Tharwa Valley Forge delivers bladesmithing course to veterans at Oasis

Despite a $2,000 theft, veterans and their kids didn’t shy away from a hard days work as they learnt the tricks of the blacksmithing trade by one of Australia’s top schools.

Veteran Blacksmithing Course at Oasis Townsville. Picture: Evan Morgan

One of Australia’s top bladesmithing schools had veterans working hammer and tongs this week to learn the tricks of the trade, forging ahead despite their generator being stolen.

Canberra based Tharwa Valley Forge made the 2,000 kilometre drive to North Queensland last week to deliver blacksmithing day courses at the Townsville RSL and Oasis, in partnership with the Cuppacumbalong Foundation

Forge founder and president of the Australian knifemaking guild, Karim Haddad said the response has been overwhelmingly positive with plenty of veterans and their child or grandchild taking the opportunity to pick up the hammer.

“Parents have had a great time with their kids, they’ve done something they’ve never done before,” he said.

Over the course of the day, the participants made a steak knife, barbecue fork or a steak flipper, with kids as young as 10-years-old getting among the grinder sparks and banging away at their work.

Veteran Blacksmithing Course at Oasis Townsville. Karim Haddad from Tharwa Valley Forge. Picture: Evan Morgan

“We’ve had some extraordinary young people do it … the forge gets up to 1000 degrees and to see these talented young boys and girls pull their hot bit of metal and bump it into shape, it’s great to see,” Mr Haddad said.

“Every time they use the steak knife or the barbecue fork, they’ll remember that nice time they had together.”

Former army fitter and turner, Frank Lunn and his 14-year-old daughter Sierra, took part in the course and said they were planning on using their knife and steak flipper during a camping trip together.

“It’s pretty awesome, it’s something people may have not done before but you get to try something new and different and spend some time with your children,” he said.

Veteran Blacksmithing Course at Oasis Townsville. Picture: Evan Morgan

“If you’re lucky enough you might touch base with people you haven’t seen for a while.”

Unfortunately, throughout the week one of their $2,000 generators was stolen from a shed where it was locked up.

Mr Haddad said it’s less about the money and more that he can’t be as efficient during the courses which inconveniences the families.

“It’s more the kids missing out, or not having the best option or that it takes a bit longer to do everything but we’ve had a lot of offers of support with generators,” he said.

Originally published as Tharwa Valley Forge delivers bladesmithing course to veterans at Oasis