in the future. best wishes Leon."

James & Jayne Widdowson reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Jayne and I visited Jacob on Thursday 31st October 2018. It was everything we hoped it would be. Proper forge. Proper nice bloke in Jacob. Nice and relaxed atmosphere to enjoy experiencing blacksmithing. Good fun and you do everything and use all the tools and techniques yourself. It's a great thing to do together too!"

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

"We had been on a similar course elsewhere which we had thought was very good but quickly realised that Jake is on a much higher level altogether. When booking we had asked if it would be possible to make a flower and our expectations, based on previous experience, was that we could produce one between us in a day - we ended up making four with time to spare! Jake had planned our day for our exact requirements and provided the perfect balance between demonstrating techniques and guiding us in practical activities whilst allowing us to progress at our own pace. He encouraged us to participate in all stages of the process and using the different machines. The forge was perfectly set up as the two anvils allowed us both to work at the same time and the gas forge was a great bonus as we could be working on one item whilst the next item was heating up. Jake is an extremely likeable lad with a great sense of humour which, coupled with his smithing skills, makes him an outstanding teacher. A really brilliant day and one which we can't praise or recommend highly enough."

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

"Went to Jake for a blacksmithing experience with my other half to celebrate my birthday. The day was just brilliant. Warm welcome, clear demonstration and support throughout. Jake provided a relaxed environment and was phazed by nothing (including an epic tool malfuntion caused by some over enthusiastic cleaning!). Would recommend this day to anyone with an interest in hitting hot metal with hammers."

Susan John De parra reviewed: Two person 'Have a Bash' at Blacksmithing course in Shropshire

"Well what a brilliant day! Whether you have no idea ,or, think you have, Jake gives hands on tuition, encouragement and guidance on every aspect of what is involved! Relaxed, informative and insightful ! I had reservations of not being up to the job! Well, there is far more to the art. Finesses, precise and so so engaging! I am thoroughly hooked on this ancient yet current art form. Definately an experience that I feel enriched to have had. The history of tools and finishing on this work , left me privileged to have shared with my other half. We both would recommend this unique opportunity! Thank you Jake ! A true gent of your profession and Artistry. Sue and Andrew."

Hedge Ironworks responded:

"Wow, thank you so much for the kind words. It was an absolute pleasure having you both in the workshop!!"

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

"Very much enjoyed the day. It was a great introduction to blacksmithing. Jake familiarised me with the key equipment that I’d be using and gave a clear demonstration of how to make various items. Jake articulated every step of the process which helped me thoroughly understand the procedure of producing each piece. The workshop is great, it’s authentic. There’s no computers, no air conditioning; just metal, fire and dripping sweat . An exceptional day and would recommend to anyone who is looking for an good personal introduction to blacksmithing. Many thanks Jake."

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

"I never had the chance to do any form of metalwork at school or in the many years since. Meeting Jake at his occasional market stall pushed me into 'having a bash'. Absolutely no regrets. This is simple personal tuition in a simple workshop: No glitzy surroundings or presentations. Just a solid 'hands on' day. Jake's teaching style is patient and understanding, with the aim of producing some hardware at the end. A proper introduction to the craft, giving a great understanding of what is needed to create metalwork."

Hedge Ironworks responded:

"Thank you Steve for the kind words, was a pleasure teaching you! Kind regards, Jake."

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

"I had a fantastic day. I wasn't totally sure what to expect except a flaming hot forge and new t̶o̶y̶s̶ tools to play with (which were definitely there! Somewhat vital...) but I also left with a new appreciation and understanding of the craft. Not only that but quite a collection of creations. I was happily surprised at what can be accomplished in a day. Jake is a very patient (thankfully!) and friendly tutor which made the day a lot of fun. It felt like a gradual build in confidence in the techniques so by the end of the day you're tending the forge and judging the timing. I left feeling like I had been given a real opportunity to experience blacksmithing, and that was just the tip of the iceberg i'm sure. I'd recommend anyone to, well, have a bash. Thanks Jake!"

Hedge Ironworks responded:

"Thank you Mia for the great review. You were a pleasure to teach and great fun to have in the workshop! Until the next time!"