What is Clay and Steel?

Clay and Steel is a independently owned and operated small business. Celeste Flores, the owner has been blacksmithing for more than fifteen years. She specializes in custom metalwork in brass and bronze for homes. And she has been an instructor for twelve years. Celeste is a working artist who is passionate in training other people to fulfill their creative potential.

Clay and Steel is located within Seaport Studios. Seaport Studios is an artist run and operated organization, housing long term shop rentals for dozens of artists. It is a shared space with lots of activity, welders, wood workers, fire artists, shop cats and shop dogs all in abundance.

Am I Strong Enough?

The hammers used in blacksmithing usually weigh about 2lbs. You can squish a lot of metal with a two pound hammer, but you need to be able to lift the hammer, repeatedly, hundreds of times. Classes that use copper or bronze will require less exertion. The effort needed to move the metal gets magnitudes greater as the size increases. That means it’s much much harder to squish a 3/4” RR Spike knife, vs a 3/8” hook. The cross section is about 4x larger.

If you want to try your hand at blacksmithing, but are uncertain about your abilities begin with the bracelet class or you can try the hook for a slightly spicier experience.

I have experience, do I have to take a beginning class?

The beginning classes introduce you to the building, the tools and the safety requirements. All shops have different rules, so it’s important to know the rules for my particular shop. Since I learned blacksmithing at The Crucible, the safety guidelines are very similar. If you have recently taken blacksmithing at The Crucible and are confident in your tong control and knowledge of safety, I can waive taking a first time class for you. If you made a center punch in HS, or have similar experience, I would say take a first time class. Maybe make a RR Spike knife. If you have experience from other smithies contact me.

What should I wear?

You should wear all natural fibers, such as cotton, leather and wool when working with fire. Synthetic fibers, such as polyester, spandex and nylon shrink melt and permanently stick to your skin. Pants are highly recommended.

When the metal gets hit with a hammer small pieces of material will break off and can land on your skin. This feels a little like the kind of burn you would get when cooking and you have food or oil splatter on you. If you are concerned about your arms you should wear long sleeves.

It is recommended that you do not wear sneakers, as the mesh can melt if hot metal lands on it. Canvas shoes, such as Ked’s or Thom’s are good. I wear leather boots. Some people wear loafers or booties.

Can I be your apprentice?

While I do have long term trainees I do not usually take on apprentices. In truth training is a hard and time consuming process. It also cost me money in terms of materials and supplies. If one shows a dedication to the craft and steady longs term commitment, I may take on other trainees. I want to help other people succeed. But as a independent artist with a small business my time and resources are limited. This craft truly requires years of dedication and those are the people I would want working alongside me.

Do you teach private lessons?

Private individual lessons with independent guidance start at $90/hr. The lessons include materials. Special projects may incur additional costs based upon the needs for special tooling and/or extra preparation time.

Private group lessons are charged per person. Please contact Celeste@clayandsteel.com for group pricing inquiries

Birthday parties, bachelor/ette parties, corporate team builds, are all welcome. Quinceañera and bah/bat mitzvah’s and other youth groups require and adult present.

Can I make a sword?

With enough time and experience you can make a sword. You will need to learn the basics of forging, heat treating, grinding and handle making. You should take a class that teaches tapering, a class that teaches tool making and a class on bladesmithing to start. A newer smith with these skills can expect a sword to take around fifty hours of shop time. Or maybe thirty if you don’t care much about fit and finish.