Question 1

Do I need a reservation to take a blacksmith lesson at the Surtr Forge store?

Accepted Answer

We accept reservations and walk-ins with availability.Reservations take priority over walk-ins, and we very highly recommend calling ahead to check availability and making a reservation if coming from out of town.  You are welcome to call ahead and make a reservation for the day you want to smith with us. If you do not arrive at your timeslot, you will be placed at the end of the waitlist when you arrive.Please, plan your itinerary well. We take our last group about 60 minutes before closing for all experiences except railroad spikes. For railroad spikes, our last slot is 3 hours before we close. Anyone arriving later will have to forge another day.  If you have a group of 6 to 9, you can call our stores up to 48 hours ahead to coordinate the date and time you plan to arrive. If your group has 10 or more, you can call 2 weeks ahead so we can schedule an extra smith to assist your group that day.

Question 2

Does Surtr Forge offer classes?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we offer several types of classes. Read more about them on our site on the Register for a Class page.

Question 3

Do the smiths I meet in Gruene make all of the items in the Surtr Forge store?

Accepted Answer

Our smiths make many of the items in our store.
 
Uniquely, we have hand forged items from our sister forge in Ghana, in Africa. Hertic Forge has been growing bigger and taking on young smiths to help them learn a trade. We love supporting their work.
 
We also consign hand made items from local smiths and artists we are lucky enough to call friends and family.
 
Some of our items are from local and out of state Forged in Fire (FIF) participants and champs. We have had items from FIF's:

Tobin Nieto, Local San Antonian
James Helm, Local San Antonian
Daniel Casey from Arkansas
John Clark from Georgia
Billy Salyers from North Carolina
Ray Kirk from Oklahoma
Brian Evelich from Connecticut
Paul Leal from La Vernia

Question 4

Why does Surtr Forge require non-refundable deposits and/or application fees?

Accepted Answer

We limit the number of students per experience. When the roster is full, we do not allow additional registrations. The deposit/fee secures a spot and indicates commitment to attend the experience. If a person cancels, the deposit helps offset the lost opportunity for another person to attend.

Question 5

Does Surtr Forge take commissions/custom orders?

Accepted Answer

We take commissions for some items.Our blacksmiths take commissions within their realm of expertise.We have made custom:Chicken catchersHorse hoof picksDecorative knobsHooksSteak flippersAnniversary giftsHorse shoe sculptures/decorKnivesOn occasion, we accept items for refurbishing. The best time for this type of request is September when our work load is a little lighter. We do not make custom:Swords/sabersBranding ironsSteak branding irons

Question 6

What blacksmithing experiences do you offer?

Accepted Answer

We offer blacksmithing classes in historic downtown Gruene.  Most of the items created in the experiences below are premade and kept in stock by our smiths for customers who want the blacksmithed item without the blacksmith effort. Our horseshoe/RR spike knife options are listed below:-a $45 three-finger grip horseshoe knife, between 30-45 minutes of hammering-a $60 full-hand grip horseshoe knife, between 30-45 minutes of hammering-a $130 full-hand grip railroad spike, between 1 1/2 hours to 3 hours of hammering Each of the knife options takes an additional 10-20 minutes per knife for our blacksmiths to sharpen and polish as desired by our students. All of the classes we offer at our Gruene location are mild steels, which make them susceptible to rusting and losing their cutting edge. They are considered souvenir/novelty knives. We also teach copper pipe bracelets, mild steel steak flippers, and horseshoe/minecart spike bottle openers.  Our copper pipe bracelet options are listed below:-a $25 1/4 inch bracelet measured to size, detailed with stippling and option of initials-a $35 1/2 inch bracelet measured to size, detailed with any design we have available, and the option of initials-a $45 1 inch bracelet measured to size, detailed with any design we have available, and the option of initialsEach of the bracelet options take anywhere between 5 minutes to an hour depending on the design desired. Add approximately 20 minutes for our smiths to smooth edges and polish the bracelet. Our steak flippers are 18 inches of mild bar stock that can be hammered left-handed or right-handed with a twisted handle. These are between $90-$120 depending on how long they take to forge. Allow approximately 20 minutes for our smiths to smooth, clean, and finish the steak flipper. Our bottle opener options are listed below:- a horseshoe with a crown cork opener headBottle openers are $60 to make in either design and take around 50 minutes to make. Smiths may require some time to clean and refine the final product.

Question 7

How do the blacksmith experiences work?

Accepted Answer

We have four anvils at our Gruene location and can teach two to three people per anvil as necessary. We provide all safety gear required for the class. One to two people can forge on the same anvil and typically take 30-45 minutes, unless making a steak flipper, bottle opener, or railroad spike knife.Larger groups can forge three to four people using the same anvil, and typically take an hour to an hour and a half if everyone does the same type of class. The number of people forging at a time is highly dependent on the dynamics of the group, the amount of assistance required, and will be subject to management and the blacksmith's discretion to provide the safest experience possible.  If we have multiple varieties of classes being taught to one group, we will typically break into smaller groups. We teach bracelets first, then bottle openers, then horseshoe and minecart knives, and lastly railroad spike knives and steak flippers. This is to keep our instructors organized and make sure all products come out in a timely manner. It also allows the group members to engage in other activities until it is their turn with pretty accurate wait times. We are a family forge, not a theme park, so we ask you to be patient with us if it is particularly busy.

Question 8

What age does a person have to be to blacksmith at Surtr Forge?

Accepted Answer

Children as young as 3 are welcome to make our mini nail swords, horse shoe knives, bracelets, and other small, easy to craft items.
 
We recommend age 10 and over make the more challenging items, however, the person's determination, size, ability, and skill can be taken into account. Children are welcome to invite their adults to help forge items, and vice versa.

We have experience working with people of all abilities and skills levels. People with autism, brain damage, blindness, amputations, wheelchairs and other conditions have forged with us.

Question 9

I don't see the information I'm looking for, what should I do?

Accepted Answer

You are welcome to reach out to our stores via call or text during business hours with any questions you may have.

Question 10

Where can I purchase gift cards?

Accepted Answer

You can purchase gift cards in person at our store in Gruene or give us a call during business hours at (726)225-5209 to purchase them over the phone.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a reservation to take a blacksmith lesson at the Surtr Forge store?

Does Surtr Forge offer classes?

Do the smiths I meet in Gruene make all of the items in the Surtr Forge store?

Why does Surtr Forge require non-refundable deposits and/or application fees?

Does Surtr Forge take commissions/custom orders?

What blacksmithing experiences do you offer?

How do the blacksmith experiences work?

What age does a person have to be to blacksmith at Surtr Forge?

I don't see the information I'm looking for, what should I do?

Where can I purchase gift cards?

Location in New Braunfels