LearnMake.us is a website for makers that is focused on Bladesmiths, Blacksmiths, Leather workers, engravers and more.
The site is new and I understand the lists are limited, but stick with me and I’ll give you the inside scoop of what the near future goals are for Learn Make.
Why does this site exist?
First, Why did I create Learnmake.us? That will make more since with a little background about myself.
My name is Travis Haines. Most makers know me by my social media handle Bird Forge (@birdforge on instagram, tiktok and facebook). I am a part time bladesmith and own Haines Knives (hainesknives.com). My day job is Information Technology Director so most of my life is spent working on computers everything around them.
Bladesmithing is my outlet. I enjoy creating something with my hands and the process of designing a knife and seeing it come to a reality. In a past life I was a Culinary School graduate and a Butcher, so knives are very familiar to me. I enjoy and respect them not only as a tool, but as works of art.
Finding other knife makers near me was hard
But enough about me. Why did I create this website. Well, I am by no means an expert in bladesmithing. I have a lot to learn. I have spent a lot of time learning the trade in the past few years, and during that time, I saw gaps of information that are valuable to a beginner smith.
One of those gaps in particular was that ability to find a class near you. Sure, after some time on Google, you could find a class and hope it was at least within a couple hours of your home, but for a lot of makers, that isn’t the case. Point here is, it was hard to find a place to learn in person.
Another thing I noticed is that if there was an event for Knife makers or something like a hammer-in close to your area, you just had to be “in the know” and have contact with someone involved in that event.
LearnMake.us answers the question “Does anyone offer a class near me?”
So being a part of a few Facebook groups, following a lot of people on Instagram and sifting through the old forums, I saw a ton of people asking the question, “Does anyone teach knife making in fill in a city or state?”. Or “what shows or events are held in fill in your state?”.
So many people were looking for a place to learn in person. Online videos are great, but they can only get you so far.
Every other industry seems to have a dynamic directory that makes it easy to search for whatever it is they offer. Hotels, restaurants, college courses, car dealerships, contractors, plumbers and the list goes on…
Why not knife makers? Remember when I said I worked in IT? Well for the longest time, I wondered what I could do to give back to the maker community. This community is awesome and I see so many people every day giving back however they can.
We are here to help you find Makers near You!
In comes the idea for Learnmake.us. I realistically couldn’t physically produce or manufacture something at scale to offer. I didn’t really have that skillset or space to do so. But what I am great at it technology. I understand and enjoy working on things a lot of other people, especially workshop folks, hate to work on. And that is computers, websites and digital marketing.
So I created an online directory for makers! One that allows you to find all the registered makers in your state, giving you the opportunity to reach out to them and take a class. LearnMake.us is also here to feature events and hammer-in’s that are going on in your area.
What are the future plans for LearnMake.us?
Well, I am glad you asked. Right now, as you can see (at the time of this post), there is a limited amount of makers featured on the site. Well over 100, which isn’t bad, but it could be better.
Get Makers featured on the site
My first priority is to continue to grow the database of makers. Up to this point, it has been just me asking around and digging through google finding bladesmiths and blacksmiths that offer classes. I have manually added each listing up to this point.
But I need your help getting more listed. If you are one or know of a maker that teaches, claim a listing today. the only way this is going to grow effectively is if we have makers enter their own information. that way you are presented on the site as you want to be presented. By adding your description and photos, social media and locations, that assures accuracy for the student.
I would love for this to be a site the go to place for beginners and experts alike to find like minded people near them.
LearnMake is going to be a place to learn
There are so many questions a person has when learning a new trade. What material and tools do I need to get started? How much does it cost? What oils do I use to quench in? What grinder is the best choice? What hammers do I use?
This will be an all inclusive resource for those getting into the trade. Even if they aren’t ready for an in person class, they can still have a one stop shop for learning.
What type of Makers will be featured?
While right now, bladesmithing and blacksmithing are the focus, all makers around those two niches are accepted. For instance, leather workers are perfect because they can make sheaths and aprons and so forth. Something every knife maker needs. Engravers are a great fit because a lot of pieces utilize intricate engravings to create a show piece. These are not only skillsets that knifemakers hire others to do, a lot of them also want to learn that craft to better their shop offerings.
I even think of welding and glass blowing and even pottery. All these skills supplement one another in some fashion. So, to answer the question, if it is a Maker skill that can carry over into bladesmithing or blacksmithing, it is welcome.
How to follow along
To stay up to date on the progress of the site and all that fun stuff, follow Learnmake.us on Social Media
