Damascus Advice

[Gary Mulkey]

I am finally financially able to build a "hot shop" so as to build my own damascus billets. I have reasonable welding skills (though it's been a long time) and am familiar with 1080 & 15N20 so they will be my steels of choise. My question is what thicknesses do most of you start with for best results in keeping a pattern tang to tip without distortion?

Gary

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

1/4" 1080 and 1/8" 15N20

Stacy

 

[Don Hanson III]

Gary, I use 1/8", 3/16", 1/4" 1084 and .049", .070", 090" 15N20. I will also add one or two 1/4" to 1/2" pieces of W2 to most billets, for a booster.

I use a lot of other stuff but the above is my basic blade materials.

 

[Gary Mulkey]

Thanks for the responces. Are you getting you steels from Kelly Cupples or elsewhere?

Gary

 

[Dan Seaver]

I use 1/4" 1084 and 1/8" 15n20. I buy my steels from Aldo Bruno but his steel order is currently delayed until the 23rd I believe.

 

[Don Hanson III]

1084 from Aldo Bruno and 15N20 from Kelly Cupples.

Where are you guys finding 1/8" 15N20? .095" is the thickest I've ever found.

 

[argel55]

Gary Ray also sells the 15n20. Mike

 

[Dan Seaver]

Don,
I use two layers of 1/16 15n20 to make 1/8. It would be nice if it came in 1/8 or if Aldo could get his 1084 rolled to 1/8.

 

[Phillip Patton]

I'm welding up a billet of L6 and O1 where the L6 was 5/8" and the O1 was 3/4". 4 welds will get me about 190 layers, which is just what I want for twist pattern.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Gary Ray also sells the 15n20. Mike

That's right, Ray has it also. I traded W2 for a bunch a couple years ago.