What Prospect Hill Forge does

Prospect Hill Forge is a teaching smithy founded on May 1, 2007, in Waltham, Massachusetts, that delivers hands-on instruction in traditional coal-forge blacksmithing. The company operates from a four-workstation facility where each station is equipped with a coal forge, bench, vises, hammers, punches, chisels, and measuring tools, alongside a mix of electric blowers, hand-powered blowers, commercial forges, and hand-made forges. Instruction is led by co-owner Carl West (BFA in Sculpture from Carnegie-Mellon, 15-time Fitchburg Forge-In competitor with 8 Professional Division championships, Forged in Fire Season 10 winner) and instructor Willow Zeitmann (Forged in Fire Season 10 Champion), with co-owner Michael Bergman supporting operations. The student-to-teacher ratio is 8:1 in standard classes and 4:1 in advanced courses.

The product portfolio spans a progressive curriculum from introductory single-session classes ($85) through a six-level Rudiments series ($390 each, $1,070 bundle), specialty knife-making courses ($315–$910), fold-forming classes ($85–$250), and supporting workshops (Sundays at the Forge at $35/session or $100/month subscription; Open Smithy at $25/hr with a $225/10-hr package; Guided Open Smithy at $95 first 3 hours). Delivery formats include in-person classes at the Waltham smithy, live online classes via Zoom, mobile Forge-to-Go services, and on-site corporate team experiences. Adjacent revenue comes from gift certificates, forge rental, and the Guns-to-Garden program.

The business is privately held, bootstrapped, and founder-operated, with no disclosed external funding, institutional investors, or parent company. Marketing is primarily organic, driven by the website calendar, RSS feeds, Facebook, YouTube demonstrations, weekly Wednesday Zoom socials, and participation in regional events such as Topsfield Fair, Fitchburg Forge-In, New England Blacksmiths meetings, and Cambridge River Festival. Customer concentration is dispersed across individual hobbyists, advanced smiths, corporate groups, and educational/youth programs, with no single named enterprise customer dominating the mix.

Name

Prospect Hill Forge

Legal name

Prospect Hill Forge

Website

https://prospecthillforge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Prospect Hill Forge is a Waltham, Massachusetts teaching smithy founded in 2007 that delivers traditional coal-forge blacksmithing classes across in-person, online Zoom, and mobile formats, serving individual hobbyists, advanced smiths, corporate teams, and educational groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational and Craft Education (Blacksmithing Instruction)

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Cutting, Fit-Up & Layout (Oxy-Fuel/Plasma/Saw) Training (EDAOADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mining & Metals (EDABALAT), Sheet Metal Fabrication & Light-Gauge Metalwork Training (EDAOADAD)

Keywords

• Blacksmithing classes
• Traditional blacksmithing
• Knife making classes
• Metalworking education
• Forge rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Waltham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Class Tuition: Per-student fees for structured classes ranging from single-session introductions to multi-session advanced courses. Classes include beginners courses, knife-making, fold-forming, and corporate team experiences.
2. Open Smithy Time: Hourly forge rental for experienced smiths to work on their own projects with supervision. $25/hr with 10-hour package discount at $225.
3. Sundays at the Forge Subscription: Monthly subscription at $100/mo for regular Sunday sessions including Open Smithy time. Quarterly subscriptions for specific topics available.
4. Gift Certificates: Physical gift certificates sold for specific classes or hours of Open Smithy time. Good indefinitely until redeemed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Prospect Hill Forge is a teaching smithy in Waltham, Massachusetts that delivers structured traditional blacksmithing education across in-person classes at its four-station facility, live Zoom-based remote classes, and mobile services. Its curriculum spans introductory sessions, a six-level Rudiments core program, specialty courses in knife-making and fold-forming, supervised Open Smithy practice time, Sundays-at-the-Forge workshops, and corporate team-building experiences.

