Entry No. 29 — the Minneapolis file — filed under: blacksmithing
Northstar Forge
Founded by ABS Journeyman Smith Jason Kraus, who competed on History Channel's 'Forged in Fire,' this premier forge teaches the ancient trades of blacksmithing and bladesmithing. The shop is located in historic downtown Carver, just southwest of the Twin Cities.
The story
In 2011, ABS Journeyman Smith Jason Kraus—whom you might recognize from History Channel’s 'Forged in Fire'—set up shop in historic downtown Carver, just southwest of the Twin Cities. Instead of keeping his bladesmithing trade behind locked doors, he opened Northstar Forge as a practical school for anyone willing to spend a day sweating over glowing metal.
The work inside is aggressively physical. You aren't watching a demonstration from behind a velvet rope; you are taking heavy industrial steel—including raw railroad spikes—heating it in a roaring forge until it turns bright orange, and forcing it into functional blades and iron hooks. It’s an immersive, loud crash course in how raw iron surrenders to a power hammer, a hydraulic press, and steady anvil work.
What it's like
Expect heat, noise, and iron dust under your fingernails. Stepping into the shop on West 6th Street swaps quiet river-town streets for the radiance of an open forge and the heavy rhythm of power machinery. You will spend hours on your feet swinging a hammer; wear natural fibers like heavy cotton or denim that won't melt if a spark flies, bring leather boots, and expect your forearms to burn by the end of the session.
The move: Book their 'Railroad Spike Knife Class' or 'Intro to Blacksmithing' to heat steel in a roaring forge and use a power hammer, press, and hand hammer to shape your own custom blades and metal wall hooks.
- 📍 Carver
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 104 West 6th Street, Carver, MN 55315
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Sanctuary Float Spa — Soak your sore shoulders and hammering arm in a spacious float suite after a full day pounding heavy steel.
- Onan Observatory — Trade the searing orange glow of the blacksmith's forge for deep dark night sky viewing down the road in Norwood Young America.
- Hot Sam's Antiques & Foto Park — Keep the heavy steel theme going by wandering ten acres of eccentric scrap metal art and industrial oddities.
Good to know
What do you actually build in the beginner classes?
In introductory sessions like the Railroad Spike Knife Class or Intro to Blacksmithing, you heat raw steel spikes and stock to hammer out custom blades and iron wall hooks.
Who runs Northstar Forge?
The forge was founded and is led by Jason Kraus, an American Bladesmith Society Journeyman Smith and former contestant on History Channel's 'Forged in Fire'.
Do I need prior metalworking experience to take a class?
No, the introductory classes are designed to teach novice students how to safely operate hand hammers, hydraulic presses, and power hammers from scratch.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Facebook
last checked: 2026-07-21