Damascus Billet price?

[aggopian]

I have a billet, I guess you would call it, of damascus. It was made in India many years ago, at the time my friend was having sword blades made there and this was given to him. I guess it was a sample or a cut off.
I do not know what the steel is. It measures 6in by 1 5/8 dia.

Anyone have any idea what this would be worth?

Any help would be great.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Since there is no information on what it is made from, it is worth about $10 as a door stop or paper weight.

If it is a usable mix, it is worth anywhere from $10 to $30 a pound in the current form.
Here is a similar billet on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/10-long-damascu...hash=item120406635574&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

Drawn out into a 1/4" X 1.5" flat bat it brings about $5-10 an inch.

Shashi Rochlandi made a lot of those billets up in India. He uses a mix of basic carbon steels ( and some very low carbon steels). They HT pretty basically. Austenitize at 1475F quench in medium speed oil, temper at 400-425F. Rc is pretty low, max is about mid 50's, but for a sword, that is fine.
Stacy