Big Bowie w/ Bruce's Damascus

Greg Covington

Greg Covington

Joined
Oct 28, 1999
Messages
1,563
I finished this one last weekend. It has a 10.5 inch blade of Bruce Evans "Woodgrain" Damascus. The blade is 5/16" thick with a nice distal taper. The guard and pommel are of the same Damascus and both have inlayed brass pin work. The stag is India Sambar.

The blade is 3X tempered with dry ice and acetone cycles in between.

This is a "biggun" with some serious cleaving power, although it is fine enough in the edge to shave hair cleanly.

A special note here is that Bruce's steel is top notch! Very clean and inclusion free!

I am working on a rattlesnake inlay sheath to carry it.

This one is my new companion!

Greg Covington
KnifeMaker
 
Think Mic. Dundee, or Jim Bowie would have liked that one! Nice work, and nice clean desighn.
 
Very nice. If you don't mind, I understand about beer and computers, but how are you doing the dry ice and acetone? What temperature are you getting it down to. Thanks and great job.
Happy Holidays, Greg
 
Greg, that is one beautiful, classic knife. I take it you forged the damascus into this excellent shape after you got it? By the way, nice piece of stag.

Dave
 
Greg: I don't often do the dry ice thing since my nearest supply to the stuff is about an hour drive. I got a huge chunk of it in a shipment of frozen food on the same day that I was heat treating.

Essentially, I pour acetone in a container and toss in the dry ice. I did this after tempering cycle 1 and 2. A long time ago a machinist told me about this thermal treatment and how it improved the cutting ability of his tools. I have seen it written about in knife publications, but I can't remember where or when. I have never measured the temperature, but I am told that it approaches near
-120F.....someone correct me if I am wrong.

Dave: Bruce did most of the forging to shape. He had some concerns about delamination. I did a small amount on it to finalize the shape, etc. The grain flow of the steel is evident in the forging...the pattern flows with every curve. Bruce's stuff is excellent. I hope to start welding Damascus again in the spring when I build a separate welding forge.
 
Beautiful Knife! You need to give yourself a real pat on the back for that. I've used a bunch of Bruces steel and haven't had anything but great success with it.
 
I think I like looking at the Beautiful creations you guys are making out of my steel better than looking at my own:D
That is beautiful..It is definately a big chunk of steel,and I really like the pins in the guard,that is a really cool touch.
Bruce
 
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