Entry No. 31 — the San Antonio file — filed under: metalsmithing
Flame & Form Metal Studio
A jewelry-making and silversmithing studio ('a space to learn, create & connect') that runs an explicit 'Date Night' class where couples sit at the bench together with saws, torches, and tiny hammers and each finish a piece of wearable silver by the end of the night — cocktail picks, stacking rings, or spoons, not a paint-and-sip with metal.
The story
Forget the assembly-line paint-and-sip spots where you leave with a flimsy canvas and a cheap acrylic headache. Tucked away on East Locust Street in Tobin Hill, Flame & Form Metal Studio operates as a working silversmithing space and gallery run by artisan Laura Quiñones. There are no stencils or plastic aprons here; the studio is lined with real jeweler's benches, open-flame torches, jeweler's saws, and hand tools.
The studio's hands-on workshops—including its popular 'Date Night' sessions—put real metalworking tools directly into your hands. Under the eye of a working metalsmith, you take raw silver stock and spend the evening annealing, sawing, soldering, and hammering it into finished, wearable silver. You leave at the end of the night holding actual craftwork—whether that's a set of matching hammered stacking rings, custom silver cocktail picks, or hand-forged spoons.
What it's like
You step into a tool-filled studio on East Locust Street that smells faintly of soldering flux and polishing compound. The vibe is collaborative and hands-on, with instructors walking you carefully through torch safety and blade control before letting you loose at the bench. Wear closed-toe shoes and natural fibers like cotton or denim (synthetic fabrics and open flames do not mix), and keep long hair tied back. You will leave after a couple of hours with raw silver transformed into a finished piece you forged yourself.
The move: Book a Date Night session and forge a matching pair of stacking rings, or take turns hammering out a set of hand-forged cocktail picks or spoons, guided by a working metalsmith.
- 📍 Tobin Hill
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 774 E. Locust St, San Antonio, TX 78212
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Holy Diver Tiki Lounge — After spending the evening wielding open flames and hammers on Locust Street, walk over to this elevated tiki lounge hidden above a St. Mary's Strip dive bar.
- Transcend Health Spa — Soothe tired hands and shoulders in a private Epsom salt float suite right down the street in Tobin Hill after a session at the jeweler's bench.
- Jazz, TX — Follow up a hands-on silver-forging session with live swing jazz and cocktails in a subterranean Pearl basement club less than half a mile away.
- Scobee Planetarium & Scanlan Observatory — Pair an evening of torchwork and silversmithing with late-night astronomy and telescope viewings just down the road at San Antonio College.
Good to know
Do I need any prior metalsmithing or jewelry-making experience?
Not at all. Workshop sessions are structured for absolute beginners, guiding you step-by-step through torch operation, sawing, hammering, and finishing.
What specific pieces can you make in the classes?
Depending on the session you reserve, projects range from hand-hammered sterling silver stacking rings to custom silver cocktail picks and forged spoons.
What should I wear to a metalworking class at Flame & Form?
Wear comfortable clothing made of natural fibers like cotton, closed-toe leather or canvas shoes, and avoid loose sleeves or dangling jewelry that could get caught in tools or near torches.
Where in San Antonio is the studio located?
Flame & Form Metal Studio is located at 774 E. Locust St in the Tobin Hill neighborhood, near San Antonio College and the Pearl.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Instagram · lauraq.com
last checked: 2026-07-20