Entry No. 36 — the Atlanta file — filed under: blacksmithing
Hammered Heart Forge
On a working 50-acre horse farm in Sharpsburg, sculptor-blacksmith Michael Sebacher caps his Friday-night couples workshop at exactly two pairs so there's room at every anvil, and the 4.5-hour session ends with you having turned a literal railroad spike into a knife you forged, ground, and sharpened yourself.
The story
You didn't hear it from us, but the artist beating hot iron in Sharpsburg spent his previous lives operating nuclear power plants on Navy submarines, captaining a 40-foot sailing sloop, and designing car bodies for Ford Motor Company. Michael Sebacher picked up blacksmithing in Savannah only after deciding custom wrought-iron fence quotes were absurd, choosing instead to figure out the craft himself. Today, he lives in a self-built space on the second floor of a horse barn on a working 50-acre farm, running his forge alongside his 98-pound German Shepherd-Malinois mix.
Most metalworking classes crowd a dozen people around a couple of shared fires, but Sebacher caps his Friday Couples Date Night Workshop at exactly two pairs. Four participants get four dedicated anvils, meaning you spend all four and a half hours actually working metal rather than taking turns. There are no pre-shaped blanks or superficial demonstrations—you take an actual, heavy railroad spike, shove it into the fire, and pound, grind, heat-treat, and sharpen it into a functional knife you take home.
What it's like
When you pull onto the farm at 272 Lowell Drive, go slow on the drive to avoid geese, ducks, dogs, and horses. The studio itself is hot, gritty, and smells of burnt iron and motor oil, with light refreshments and coffee provided during breaks. The absolute rule is clothing safety: synthetic fabrics like polyester or nylon melt onto skin when hit by stray sparks, so show up dressed strictly in natural fibers like cotton, wool, or leather alongside closed-toe shoes.
The move: Drive out for the Friday 6-10:30pm Couples Date Night Workshop ($220 per couple, light refreshments and coffee included) — no experience needed, just cotton or leather clothing and closed-toe shoes.
- 📍 Sharpsburg (near Newnan)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 272 Lowell Drive, Sharpsburg, GA 30277
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Tinsley Mill Ruins — Drive eight miles east into Peachtree City to pair your night at the forge with the quiet stone foundations of an overgrown 19th-century grist mill.
- The Curios Botanica — Head northeast toward Jonesboro to match your hand-forged steel with a stop for hoodoo conjure oils, sachet powders, and candles.
- Road to Tara Museum — Trade the anvil sparks for the hyper-focused archive of original 1939 Gone with the Wind movie wardrobe pieces in neighboring Clayton County.
Good to know
Do we need any prior blacksmithing experience?
No prior experience is needed. The 4.5-hour workshop is designed for complete beginners and guides you through basic hammer control, bevel grinding, heat treating, and sharpening.
What strict clothing rules apply?
You must wear closed-toe shoes and clothes made strictly of 100% cotton, wool, or leather. Synthetic materials like nylon or polyester present a severe melt-and-burn risk around forge sparks.
How much does the Couples Date Night cost and what does it include?
The Friday 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm workshop costs $220 per couple and includes raw materials, equipment, safety gear, light refreshments, and coffee.
Where is the forge located?
It operates on a working 50-acre horse farm at 272 Lowell Drive in Sharpsburg, Georgia, just outside Newnan.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-07-19