cable damascus

[JTT]

I have tied the suggestions given before. I am having better luck with the welding but still having problems with a thick black layer after quenching, the stuff refuses to come off with out grinding therefor lossing the pattern. Any help would be appriciated.

 

[Matt Janiga]

I'm not sure if I misinterpreted your post, but it sounds like you are heat-treating the blade, and you are getting a black coating on it which needs to be ground off along with the pattern. If this is correct, then I have some advice. If I'm not correct, then ignore my rambling.

After heat-treating the blade, one can expect the black coating along with a pattern, but, depending on the design of the knife, most makers polish the blade or do some more grinding followed by polishing. The pattern is brought out by soaking the blade in an acid or a solution of an oxidizing salt such as ferric chloride. This treatment delineates the layers and produces, along with some fine sandpaper, the final pattern on the blade.

Good Luck!

 

[Kisu]

hello again JTT, I have to agree with Matt on this one, after quenching you still have to do some grinding, if for no other reason than to get rid of that"skin" of de-carbourized steel, dont worry about it, just grind, polish and etch. And dont forget to cut the acid with water, I use a 2:1 ratio(2 parts water)


Have fun and keep it sharp

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KSwinamer

 

[JTT]

Thanks for the advise guys I will give it a try in the morning. Kisu soaking the cable in the water, borax seems to do the trick.
Thanks again
JTT