Product overview

Prospect Hill Forge is a teaching smithy located in Waltham, Massachusetts, offering a comprehensive blacksmithing education program. The company provides multiple instructional formats including in-person classes at their Waltham location, live online classes via Zoom, outdoor classes, and mobile services (Forge to Go, Smith to Go, Demo to Go). Their curriculum is structured as a progressive series from introductory classes (A Taste of Blacksmithing, A Forged Iron Bottle Opener) through the six-level Rudiments series (core foundation curriculum), to advanced specialty classes focused on knife-making (Nothing but Knives, Not-So Simple Knives, Knives, Knives, and More Knives) and fold-forming techniques (Fold-Forming I, Fold-Forming II, Exploring Fold Forming). Additional offerings include Sundays at the Forge workshops, Open Smithy and Guided Open Smithy for independent practice, Corporate Team Experiences, and forge rental. The company also sells gift certificates for classes. Founded in May 2007, the school emphasizes traditional blacksmithing techniques with a student-to-teacher ratio of 8:1 or better.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Interactive Online Blacksmithing Classes Remote blacksmithing instruction delivered via Zoom where students use their own equipment at home while instructors demonstrate with theirs at the Waltham smithy.
• Outdoor Classes In-person blacksmithing classes held outdoors at the Waltham location using portable forge equipment.
• Forge to Go On-site blacksmithing instruction where Prospect Hill Forge brings its portable equipment to the client's location for outdoor classes.
• Smith to Go An instructor travels to the client to consult about their setup, equipment, project, and process.
• Private Indoor Classes In-person instruction for pre-organized groups using stationary forge equipment at the Waltham smithy, with vaccination and rapid-testing requirements.
• Demo to Go Outdoor blacksmithing demonstrations for conventional schools, homeschool groups, unschool families, fairs, and festivals.
• A Taste of Blacksmithing Single-session introductory blacksmithing class focused on technique, theory, efficiency, and aesthetics.
• A Forged Iron Bottle Opener Single-session introductory class where students forge an iron bottle opener; priced at $85 per student.
• Corporate Team Experiences Corporate team-building sessions where groups learn blacksmithing together, typically 3 to 5.5 hours, maximum 12 students, with negotiable tuition and optional mobile delivery via Forge-to-Go.
• Rudiments of Blacksmithing I Foundation course covering basic blacksmithing techniques including drawing out, bending, cutting, twisting, upsetting, splitting, punching, drifting, and riveting; projects include a barbecue fork and smithing tongs; fee $390 with $100 discount if signing up for all three sequential Rudiments classes.
• Rudiments of Blacksmithing II Intermediate course building on Rudiments I skills, covering forge-fire management, forging, upsetting, hot filing, hardening, tempering, sinking, grinding, forge-welding, and sharp angle bending; projects include animorphic heads, spoons, center-punches, chisels, and brackets.
• Rudiments of Blacksmithing III Advanced foundation course covering scrollwork, collaring, forging pipe, threading with taps and dies, sheet metal work, and bending matching curves; equivalent to a Basics of Blacksmithing class.
• Rudiments of Blacksmithing IV First course of the Basics II series covering heat-treating unknown steel, making an eye-punch/maker's mark, square-octagonal-round exercise, and welded twisted-basket-motif s-hook.
• Rudiments of Blacksmithing V Second course of the Basics II series covering lap-welding, cleft-welding, heat control, scrolling-in-air, making a juggling ball, working to a drawing, and master/striker techniques.
• Rudiments of Blacksmithing VI Third course of the Basics II series covering making a small hammer head and handle, threading the needle, collar welding, threading a bolt on the hardy, and working with wrought iron.
• Nothing but Knives Knife-making class where students make a practice knife (letter-opener) and a small one-piece knife from high-carbon spring steel; covers forging, annealing, filing, hardening, tempering, and sharpening; 9 hours in three 3-hour meetings; fee $375; prerequisites include some smithing experience and age 16+.
• Not-So Simple Knives Advanced knife class making a small kitchen/paring-style knife with an integral bolster and pinned wooden scale handle; 9 hours over 3 meetings; fee $315; prerequisite Rudiments II.
• Knives, Knives, and More Knives Eight-meeting advanced knife-making course covering various knife styles and handle types using different steel sources; fee $910; prerequisites Rudiments I (Rudiments II preferred) AND Nothing but Knives.
