Curiosity

[David W Babcock]

Has anyone ever tried a multiple folded billet out of something like 1095/1080/1075/1045 for a roughly .725 carbon billet, but more importantly my question is can you obtain a little hada, grain pattern like in Japanese blades.

I have used bloomery steel before and it’s definitely different to work with than modern steels, but I’m curious if I made maybe an 8 layer billet out of alerternating 4 steels with numerous folds would I get any pattern in the steel?

I’ve been thinking of trying it but curious if anyone else ever has?

 

[A.McPherson]

Sounds like a lot of work for a little gain, if any. You might get some pattern, but what you are really doing is introducing failure points into your equation, at least in my opinion.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Your scenario to end up with .725% carbon is wrong. You would likely end up with at least 10 points less. You loose carbon every welding heat. I would take out the 1045.

I have used 1095 and 1084 to get a hada effect. It probably ended up around .70% carbon.
You need a minimum of 1000 layers, and 5000 isn't too much. Even a single steel will create a hada with many folks. The folds create a boundary layer each time that will show up in the final steel.

 

[DevinT]

Mix W2 and wrought iron and run the layer count up, make sure it is W2 heavy to get enough final carbon content. This will give you a very good Japanese look.

Hoss

 

[tim37a]

Please excuse my ignorance but what is a hada effect?

 

[i4Marc]

http://www.ncjsc.org/gloss_hada-1.html

 

[David W Babcock]

Mix W2 and wrought iron and run the layer count up, make sure it is W2 heavy to get enough final carbon content. This will give you a very good Japanese look.

Hoss

I have a lot of wrought iron on hand I generally use for San mai and it in itself produces a nice wood grain effect. Sorta worried about how much in folding I’d lose as it’s so low in carbon, but I hear you on loading up on W2, something else I have a fair bit of in stock.

I’m asking as I actually have about 3.2 kg of NBTHK tamahagane so I want to practice the forge welding techniques from both direction folds, and a dozen times as I’m not touching this steel (I have worked with bloomery steel before so I know what I’m in for) until I know I can do it justice. It might sit for a couple more years

 

[tim37a]

Thanks, i4Marc.