blade u schedule

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

How To Grind a Knife Blade Part I, The Courtyard

8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m: Proper tools and safety gear/tips, with knifemaker Tom Krein

How To Grind a Knife Blade Part II, The Courtyard

9:15 a.m.-10:15 a.m: How to prepare the blade for grinding, how to begin the grind and more, with knifemaker Tom Krein

How To Grind a Knife Blade Part III, The Courtyard

10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m: How to do the scandi, flat, hollow and compound grinds, grinder ergonomics and more, with knifemaker Tom Krein

How To Start Your Own Knife Company, Room 107

11 a.m.-12 p.m: Learn to use Kickstarter and other online fundraising platforms to launch your knife business, with Billy Chester of WESN

How To Make Folders With Manual Equipment, Room 107

1 p.m.-2 p.m: Learn how to make knives the old-fashioned way without the use of computers, with BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Ron Lake

How To Sharpen Any Knife, Room 103

1 p.m.-2 p.m: In an updated version of the 2018 BLADE U. class, learn how to sharpen different blade shapes, edge formats, serrations, recurves, tantos and kitchen knives, tactical and outdoor blades of high-performance steels and more, with BLADE® field editor Dexter Ewing

How To Make Slip Joints, Room 103

2:30-3:30 p.m: The basic set-up of parts, tools of the trade, jigs and fixtures and more, with Bill Ruple and Luke Swenson

Creating Hamons on Hatchets, Room 107

2:45-3:45 p.m: How to bring out the handsome temper line on the axe head between the hardened cutting edge and the softer spine, with ABS master smith Timothy Potier

Boost Your Knife Business with Social Media, Room 107

4-5 p.m: Tips on getting customers to follow you on Instagram and other platforms, with BLADE® field editor Kim Breed

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

First-Aid for Knifemakers, Room 107

8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m: Learn how to safely manage the minor and not-so-minor injuries that can happen in the shop, with Dr. Martin Payne, board-certified emergency medicine physician

How To Make Mokume, Room 104

9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m: Preparing the materials, bonding, reducing stock and final patterning via discussion and slide show, with bladesmith Kevin Klein

Is a Custom Knife Dealer/Purveyor For You? Room 109

9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m: How collectors and makers can benefit from, and avoid problems in, their relationships with dealers/purveyors, with dealer/purveyor Les Robertson

Michael Price Guards on Forged Full-Tangs, Room 104

11 a.m.-12 p.m: The steps and considerations necessary, including forging the preform, setup grinding, guard slotting and tang forging, with ABS journeyman smith Jordan LaMothe

How To Sharpen Any Knife, Room 104

1 p.m.-2 p.m: In an encore presentation of Friday’s version of the class, learn how to sharpen different blade shapes, edge formats, serrations, recurves, tantos and kitchen knives, tactical and outdoor blades of high-performance steels and more, with BLADE® field editor Dexter Ewing

Fired Up for Forged in Fire, Room 109 

2:15 p.m.-3:15 p.m: Past FIF Finalists tell you how to get on the show, how to best succeed once you get there and more, with FIF Finalist Brian Evelich and FIF Finalist / ABS Master Smith, Ray Kirk.

How To Laser Engrave, Room 104

2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m: Different laser types and which ones to buy, what they will and won’t do, work examples, hazards, software and more, with ABS master smith Steve Schwarzer

Tricks, Tips and Flips with Balisongs, Room 104

4 p.m.-5 p.m: Learn the history of balisong/butterfly knives, the knife’s anatomy and how to flip like a pro, with Blade HQ’s Ben Petersen and BRS co-founder Lawrence Ho