8670 in Damascus.

Don and Devin, I went 264 layers here, with a final thickness of 1/8”. Is my thinking correct that thinner billets need fewer layers to get the same pattern than a thicker billet? For example, would I need double the layers to get the same look in a 1/4” billet?
 
Willie71 said:
Don and Devin, I went 264 layers here, with a final thickness of 1/8”. Is my thinking correct that thinner billets need fewer layers to get the same pattern than a thicker billet? For example, would I need double the layers to get the same look in a 1/4” billet?
Click to expand...
Warren, that's the way I tend to think.. But on a 1/4" thick bullet I will forge the levels in, so I would not want 500 layers in a 1/4" billet.
 
A little knife made from my scrap pile. I had some inclusions in a billet, but there was a little bit of good steel. I took 44 layer Damascus, and made a san Mai with a W2 core. I need to weld a tang on, but it turned out better than I expected.

Untitled by Wjkrywko, on Flickr

Untitled by Wjkrywko, on Flickr

my grind isn’t quite even. The right side needs to be ground a bit more. Just a test etch before proceeding, and before heat treat.
 
I got my second billet laddered tonight. Test etch. Not as nice as the other one, but it’s ok. I had to cut almost half of the billet away because of two layers letting go when pressing diagonally to square up the billet. I couldn’t get them to take. I did an extra stack and draw, but the layer count looks a bit lower than the last one.

this is quite addicting.

7CA49A34-EF4B-40D2-9628-66A2348C5A7E by Wjkrywko, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
The four knives I’ve profiled so far have all survived normalizing and thermal cycling. When I tried this last several years ago using just a hammer and anvil, I saw flaws show up when normalizing. I hope these all survive the quench. :eek:
 
Hmmm..... I’m pretty stubborn at times, and I make things hard on myself. I welded up a 1084/15n20 billet today, and what a dream to weld and draw out compared to cruforgev and 80CRV2. It was like working with clay rather than steel. Even W2 is noticeably harder to draw out than 1084. On the other extreme end, M4/304 stainless San Mai barely moves at all, especially if you get it too hot.
 
Willie71 said:
this is quite addicting.
Click to expand...

You got that right! I had not intentions on becoming a knife maker when I started smithing years ago, until I did my first pattern welded billet 5 years ago. The plan was to make a damascus chess set for my brother, not knives. I still have to do the chess pieces....

Want more proof on how addicting pattern welding is? My mentor, a professional blacksmith for 40+ years and one of the founding members of the NWBA, told me when I first started (tongue in cheek, I assumed) that bladesmiths aren't considered blacksmiths, and in 30+ years of being a blacksmith, prided himself on never making knives for a living. When I started doing my damascus and going over to his shop (to use his #300 Chambersburg) to draw out my billets, he caught the bug and in the past 3 years has made and sold a few dozen damascus chef's knives, and cleared out a corner of his shop for the TW-90 and belts..

Willie71 said:
Edit: too bad I can’t counsel myself!
Click to expand...

Why not? And perhaps with a bit of creative documentation, you may even be able to get insurance to pay for it...:rolleyes:
 
JTknives said:
These looks dumb? Wish someone would’ve spoke up sooner, it could of saved me a time of time ;)
Photo%20Feb%2016%2C%2012%2037%2035%20AM.jpg


Photo%20Feb%2016%2C%2012%2042%2002%20AM.jpg


Photo%20Feb%2016%2C%2012%2042%2016%20AM.jpg


Photo%20Dec%2021%2C%201%2033%2029%20AM.jpg
Click to expand...
Those look GREAT!!! Good job and thanks for posting photos of that cutlass again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top