Classes in Decorah
Knifemaking
Register early with your $50 deposit. A minimum number of registered students is required for a class to be held.
Click here to download a 2009 class registration form.
Scandinavian Instructor
Norwegian Knifemaking
Håvard Bergland
Håvard will teach the knifemaking techniques he learned from his father.
Students will make ordinary working-knives, but Håvard will focus on teaching
how to make a “Sunday” knife, which includes silver work on both the knife
handle and sheath. Håvard will teach the process of forging a blade, but
the class will not actually do the forging process. There will be blades
from Norway to purchase. There will be an additional fee for materials.
Level of instruction: all levels.
October 5-9 |
$420 members / $520 non-members
October 12-16 |
$420 members / $520 non-members
Håvard Bergland was born in Dalen, Telemark, Norway. After spending a couple of years at sea as a young man, he returned home and attended carpentry school to work in his father’s woodworking shop. He decided that he wanted to learn forging, so he went to Blaker for four years to learn metalworking and received his certificate in 1960. Then he began teaching mechanical trades in Hamar. He later taught his father how to forge knife blades and his father taught him the craft of knifemaking. Knifemaking was one of his father’s hobbies. Håvard has taught knifemaking in Norway and other countries. He first taught knifemaking in the United States at Vesterheim in 1984.
Norwegian Knifemaking
Gene Tokheim
Norwegian knifemaking is a rich tradition that has been kept alive by
many Norwegian smiths and knifemakers. The tollekniv (whittling knife)
acquired
its present form in the early Iron Age (400-800 C.E.). In this course
students will work with wood, metal, and leather to create a finished
Norwegian knife
and sheath under the tutelage of master knifemaker Gene Tokheim. The instructor
will provide all necessary tools. There will be a minimum additional materials
fee of $110 paid to the instructor. Silver and Damascus blades will be
available for an extra cost.
Level of instruction: all levels.
July 18-22 | $318 members / $338 non-members
Gene Tokheim has been teaching since the 1980s in the United States and Norway. His work has been exhibited in shows at the University of Minnesota, the American Folk Art Museum in New York City, and the Hedmark Museum in Hamar, Norway. Gene graduated with a studio arts degree from Southwest Minnesota State University, and has studied knifemaking at Vesterheim and at the Telemark Folk School in Rauland, Norway. He is a Vesterheim Gold Medalist.