*Careful!! Newbie Question about Cable Damacus

J

johnnyvolume

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Feb 4, 2014
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I am in the process of learning how to forge steel and make knives.
I have access to wire rope/braided cable and I'm wondering if this cable will make a decent knife.
I have the mill cert and I am told it is plow steel and has a tensile of 110 to 120.
My plan would be to forge it and layer it and pound into a knife blank.

Any help, questions and or comments are welcomed.


Thanks!

Johnny Volume
 
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If it is just rusty old cable, it will probably make a decent knife. You will need to forge weld the strands together before you start forging the knife.
 
It's heavy duty stuff, used on the drum of a drilling rig to hoist the drill string. All steel no rubber core. I have asked the manufacturer which one of the plow steels it is. It will certainly rust if left in the elements. I'll post more info when I hear back from the manufacturer.

Thanks for the help!
 
I assume from you post that you are new to forging/knife making.

You will be a lot happier if you buy some 1080/1084 from some where and start with that.

cable not only needs forged but forge welded before it can be forged into a knife. cable while relatively easy to weld is very hard to get a good clean weld with no inclusions.

do yourself a favor and start slow.
 
I agree with Bill. Start with laminated metals like 1080/84 and 15n20. Will safe yourself a lot of headaches and money.
 
Easier to start out with heavy cable like 1.25 " diameter .An old cable may be easier when it doesn't have lots of grease in it .Grease must be worked out/burned out for the wires to be properly welded.
 
First thing I forged was cable. Ole Indian George insisted I do it. Started with 6 X 1 1/2 in cable and ended with a 3 X 1/8th billet.
 
It is Extra Improved plow steel.

I dont expect to do any forging with the cable any time soon I am just trying to determine if the steel will make a half decent knife.

Thanks again guys!
 
Yep, it's made of good carbon steel, heat treat should be done just as you would heat treat 1084, which is what Extra Improved Plow Steel is often mentioned as being close to equivalent too. It can and does make a great knife if properly forge welded and heat treated. Check out this site for a lot of pics of knives forged from it as well as tutorials that have ta do with working with it- http://www.aescustomknives.com/ It's a neat site :)

There's also a few vids on youtube showing how to forge weld it. Save it for later down the road after you've made a number of knives and have experience forge welding as well as general blade forging under your belt. And if you can, get more while ya can! :D

~Paul
My YT Channel Lsubslimed
 
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