"crushed W" question

[jdm61]

Let's see if I can make the question comprehensible. When you are making "crushed W" damascus billets, do you just weld the billet out once on the flat and then flip it 90 degrees, weld, draw, stack, etc?? I was wondering if it is best to run up the layer count before you turn it, after or it you can do it both ways. Also, how tight of a twist do you need to do for patterns like firestorm?

 

[Don Hanson III]

Joe, weld up 12 to 50+ layer and forge to around 1" square. Turn 90 degs, forge down to around 3/16'' thick by 1'' to 1-1/2" wide. Then cut into 3" to 4" pieces (the more the better), restack and weld. This is the basic W billet. Many different patterns can be made starting with this type of billet. The higher the layer count you start with or a larger number of folds/stacks after you turn 90 degs will make for a finer pattern. The tighter you twist, the better it will look.

 

[delbert ealy]

J,
You can do it either way. Different layer counts before you flip it 90 degrees will produce different results. Finer pattern to start with will produce finer results. Differing layer thickness can also produce differing results. Experiment and document all your results, do this often enough and you will get a feel for how the steel behaves. The crushed W's is the most unpredictable of all the patterns I have worked with, but it does behave in similar ways within reason.
Hope this helps,
Del

 

[jdm61]

Ask and ye shall receive Thanks, guys. have either of you done what might be called a random crushed W pattern where you welded the billet, stack it, turned it 90, stacked and welded again and then just forge it out without twisting?

 

[deker]

Ask and ye shall receive Thanks, guys. have either of you done what might be called a random crushed W pattern where you welded the billet, stack it, turned it 90, stacked and welded again and then just forge it out without twisting?

I have. I think that's just "W's". The trick here is that your Ws are in the end of the billet so you have to accordian it, tile it, or squash it back sideways to get the patterns on the side. I squashed mine on end and drew it out to get the pattern out. Once I drew it all the way out into a blade it actually looked more like tiger stripes. VERY cool looking, but not what I had intended

-d

 

[scottickes]

I have. I think that's just "W's". The trick here is that your Ws are in the end of the billet so you have to accordian it, tile it, or squash it back sideways to get the patterns on the side. I squashed mine on end and drew it out to get the pattern out. Once I drew it all the way out into a blade it actually looked more like tiger stripes. VERY cool looking, but not what I had intended

-d

Sometimes the "not what I had intended" billets are the best ones! Happy accidents! The important thing is to take good notes, so that you can repeat a "happy accident".

 

[rhrocker]

We talking about blades or kids?

 

[Don Hanson III]

Robert :thumbup:

Joe, I've never just drawn out a W billet, have seen it done, looks OK, lot of work for random. I usually accordian cut, ladder it, or just cut bolsters, guards, and fittings off the end on the bar.