Elevate your bladesmithing skills with our Grind to Perfection: Advanced Knife Grinding Skills workshop led by expert instructor Shawn Kelly. This series is designed for those eager to master the art of stock removal techniques to design and create knives from 1075 steel. Each class focuses on exploring the intricacies of one of four distinct knife grinds.

Whether you're an experienced bladesmith or new to the craft, you'll receive comprehensive instruction on grinding, heat treating, handle sculpting, and achieving a professional fit and finish. Working with 1075 steel, renowned for its excellent edge retention and ease of sharpening, you’ll learn the edge quench technique, which hardens the cutting edge while maintaining a flexible spine for added durability. You’ll design your own knife and create a custom blade that reflects your vision and skills:

1. Flat Grind: Master the versatility of the flat grind, ideal for creating knives with exceptional cutting performance and strength. This class will guide you through knife design, profile grinding, edge quenching, and handle finishing to craft a professional-grade blade. Dates to be announced.

2. Full Flat Grind: Dive into the precision of the full flat grind, known for its superior slicing performance and maneuverability. Ideal for crafting knives that balance sharpness and durability, this grind is perfect for outdoor and utility knives.Dates to be announced.

3. Convex Grind: Embrace the resilience of the convex grind, which features a smoothly curved edge suitable for heavy-duty tasks like chopping and hacking. This class will teach you to forge blades designed for the toughest outdoor challenges. Dates to be announced.

4. Hollow Grind: Unlock the efficiency of the hollow grind, featuring a concave edge that excels at precise slicing. Commonly used for razor blades and kitchen knives, this grind offers a fine, sharp edge that cuts through materials with ease. Dates to be announced.

The three-day classes focus on stock removal techniques to design and create knives from 1075 steel. Students will learn the edge quench process to create a hard, sharp edge with a flexible spine; receive two billets to create knife blanks, selecting the best one to finish, plus an additional blank for practice, and enjoy small class sizes with a maximum of 6 students per session for personalized guidance and focused learning.

Day 1: Design your knife, grind the profile, and perform an edge quench.Day 2: Prepare handles, glue up, finalize profiling, complete the final blade grind, and practice on an additional blank.Day 3: Sculpt and finish handles, hand sand, and polish your knife to a professional finish.

Whether you’re honing your skills with the flat grind or exploring the unique attributes of other grind styles, this series offers a comprehensive, hands-on approach to advanced knife crafting through stock removal. Future class dates will be announced soon, so stay tuned and register early to secure your spot in this transformative workshop series.

Hands-On class. Three days, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (15 hours total), $500 per student, no refunds once classwork has started.

Instructors Bio: Shawn’s passion for bladesmithing began in childhood, inspired by the industrious dwarves from the classic video game, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. He started his journey in 2014 by crafting railroad spike knives and has been working with Forged In Fire champion Chris Farrell since 2015. In 2021, Shawn also had the opportunity to work with Ryu Lim. Through these experiences, he has mastered the art of crafting beautiful and functional knives in demanding production environments.

Important Notice: No refunds are allowed once the enrollment fee is received. Students who cannot attend the three0day class series for whatever reason may reschedule once, on a space-available basis and if another class series is available.