When the stack of metal strips became red hot, Rick removed them from the forge and fluxed them; then it was back into the forge to heat up to welding temp.

When welding temp was reached, the stack of metal strips was placed into the hydraulic press and, in one step, became a solid billet of steel under the 45 tons of pressure applied to it.  This process was repeated on another stack of strips and, after multiple trips from the forge to the hydraulic press, we had two bars of forge-welded steel.  These hot bars of steel were then put aside to cool till the next morning.

Rick then pulled out yet another stack of metal strips.  (I was sure that I saw him make 3 stacks and was wondering what the third one was for.)  As the third stack went into the forge, Rick explained that forge welding was easy if you followed the right steps and that anyone could do it.    Then to everyone's surprise, he asked for a volunteer from the audience to forge his own bar of Damascus.  Everyone in attendance immediately volunteered for this task.  After asking a few questions as to forging experience, the eligible volunteers were pared down to about 40 knifemakers who had never forged anything before in their lives.  Only one could be the chosen person; your reward would be a bar of Damascus steel that you had created on your own under the watchful eye of an ABS Master Smith.

The lucky attendee was Thomas Haslinger.  Thomas was chosen by Rick to do something he had never attempted before. Even though Thomas is an accomplished knifemaker, he has dealt only in stock removal knives and and has never before experienced the thrill of making "his own steel".  Forging was all new ground to Thomas.

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