• Fold-Forming I Introduction Introduction to Charles Lewton-Brain's fold-forming technique for working sheet metal by folding, deforming, and unfolding; uses copper and iron sheet; fee $85; 3 hours, 1 meeting.
• Fold-Forming II: Fold-Forming for Blacksmiths Advanced fold-forming course applying basic fold-forming concepts to hot iron work; covers tools and techniques necessary for fold-forming in hot metal; fee $250; prerequisite Fold-Forming I.
• Exploring Fold Forming Ongoing investigation session for fold-forming technique where students work on variations of folds with brief demonstrations; 2 hours per session; fee $35.
• Sundays at the Forge Atelier-style Sunday afternoon demonstrations and workshops paired with Open Smithy time; topics vary including aluminum casting, fold-forming explorations, knife sharpening, and striker team practice; runs 2-4pm followed by Open Smithy; fee $35 per session or $100/month subscription.
• Open Smithy Supervised time for experienced smiths to work on their own projects using their blacksmithing knowledge; monitored for safety but not instructional; fee $25/hour with 1-hour minimum; 10-hour package $225; prerequisite some smithing experience.
• Guided Open Smithy Open Smithy time with an experienced smith available to help work out ideas, techniques, and approaches for the student's own project; fee $95 for first 3 hours, then $50/hour in 15-minute units.
• Gift Certificates Physical gift certificates available for specific classes or hours of Open Smithy time, valid indefinitely in Massachusetts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8:1 or better student-to-teacher ratio in standard classes, 4:1 in advanced classes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Metalwerx: Metalworking and jewelry arts school located in Waltham, MA — the same town as Prospect Hill Forge. Directly comparable as a hands-on metalwork education provider; PHF's founders even approached Metalwerx in 2006 about hosting a blacksmithing class, indicating awareness of direct competition.
• The Crucible: Industrial arts education nonprofit in Oakland, CA offering blacksmithing, foundry, welding, and other fire/metal arts classes. Comparable as a multi-discipline craft school with broad hobbyist and youth programming, similar class-based and workshop revenue model.
• John C. Campbell Folk School: Nonprofit folk school in Brasstown, NC offering week-long blacksmithing and other craft classes. Comparable as a hands-on craft education provider with structured multi-session curriculum and a similar hobbyist/serious-learner customer base.
• The Steel Yard: Industrial arts school in Providence, RI offering blacksmithing, welding, and other metalwork classes. Directly comparable as a regional craft school with the same core offering; PHF instructor Willow Zeitmann also teaches there, indicating direct market overlap.
• New England School of Metalwork: Regional metalworking school in New England offering blacksmithing and metalwork classes. Directly comparable by geography, target customer (hobbyists and serious smiths), and core curriculum focus.
• Pratt Fine Arts Center: Seattle-based craft education center offering blacksmithing, jewelry, and other metalwork classes. Comparable as a community-focused craft school with multi-format classes (intro, multi-session, workshop) and a similar adult-learner customer base.
• Penland School of Craft: Residential craft school in North Carolina offering intensive blacksmithing and metalwork workshops. Comparable as a craft education institution with progressive curriculum and working artist instructors.
• Touchstone Center for Craft: Craft education center in Pennsylvania offering blacksmithing and metals workshops. Comparable as a craft school with workshop-style classes and a similar hobbyist artist customer base.
• Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts: Tennessee-based craft education center offering blacksmithing, metals, and other craft workshops. Comparable as a multi-discipline craft school with structured multi-session classes and a similar adult hobbyist/student customer base.
• Haystack Mountain School of Crafts: Craft school in Deer Isle, ME offering workshops in blacksmithing, metals, and other media. Comparable as a craft education institution with intensive workshop formats and a comparable faculty-of-practitioners model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAvrdujVA_8v0Zs0MTqVXsQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/prospecthillforge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prospect-hill-forge

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prospect Hill Forge