Entry No. 25 — the Baltimore file — filed under: blacksmithing
Bmore Hot Metal
Tucked inside the industrial Union Collective brewery complex, this classroom forge offers a rare opportunity to learn the ancient art of shaping hot steel. Under the guidance of a professional metal artist, you'll work directly with coal forges and anvils.
The story
Inside Union Collective—an industrial warehouse complex best known for craft beer and ice cream—hides a legitimate, fire-breathing blacksmithing forge. Bmore Hot Metal is run by metal artist Nicholas Ireys, who holds an MFA in sculpture from Southern Illinois University and runs custom ironwork studio NI Metal Design. Instead of watching craft tutorials on a screen, you are handed safety gear, ushered up to a hot coal forge, and given a hammer to shape glowing steel against an anvil.
It is a deliberate throwback to tactile manufacturing. You are not painting pre-cast pottery or assembling precut kits; you are using centuries-old blacksmithing techniques to bend, taper, and twist raw metal rods into bottle openers, spoons, hooks, knives, or gnarled steel wands. Ireys keeps the classroom shop intimate and unpretentious, teaching fundamental hammer control and heat management in small-group sessions.
What it's like
Finding the shop requires a brief navigation trick inside the Union Collective complex: park out front, go through the double glass doors directly to the right of The Charmery, head down the hall to the third large garage door on your right, and walk all the way to the back of the workshop space. Inside, expect heavy hammer noise, glowing embers, radiant forge heat, and coal dust on your skin. Dress strictly in 100% natural fibers like cotton or denim—synthetic fabrics like polyester can melt from stray sparks—and wear sturdy closed-toe shoes or boots. Note that all participants must be at least 18 years old.
The move: Book a private or group beginner session to heat, hammer, and forge your own custom bottle openers, spoons, or even a gnarled metal wand while sharing an anvil.
- 📍 Woodberry / Hampden
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1700 W 41st St, Baltimore, MD 21211
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Corradetti Glassblowing Studio — Trade hot steel for molten glass just down the road at Clipper Mill's historic 19th-century foundry studio.
- Mount Royal Soap Co. Factory — Contrast the loud, coal-dusted forge with a serene, scent-filled candle and soap crafting session in Woodberry.
- Bazaar Baltimore — Head into nearby Hampden to show off your newly hammered ironwork at this iconic oddities shop.
- Witch Board Museum Baltimore — If you forge a gnarled steel wand at the anvil, pair it with a tour of historic spirit boards housed right above Bazaar.
Good to know
What projects can beginners forge?
In a standard three-hour introductory class, you will shape hot steel into practical items like custom bottle openers, spoons, wall hooks, knives, or forks.
Where inside Union Collective is the forge located?
Enter the double glass doors to the right of The Charmery, walk down the corridor to the third garage door on your right, and the blacksmith shop is at the far back of that workshop bay.
Are there age restrictions or safety gear rules?
All class participants must be 18 or older. Safety glasses are required, and you must wear closed-toe shoes and natural fiber clothing like cotton (no synthetics).
Do I need prior metalworking or smithing experience?
No experience is necessary for beginner workshops. You'll receive direct instruction on fire management, anvil work, and metal shaping from start to finish.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-07-21