Damascus Confusion

[TANGUS]

Okay, now i'm confused. I want to try a billet of damascus to make a blade (stock removal). here's the confusion--will I have to heat treat the blade as usually done on 01, d2, etc? How does the heat treating work on finished product?--thanks, Dan

 

[mikeS]

Yes you have to heat treat it. Heat treat depends on the steel combo's go with the maker's spec's.

 

[peter nap]

You may be thinking of "Wootz". That does not have to be heat treated.

 

[Bugs3x]

This makes me wonder if in trying to use steels that contrast with each other, if you couldn't use steels that have radically different heat treating/quenching methods. If so, how do you choose which steel's forumula to go with?

 

[Eric M Ericson]

my understanding of it is that that actualy depends on the temp. of the weld. If they were welded at a low temp then the metals will keep their own nature. If they were welded near melting then the carbon and other aloys will cross the bond leaving an emalgimated single steel.

this is from my reading, I have little first hand experience in forge welding,



I hope the more knowlegeable will answer also,

 

[Bruce Bump]

Most all damascus consists of high-carbon layers and low-carbon layers. Usually it has more of the high-carbon layers. Use the heat-treat formula for the higher-carbon steel. A good mix would be 1084 75% and L6 25% (about 250 layers.) Heat-treat it like 1084. It will be a tough knife that holds an edge. Wayne Goddard likes this mix.

 

[raker]

Most of the time, when making damascus, you will use steels that will weld together easily. The more chrome and nickel in it, the harder it is to weld. After about 3 folds, at the welding heat, carbon will migrate and be evenly distributed in the piece. If you will heat treat to the higher carbon steel, you will be very close. Since you will normalize and anneal the blade before the heat treat process, it will behave like a single steel. Bring it up to just past magnetic, and quence to harden it. Temper at the lower end of the scale and check the blade with the 1/4" brass rod. If it chips, do it again at a slightly higher temp. Repeat the process till the edge flexes over the brass rod without chipping. If you edge harden, the blade will etch different on the edge and back. If you don't like it, reharden the blade and start over or make another one. Or make 2 small ones out of the billit so you can do one each way. When making the damascus, write down what you do as you do it. That way you will know what it will produce and you could do it again. You can get lost in doing some of the patterns. I found out.
Almost forgot, the steel won't weld at a low temperature so there will be carbon migration, except if you have a thin sheet of nickel in it. The nickel will stop carbon migration but it won't harden so I would try to keep it off my edge.