Blacksmith classes offered at Tonopah Historic Mining Park
Take a step back in time this summer with a blacksmithing class, offered to the community thanks to the Tonopah Historic Mining Park.
The aim of the class is to teach the fundamentals of blacksmithing safely. The next scheduled class will be held over two days on July 19 and 20.
Blacksmithing instructor Ramon Fagundo leads the Tonopah Historic Mining Park Blacksmithing Program and also teaches at the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park.
Since 2010, the program has been hard at work teaching students how to work with a coal forge to heat metal to more than red hot and how to use hammers and other tools to forge, bend and twist the hot metal into shapes.
While the classes are mainly aimed for adults, responsible youth can participate with an accompanied paid adult supervisor.
The classes, which consist of a full eight-hour day, start off with a briefing from the instructors about how to conduct yourself while you’re around a forge.
Tonopah Historic Mining Park tour guide Grace Gearhart said that attendants are required to wear full-length pants, preferably denim, and closed-toed, sturdy shoes.
“The folks that have signed up are absolutely ecstatic to take the class. They’re very excited, and we will have some participants taking our blacksmithing class this coming weekend during the Rock and Bottle Show, which is also going to be a demonstration for the public,” Gearhart said. “We’re hoping that we’ll have some people viewing the class and the demonstrations along with the people participating, and hopefully that’ll help to get the word out as well.”
Students in the class have the opportunity to work hands-on with a coal-burning forge and will be able to learn to forge them into useful or decorative items.
“Usually, the instructors will start from the very beginning of lighting a forge. After lighting the fire in your forge, you’ll then learn to use the airflow and the fans and to get your forge hot enough to where you can now use your tools and get your metal in there,” Gearhart said. “Once you get it hot enough, then you start shaping the metal using the techniques that are demonstrated by our instructors.”
Class prices per person:
■ Single Day $125
■ Two Days $200
Group discount:
■ $50 discount for the first additional group member
■ $25 discount for every additional person after the first
Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@pvtimes.com. Follow @jaypowers__ on X.
