Forged Damascus ReCurve Hunter
with
ABS Journeymen Smith - Ben Breda
Class runs: October 22-25
Tuition: $750
Material Fee: $100
Skill level: Well seasoned beginner and up, must have basic forging skills and some proficiency at bladesmithing as well as some experience with Damascus. Good bench skills, guard layout and fit up should be understood!
Class limited to 6 students
In this 6 day intensive course, students will learn how to prepare material to assemble a Damascus steel billet. Material selection will be discussed along with basic metallurgy to ensure the final products will be structurally sound, and have the contrast and quality desired for a Hunting knife.
Starting with 11 layers of steel, students will forge weld and fold their billets until they reach the desired layer count. Students will then learn the process of patterning the material with a wide selection of basic patterns to choose from. A knife will be forged from the Damascus steel bar they assembled and will be brought through the processes of grinding, heat treating, polishing, and constructing a hidden tang handle. Prior bladesmithing knowledge is required. This class will be fast paced with a wealth of information being shared about the development of pattern welded steel, and the knife making process.
In order for students to be fully successful, the required skills include basic forging and grinding and proficient understanding of the Damascus process and capability of using power hammer and hydraulic press. Due to time constraints the guard for the course knife will be much more simple than the image above.
Ben Breda is a local Journeyman Bladesmith from Hope Maine. He got his start in knife making at the New England School of Metalwork in 2012, since then he has studied under several Mastersmiths such as Jim Crowell, Tim Potier, Rick Dunkerley, and Kevin Cashen. Ben received his Journeyman stamp from the American Bladesmith Society in 2014 at the Atlanta Blade show. He was also awarded the George Peck award for the best knife submitted by a Journeyman applicant. Ben has been a full time maker since 2016, he specializes in hand forged heirloom quality fixed blades as well as folding knives.