<p>The shape of a shock wave stemming from localized blast can be altered based on the material properties and geometry of buffer materials, leading to an immense number of unique loads that can produce various limit states in engineering materials. Conventional techniques for recording pressures resulting from far-field blast loads cannot be used to capture the extremely high and nonuniform pressures of near-field blast loads, which creates challenges for understanding loading conditions and their influence on the subsequent response of engineering materials subjected to these loads. The research presented in this manuscript uses the classical Hugoniot jump equations and high-resolution numerical simulations to derive an experimental technique for characterizing and shaping shock waves stemming from near-field blast loads. Results of this study show that interface effects, wave attenuation, dispersion, and edge effects contribute to the shape of transmitted shock waves in solid media and heavily influence the subsequent response of engineering materials subjected to localized blast. Theoretical and numerical developments are confirmed by physical experiments demonstrating vastly different responses in engineering materials subjected to the same explosive but with different buffers intentionally used to control the wave shape. This technique provides researchers with the ability to intentionally tailor shock waves to generate purposeful wave profiles for investigating the mechanics and limit states of complex engineering materials at the extremely high strain rates seen in near-field blasts.</p>