Carter Cutlery

In this three-day advanced course, students will apply skills learned in the 100- and 200-level courses and further their experience and understanding through the process of forge welding.

Hands-on techniques will include:

• Selection of steel specific to Kuro-uchi style knives
  
• Forge maintenance
  
• Lamination techniques
  
• Forge welding
  
• Forging to final thickness
  
• Traditional annealing techniques
  
• Scale removal
  
• Cold forging
  
• Straightening
  
• Quenching
  
• Tempering
  
• Grinding
  
• Polishing
  
• Attaching handles
  
• Sharpening and hand-sanding to completion
  

Lecture topics will include:

• Overview of Different Types of Traditional Japanese Cutlery
  
• The Philosophy of Japanese Metallurgy
  
• The Five Criteria for Superior Cutlery
  
• Expose on Laminates vs. Homogenous Steel Blades
  
• Advanced blade sharpening and maintenance
  
• Regional Variation in Traditional Japanese Bladesmithing
  
• Man-made Sharpening Stones vs. Natural Stones
  
• Pronunciation of Japanese Blade Related terminology
  
• Slide show presentation of bladesmithing in Japan
  

Prerequisite courses -- Any one of the following: 101, 102, 201, 202.
Travel and lodging are at the student's expense.