The culinary knife is the most used knife in any home. These iconic knives help us create meals for family and loved ones. Well-made kitchen knives last a lifetime, and this class will give students the opportunity to create one of their very own. Damascus steel is a technique of forge welding two types of steel and manipulating them to form patterns. This ancient technique harkens back to the earliest swords and knives. An art form of its own, this enigmatic material is showcased perfectly in culinary knives. In this weeklong class, students will first make their own Damascus steel blanks, then shape chef knife blades from their material. Students will make wooden handled hidden tang chefs’ knives with metal bolster. All aspects of bladesmithing will be covered, from forge welding and pattern development to blade shaping. This is followed by heat treating, grinding, and polishing; fitting the wooden handles and bolster; and finally, sharpening. With very special attention given to the design and geometry of this kind of knife. While this class is intended as an introductory class, some forging experience is very helpful. Students should expect to have one or more blades finished by the end of the class.