Back to Basics: 3-Day Blacksmithing & Leathercrafting Workshop

Unplug from the digital world and step into the timeless realm of traditional craftsmanship.

Set against the island backdrop of Camotes Island, Cebu, this intensive 3-day workshop is designed to take you back to the roots of self-reliance, creation, and utility. Conducted entirely in an outdoor yard environment, you’ll spend three full days under the open sky—working by the glow of the forge during the day and camping under the stars by night.

Over three immersive days, you will step up to the forge and the workbench to transform raw, unyielding materials into functional, handcrafted tools using time-honored methods.

🔨 World-Class Mentorship

To ensure you gain true technical skill and safe, practical knowledge, this workshop will be mentored by seasoned blacksmiths and well-known craftsmen in Cebu Philippines.

Under their direct guidance, you’ll receive personal, step-by-step instruction—learning the subtle art of heat control, hammer technique, material selection, and precision stitching. Whether you are striking hot steel for the first time or refining your craft, you will be learning directly from local masters who live and breathe their trade.

🎒 What You Will Master

1. The Art of the Forge (Blacksmithing)

• Fire & Heat Management: Understanding forge setup, fuel management, and reading steel temperatures by eye.

• Fundamental Hammering Techniques: Mastering drawing out, upsetting, bending, punching, and shaping hot metal on the anvil.

• Heat Treating & Tempering: Learning the science behind hardening and tempering carbon steel to ensure strength, durability, and edge retention.

2. Traditional Leatherworking

• Leather Selection & Patterning: Choosing the right hides, understanding grain structure, and drafting custom templates.

• Precision Cutting & Tooling: Hand-cutting heavy leather, beveling, grooving, and edge burnishing.

• Saddle Stitching & Assembly: Learning the traditional two-needle saddle stitch for maximum durability and finishing with hardware or custom accents.

3. The Integrated Craft

• Combine both disciplines by forging your own functional custom tool or blade and building a tailor-made, hand-stitched leather sheath to house it.

Outdoor & Camp Setup

Since this event takes place outdoors, participants will be pitching camp on site. Emphasizing the Back to Basics philosophy, sleeping under canvas and gathering around the open fire forms an integral part of the full island experience.

What Camping & Personal Gear to Bring:

• Shelter: Tarp/tent setup with ground sheet and pegs.

• Sleep System: Sleeping bag, camp pad, or hammock with tarp.

• Lighting: Headlamp or flashlight (with extra batteries) for nighttime camp navigation.

• Workwear & Safety: Cotton/natural fiber clothes (strictly no synthetics near the forge), work boots or sturdy closed-toe footwear, and personal work gloves.

• Mess Kit: Personal reusable plate, cup, utensils, and water bottle.

• Personal Items: Toiletries, insect repellent, sun protection, and personal medication.

📋 Course Inclusions & Details

• Duration: 3 Days / 2 Nights

• Location: San Fran Camotes Island, Cebu

• Setting: Outdoor Yard / Camp Venue

• Skill Level: Open to all levels (Beginner-friendly; no prior experience required)

• What’s Included:

  • Full access to forges, anvils, specialized tools, and leatherworking stations

  • All raw materials (high-carbon steel, natural leather, consumables)

  • Safety gear and personal protective equipment (PPE)

  • Certificate of Completion signed by the lead craftsmen