Skip to main content
OUR COURSES

Damascus Steel Course

Damascus Steel Course
Kovanie damaškovej ocele pri vyhni na kurze Damašok

Difficulty

Difficulty 4 / 5

Duration

2 days

Price incl. VAT / person

492 €

Damascus Steel Course

Two days at the forge and the press: you forge-weld layers of steel into your own Damascus bar with a unique pattern.

ComboDamascus Steel + Damascus Knife CoursesBoth courses together for 1 090 € instead of 1 230 €See the combo
You can also give the course as a gift – tick “I am buying it as a gift (voucher)”. How it works

Your own Damascus bar

A forged bar of Damascus steel with a unique pattern – for a knife on our Damascus Knife course or for your own projects.

Everything included

Steel for the billet, gas for the forge, the forging press, workshop tools and safety gear are included.

Lunch, coffee and snacks

Lunch is included on every day of the course. Coffee, drinks and snacks are on hand in the workshop all day.

Guided by a bladesmith

You work the whole time under the eye of experienced bladesmiths from the Nidavellir workshop. We show and explain every step.

Our workshop in Bratislava

The course takes place in the Nidavellir knife workshop on the premises of the Welding Research Institute in Bratislava.

PROGRAMME

About the course

This intensive 2-day course takes you straight to the forge, where you will dive into the secrets of traditional blacksmithing and metallurgy. The course focuses entirely on making Damascus steel itself. Guided by an experienced smith you will learn forge welding of steel layers and make your own Damascus bar with a unique pattern. Take it home as proof of your forging skills or use it as the basis for our follow-up Damascus Knife course.

What awaits you

  • Introduction to metallurgy and how layered Damascus steel is built and behaves
  • Cutting and thoroughly cleaning the material to prepare the billet
  • Clamping, tightening and tack-welding the billet
  • Working the forge, using flux and reaching the right welding temperature
  • Forge-welding the billet into one solid block with a forging press
  • Cutting and restacking the billet to multiply the layers
  • Controlled forging and drawing out to the required Damascus bar size
  • Grinding the surface, cleaning the edges and a test etch to reveal the pattern
  • Normalising and heat-treating the bar to relieve internal stress

You will take home a hand-forged bar of premium Damascus steel with a unique structure, ready for making a knife on our 3-day course or for your own projects.

Damascus Steel Course
Damascus Steel Course
Damascus Steel Course
Damascus Steel Course

Who is it for

For anyone drawn to fire, hammer and metallurgy. You need no previous experience, but expect physical work at a hot forge and a forging press.

The course is about making the steel itself. You turn it into a knife on the follow-up Damascus Knife course.

What to bring

We lend you the safety gear. Please bring:

  • sturdy closed shoes
  • work clothes of cotton or wool – synthetics melt from sparks
  • a hair tie if you have long hair
  • and the will to work with your hands
STEP BY STEP

How booking works

Booking takes a few minutes and you need no account.
  1. 1

    Pick a date

    Each date shows the free seats. None of them suit you? Choose None of the dates suit me in the list and tell us when would suit you.

  2. 2

    People and names

    Choose the number of people (up to 6), enter the participants' names and click Add to cart.

  3. 3

    Order

    At checkout you enter your name, email and phone. Nothing is shipped, so no address and no postage.

  4. 4

    Bank transfer

    Your seats are reserved as soon as you place the order. You get the payment details by email and a confirmation once the payment arrives.

  5. 5

    Course day

    You come to our workshop in Bratislava and go home with your own bar of Damascus steel.

The course as a gift

A gift voucher costs the same as the course. The recipient then registers for a date that suits them – no second purchase.
  1. 1

    Choose the voucher

    Tick I am buying it as a gift (voucher) – the recipient picks the date.

  2. 2

    From and for

    We print the names on the voucher. With several vouchers you fill in names for each one.

  3. 3

    Delivered to you

    We send the printed voucher via Packeta to a pick-up point.

  4. 4

    The recipient registers

    On nidavellir.ooo/voucher they pick a date and enter the voucher number – nothing more to pay.

FAQ

Questions

Didn’t find your answer? Write to us using the form below.
Do I need any experience?

No. What matters more is the will to work at the fire – the course is physically demanding, which is why it is rated 4 out of 5.

How many people can I book?

Up to 6 people in one order, if the date has enough free seats – you see them next to each date. You enter a name for every participant.

How do I pay?

By bank transfer. After placing the order you receive an email with the payment details; we hold your seats in the meantime.

Are food and drinks included?

Yes. Lunch is included on every day of the course, and coffee, drinks and snacks are on hand in the workshop all day.

Can I give the course as a gift?

Yes. Tick I am buying it as a gift (voucher), fill in who it is from and for, and we post it to you. The recipient then registers for a date on nidavellir.ooo/voucher.

None of the dates suit me. What now?

In the date list choose None of the dates suit me and tell us when would suit you – nothing to pay. We will email you and try to find a date. For a fully booked date you can ask to be told about a free seat with Let me know.

I got a voucher. How do I book a date?

On nidavellir.ooo/voucher choose the course and date and fill in your details and the voucher number. Nothing to pay and the seat is yours right away.

Where is the course?

In our knife workshop on the premises of the Welding Research Institute (Zváračský ústav) in Bratislava. If you need directions, call us on +421 949 057 544.

WRITE TO US

A question about the course?

Not sure which date, course or gift to choose? Coming as a group or have a special request? Write to us – we are happy to help and will reply by email or phone.

    We use the details from this form only to answer your question. More in our Privacy policy.

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    Other courses