Bladesmithing 102- Damascus Intensive: Crafting Damascus from Fire to Form

Damascus 3-Day Intensive

October 31, November 1, &November 7 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily (all 3 dates included) Billet Building, Blade & Fork Forging, & Handle Finishing respectively

Overview: This immersive three-day workshop will guide experienced participants through the complete process of forging a Damascus steel carver set, from raw steel to a finished knife and fork. Participants will build and pattern their own Damascus billet, forge the blades, and finish and assemble a matching carver set using supplied Japanese-style sandalwood handles.

Day 1: Forge Welding & Pattern Creation

We’ll begin by constructing and forge-welding a billet using 1084 and 15n-20 steels. Under the guidance of an experienced instructor, students will use gas forges, hydraulic presses, and power hammers to form solid Damascus stock. You’ll learn to cut, restack, and manipulate the billet to increase layer counts and create patterns. Choose between classic raindrop, twist or ladder motifs to personalize your steel.

Day 2: Carver Set Forging & Heat Treating

Using your patterned Damascus billet, you’ll forge the components of a matching carver set, including a single-edged knife and coordinating fork. We’ll cover forging techniques for establishing the overall shape, taper, bevels, and proportions of each piece. After forging to shape, we’ll move into rough grinding using 2x72 belt grinders to refine the blades and prepare them for heat treatment. You’ll also learn the principles of heat treating high-performance blades, including normalization, quenching, and tempering techniques.

Day 3: Finishing, Assembly & Etching

Day three is dedicated to refining, finishing, and assembling your Damascus carver set. Participants will use two supplied Japanese-style sandalwood handles, one for the knife and one for the fork, rather than constructing handles from scratch. We’ll cover handle fit-up and shaping as needed, final polishing of the Damascus steel and wood, and acid etching to reveal the distinctive patterning in your blades. Expect to leave with a fully assembled, functional, and visually striking Damascus knife and fork set designed for carving and serving.

Schedule & Format

• Duration: 3 full days (10 AM to 4 PM daily / Dates below)
• Tools & Materials: All provided, including steels, safety gear and two Japanese-style sandalwood handles for your carver set

Not suitable for beginners. This is a fast-paced, intensive workshop designed for serious participants with some bladesmithing experience.

Minimum prerequisites include:

• Solid understanding of forge safety and etiquette
• Ability to forge basic shapes (taper, point, bevel) without instruction
• Experience using tongs, hammers, and basic blacksmithing tools

Note to Participants

You’ll be working hard over these three days. Expect to sweat, focus, and challenge yourself. This is a demanding but rewarding experience meant for those committed to learning the craft of bladesmithing at a high level. You’ll finish the workshop with a unique Damascus carver set, including a hand-forged knife and fork with matching Damascus patterning and supplied sandalwood handles.

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day - all 3 dates are included in the fee