About Us

Find everything you need to plan your visit, from our FAQs to our team’s stories.

Meet the Team
View FAQs

Plan Your Visit

Visiting New Orleans? Hop on the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar in the French Quarter and enjoy the sights of the city on your way to the shop. The forge is a 10-minute walk from the S. Carrollton at Oak stop, and while you are uptown, you can visit some of the great restaurants, distilleries, and breweries on Oak St.

  • Sunday: CLOSED
    Monday: CLOSED
    Tuesday: CLOSED
    Wednesday: 9 AM - 4 PM
    Thursday: 9 AM - 4 PM
    Friday: 9 AM - 4 PM
    Saturday: CLOSED

  • We are located at 1157 Eagle Street, New Orleans, LA, 70118.

    Need help with Directions? Click Here.

    1. Clothing and footwear: Closed-toe shoes are required to enter the forge. Anyone without appropriate footwear will not be permitted to participate. Work boots or sturdy leather shoes are recommended. Dress for the weather, as the shop is well ventilated. Shorts and short sleeves are acceptable, but natural fibers like cotton are recommended because they char rather than melt when exposed to heat.

    2. Substance use: Participants may not take part in the workshop while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

    3. Age requirements and supervision: Participants must be at least 14 years old. A parent or guardian must either take the class with the participant or remain in the shop for the duration of the workshop.

 

Meet the Team

  • A blacksmith with a red beard and glasses wearing a yellow apron, holding a pair of tongs with hot metal inside an anvil, in a blacksmith shop.

    Olof Rolfsson

    OWNER

    Church Mouse Forge was born out of a lifelong love of blacksmithing by owner Olof Rolfsson. He grew up in a very hands-on, self-sufficient family in Western Pennsylvania. The son of a small business owner and fine artist, Olof gained an appreciation for hard work and creativity. As a young adult he worked as an industrial designer with a passion for pen and paper sketching, rapid machine prototyping, and teaching through universities and local makerspaces. He has recently relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana. Now living and working in the Irish Channel, Olof Rolfsson draws on years of blacksmithing experience to create thoughtfully designed work with impeccable craftsmanship with only his hammer, a few hand made tools, and an anvil.

  • A man with sunglasses and a beard stands with arms crossed in front of a tent at an outdoor event, with two people in yellow aprons working in the background.

    Nikolas Klemme

    INSTRUCTOR

    Church Mouse Forge welcomed Nikolas Klemme in 2023 as the shop’s apprentice. Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Nik’s fascination with blacksmithing directed him to self-study and take classes, but he was unable to set up a forge of his own. A relatively recent transplant to New Orleans, he got in touch with Olof and Church Mouse Forge, interested in continuing his education. Showing up week in and week out, Nik has been assisting with running classes and working with Olof in day-to-day activities, hoping to deepen his knowledge and spread the joy of blacksmithing to all.

  • Close-up of a tortoiseshell cat with green eyes, wearing a yellow collar, on a concrete floor.

    Striker

    OFFICIAL RATTER

    A necessity in any shop, Striker is Church Mouse Forge’s official ratter. Friendly to most humans, she is very persistent to keeping the shop clean of pests. Be careful when you see her to not look like anything overly delicious.

  • Cade Jenkins

    VISITING INSTRUCTOR

    Cade Jenkins is a Louisiana-based field service representative by day and passionate blacksmith by trade. With his wife, Brie, he runs Jenkins Blacksmithing, where he hand-forges high-end knives from scratch, along with ornamental metalwork and blade sharpening. Becoming a father has deepened his appreciation for the craft and its legacy. His goal is to eventually make blacksmithing his full-time work, and he is grateful for everyone who supports Jenkins Blacksmithing.

  • Photos of people participating in a blacksmithing or metalworking class, working with tools and metal in a workshop setting.
  • Five-star review from Charlie Ogletree about a knife making class in New Orleans, led by instructor Olof, as part of a bachelor trip.
  • Customer review for a knife-making workshop, mentioning spending four hours with Olaf and successfully making knives.
  • Photos of a blacksmith forge, including metal tools, a blacksmith working at the forge, and visitors observing the process.
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FAQs

  • I’ve never done blacksmithing workshops before. Can I still sign up? Introductory workshops are open to any experience level. The intermediate workshops are much more challenging, and I recommend having some metalworking experience before booking.

  • How do I sign up for classes? Click here to see all upcoming workshops.

  • What’s included in the workshop price? Everything is included - the workshop price includes parking, materials, fuel, personal protective equipment, and even refreshments to help keep you going strong at the anvil.

  • What should I wear? Closed-toe shoes are required to enter the forge. Dress for the weather, as the shop is well ventilated. Shorts and short sleeves are acceptable, but natural fibers like cotton are recommended because they char rather than melt when exposed to heat.

  • How do I get there? Click here for more information

  • I signed up for a class, but I don’t see a confirmation email. Am I registered? Squarespace automatically sends confirmation emails after you sign up for a class. If you don’t see it in your inbox, try checking your spam/junk folder. If you still can’t find it and aren’t sure if the order went through, feel free to contact us using the contact submission form below. If you see that the purchase went through in your bank, you are signed up! Your instructor will also send a welcome email a few days before class.

  • Didn’t find a date that works for you? Click here to request a workshop for a specific day and time. I am happy to host workshops around your schedule.

  • Are you flying home without a checked bag? Shipping is available for knives and anything else you make that would not be allowed in a carry-on.

Other inquiries? Feel free to call (504)-635-5805 or email olof@churchmouseforge.com.

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