Entry No. 61 — the Durango file — filed under: hands-on
The Cowboy Forge Blacksmith School
Steve, a Southwest Colorado native blacksmithing since 1996 and teaching since 2012, runs this working coal-forge shop just west of Durango. Weekend beginning workshops run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no experience required, and you forge your own tools using the coal forge and learn heat-treating, with all materials provided. There's also a by-appointment Open Forge for graduates who want practice time.
The story
Steve Williams isn't running a sanitized craft-boutique for casual tourists. A Southwest Colorado native who studied under legendary smith Frank Turley in Santa Fe, Steve has been hammering hot iron since 1996 and teaching the craft out of his Mancos shop since 2012. While most modern industrial shops moved to gas burners decades ago, Steve keeps a working coal forge fired up west of Durango.
The coal forge changes everything. It’s hotter, dirtier, and requires a constant, active eye on the fire—turn your back for a minute too long and your workpiece disintegrates inside the coals. You’re not here to twist copper wire into jewelry; you're learning how to read heat by eye, move yellow-hot steel with heavy hand hammers, and properly quench and temper high-carbon steel so it holds a functional edge.
There’s a quiet self-reliance built into the setup: rather than handing you pre-made gear, Steve has you forge your own working tools. And if you think you can just drop in to tinker on a Tuesday, you didn't hear it from us—the open forge time is strictly off-limits to outsiders until you've survived the full beginner weekend and proved you know how to handle the fire without burning the shop down.
What it's like
Prepare for an unvarnished, physical eight-hour day. The beginner weekend workshops run Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., surrounded by heavy anvils, coal dust, and the roar of air fed into the hearth. You’ll leave with aching forearms, soot on your face, and a set of hand-forged tools you shaped and heat-treated yourself. Book weeks ahead because spots in the small shop are limited, and show up wearing thick natural fibers and leather boots—synthetic sneakers won't survive the coal sparks.
The move: Spend a full Saturday at the coal forge hammering, twisting, and heat-treating steel into your own hand-forged tools.
📍 Before you go In Mancos, roughly 28 miles west of Durango; beginning workshops are full-day weekend sessions you must reserve in advance. Open Forge requires completing a beginning course first.
- 📍 Mancos
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Mancos, CO 81328
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Mancos Common Press — Trade hot coal dust for printer's ink down the road at this preserved 1890 print shop filled with handset metal type.
- Columbine Bar & Grill — After eight hours pounding iron on an anvil, walk over to this historic Mancos dive saloon for a cold drink.
- Giant Arrows at the Hogan Trading Post — Pair the raw craft of hand-forged iron with a quick roadside stop to see massive telephone-pole arrows embedded in the earth.
Good to know
Do I need any previous metalworking or blacksmithing experience?
None. The weekend beginning workshops are designed for complete novices, and Steve provides all materials, tools, and hands-on instruction.
How far is the forge from Durango?
It's in Mancos, roughly 28 miles west of Durango along Highway 160—about a 30-minute drive.
Can I just drop by and use the shop equipment?
No. Drop-ins aren't allowed. Beginning workshops require advance registration, and the by-appointment Open Forge is strictly restricted to graduates of the beginner class.
What do you actually make in the beginner class?
You spend the weekend forging your own functional steel tools from raw stock using the coal forge, while learning fundamental metalworking steps like drawing out, twisting, and heat-treating.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-06-23