Things began Friday, the 23 of June, about 5:00 PM under ideal conditions.  Clear skies and cool weather was a lot better than the rainy start the previous year.

First, all participants were called to order for a standup self-introduction.  Then Ed introduced the first two demonstrators.  Brian Lyttle would be demoing proper high end fit and finish on a previously forged, ground, and etched Damascus blade.  Brian's demo will be ongoing for the next two days and we will visit him frequently.

Things quickly heated up with the introduction of Rick Dunkerley, ABS Master Smith all the way from Lincoln Montana.  As Rick fired up a gas forge, he explained to us that we were on our way to creating a mosaic Damascus bar of blade quality steel. 

I had arrived earlier in the day, just before noon, and had been watching Rick cut and assemble the 12N15 and 1084 steel strips into alternating metal stacks.  Clamp them together, weld the stack ends together so that the stacks would stay secure when the clamps were released,  then weld on a 4-foot rebar handle to one end of the stack of metal strips.  Now it was  into the forge with the stack of metal strips.

As the stack is heating Rick explains  to us on a drawing board the steps of manipulation we will put this stack of strips through to create the desired effects. 

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