Hammer and Hound Forge

A great place to spend a day learning how to blacksmith. Alex is a great teacher who has amazing enthusiasm for what he does and is immensely knowledgeable in history and hands on black smithing. Lots of a tea and a great laugh. Thanks Alex.

Had an absolutely incredible day on our Intro to Bladesmithing course with Alex. I booked the course as a present to my other half and thought I wouldn't be strong enough to do much, but that wasn't the case at all and at the end of the day I had made a beautiful knife! Alex is clearly a really talented blacksmith but most importantly he is a brilliant teacher. His love for the history, the process, the science and skill behind bladsmithing is evident and after spending the day with him you feel like you've genuinely learnt so much. He does something he loves and he is happy to share that with others.It was a fantastic day, switching off from the day to day routine, putting away the mobile phones and making something with your own hands that takes thought, patience and a wonderful process. There's a sense of achievement at the end of the day. Will come back to Alex to do other courses, it's such good fun. Couldn't recommend Hammer and Hound Forge enough!

This place is simply outstanding.I have always wanted to try my hand at blacksmithing since I was a kid, and this did not disappoint. (Felt like I was a Dwarf of erebor for all the Tolkien fans out there)Alex was an absolute gent all the way through the day. He answered any questions we had, always watched over and offered hints or tips to make sure our finished piece came out as we imagined.Not at any point was I made to feel like I was out of my depth. He catered to our learning styles (which is a rare occurrence in teaching) and that within itself made the whole experience 10x better.Honestly, I can see myself using this as a type of therapy going into 2023.Having a bad day? No problem, book onto one of these courses and bang a piece of steel into something truly one of a kind which will last generations to come.Best thing is, I fell you can do think no matter what fitness level you are at!I will be back to make a another knife to add to my newly started kitchen set haha!

Went for the 2 day demascus steel course - great fun - the teacher Alex Sowden was very knowledgeable and made learning easy. Definitely worth it. Already signed up for my next course .

We took part in the beginners course. What a brilliant day. Alex has great teaching skills and the patience of a saint luckily for me. The whole day flew by and my partner thoroughly enjoyed it as his birthday present. Thanks again Alex.

Alex at Hammer and Hound Forge is an absolute artist. He was amazing at understanding our ideas and putting the concepts into designs for us to consider. The finished crow sculpture and candle holding nest are such a work of art. We cannot thank him enough for his skill and communication during the process. We would absolutely recommend commissioning work from this business.

Alex... what a guy! After seeing Alex on tv I was so impressed with his ability to see beyond the obvious with his designs and produce fine, detailed, well thought out work, I felt I wanted to own something he had made. I contacted him and exchanged a few emails and then, at a TORM market I met this knowlegeable, personable guy with a passion for his skill. I purchased a hand saw, so beautifully made by Alex, with just the right tooth for me to use as a pruning saw and a lovely smooth wooden handle that sits comfortably in my hand. Also, unbeknown to me, for my birthday my family had commissioned him to make a magnificent crow as a table centrepiece, complete with metal eggs in a nest that is made from woven welding rods that also acts as a candleholder. It is all set on a slice of oak from a sawmill local to Alex with places for tealights to be set around the edge of the wood. The detailing of the feathers is just fantastic and the shape of the bird is superb. Alex's commitment in liaising with the family to ensure the design was as required and completed on time was beyond expectation. Thank you Alex. This review is long overdue, sorry.

What a fantastic day, Alex was amazing.I got to make 3 different items from a small hook, bottle opener and a fire poker, it was physical work but well worth the effort, I would definitely recommend you try it you won't be disappointed.Ty Alex for a fantastic learning experience. X

I did the axe making course which was a great experience. Alex is a great guy, helpful, patient and very knowledgeable. Had a great day and walked away with an awesome little axe definitely something I will be looking to do again. I would recommend this to any and everyone!

If I could give Hammer and Hound Forge 10 stars I would! We did the beginners blacksmith course and it was amazing! Alex made us feel so at home and comfortable. I was able to ask for help whenever I needed it and he was on hand to give tips and tricks. We got straight into the fun stuff as soon as we arrived. We made some amazing things that are so useful now! It was a tiring but very rewarding day. Definitely recommend!