This three day class will take you through all the steps needed to start forging your own Damascus steel knives.

The first day will begin with forge welding the billet into a solid bar, then cutting and re-stacking it to create numerous layers. Students will learn how to forge weld in a gas forge, and how to safely use a mechanical power hammer. Students will have a choice of producing either raindrop or ladder pattern damascus.

The second day we will start by forging our blades from the billet produced. Blades will be single edged and full tang, but otherwise whatever design you might like. After forging we will do our rough grinding in preparation for heat treating. Students will learn how to use a 2x72 belt grinder safely, and how to heat treat a knife.

Day three will be doing all the finish work on our blades. Handle shaping and fitting, polishing wood handle and steel blade, and acid etching to bring out our damascus patterns will all be covered.

Class runs from 9am till 5pm with an hour lunch break in the middle.

We are getting a heck of alot done in a short amount of time in the class. Be prepared to bust your butt!! This is not a class for someone who just wants to make a damascus blade one time to say they did. This is for folks that are serious about bladesmithing.

This is not a class for beginners.

At minimum:

You should already know basic blacksmith shop safety

How to correctly swing a hammer and use tongs

How to forge a taper without instruction