Cable Damascus - First One (pics)

Laredo7mm

Laredo7mm

Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
1,240
Hey all, here is what i have been working on. It is a damascus cable bowie. The steel cable was 1.125 in diameter. I think I am going to try to do a mokume guard and pommel. The handle material will be some stuff I got in the other day. I will tell you all what it is when I get it done. Just to keep you in suspence. :)

Anyway, this is my first single edge knife that i have done. It is for my buddy's x-mas present. I never thought I would like doing a single edge, but as usual, I was wrong. Now I have no idea in which direction to go. I guess I will do what I want to, or feel like doing. I thought daggers were it for me, whats next? Folders? Hummmm...:D

Anyway here are some specs:

Blade length: 8"
Blade width: 1.5"
Blade thickness: 0.289"
Grind: Hollow - 8" contact wheel
False edge is not sharp

I still need to do some more polishing and the final etch. This one has only been etched for about 5 min in ferric. What do you all use to etch cable? Do you usually do a deep etch?

<img border="0" src="http://www.chartermi.net/~laredo7mm/bowie1.jpg" width="600" height="450">

<img border="0" src="http://www.chartermi.net/~laredo7mm/bowie2.jpg" width="600" height="450">
 
Really nice looking blade!!! I would etch it deeper using ferric chloride and distilled water 50/50 solution. It will bring out the pattern and even out the small inclusions.

One other thing and this is just my kind of hang-up so feel free to ignore it: I would anneal the blade grind out the half visible maker's mark and restamp it. This blade may be around long after you. Nothing like a clear mark on a treasured knife.
 
Andrew-

I agree with you. My plan is to temper the spine (right now it is full hard) and redo my mark. I am getting a little jig made up to allow me to stamp perpendicular with the blade surface. Hopefully that will help.
 
Great looking blade. How did you get the cable flattened? Did you use a power hammer? I have been trying to make some cable damascus and do pretty good with the small strands, but i cant get the bigger one (1.5") to flatten out. How long did it take you to make that blade? Again, that is a really nice one, dont forget to post a pic when you get the handle on :D
 
Very nice, cant' wait to see it finished. Cable can be dificult at times, but it looks like you have it down.
 
Terry-

Yeah, I used a power hammer. My 25# L.G. I used flat dies at the begining after setting all the welds by hand. I only used the flat ones for one heat to flatten the bar. Just to get it started.

Then I swithed to the drawing dies (2.5 inch radius) to flatten and widen the billet. Then back to the flat dies for one heat to even everything out.

Since it was my first time doing cable I was deliberately working slower and tried to really get an I dea of how the cable works under the hammer. I also went slow with the grinding. Grinding is still quite difficult for me, but I think I am starting to get the "feel" for it. Finally!!!!

Anyway, to weld, twist, and flatten the cable took 2 hours. Profile and rough grind took 1.5 hours. Final grind and a quick polish took about 2.5 hours. So I have about 6 hours into this one.

Thanks for your compliments. Hopefully I will get the handle and mokume gaurds done in the next couple of weeks. I will be sure to post some pics..:)
 
Your VERY fortunate buddy will love that blade. It really is a great looking Bowie.
 
i prefer to use warm apple vinagar than ferric, i warm in in the microwave and in the blade go's over night and i check and can reheat that night. i buy my damascus, i like to keep the nasty stuff i use to a minumim. with apple vinagar i can do it in the apartment. on those cold winter nights we have here in s.cal, :) if i remenber you have your shop in your basement. you might want to give this a try. also you can paint over the area you stamp with ladys finger nail polish for a resist.
 
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