damascus questions

[Murnax]

Ok, if my understanding of damascus is correct, it is made by folding layers of different steels together. Then it is dipped in acid to bring out the pattern. My question is, if you didn't dip it in the acid, does it look just like any other steel, or is the pattern just less distinct? Also, how come one of the steels is always darker? Are steels chosen because they have different colors from each other, or is it possible to make a damascus blade where one of the steels is not darker than the other...and you therefore wouldn't see much of a pattern?

 

[mete]

Two different materials are chosen. Originally there were soft ,low carbon and hard, high carbon layers. Today it can be various things ; nickel/stainless steel, two types of stainless, or different combinations of carbon, alloy ,or tool steels depending on properties and appearence desired. Etching is usually done with acid or a ferric chloride solution again depending on appearence desired but untreated it will still show a slight pattern because of differences in oxidation of the layers.

 

[Pinoy Knife]

Mete very good explaination! Most of the contrast is beacuse some guy's use 2 steel's that are very close to each other in composition say 15 n 20 a very good high carbon steel often paired with 1095 which is a very high carbon steel, the 15 n 20 will show as " Silver" while the 1095 will show as grey . the reason is the 15 n 20 has a little higher crome content than the 1095 . I Grant you some maker's are using nickle in their steel but mostly the steel they make is for look more than for use beacuse the nickle will not harden . if used nickle need's to be in a bar of at least 300 layer's otherwise you have a beautifull blade you can't use .

Just my opinion here !

 

[Murnax]

Thanks. That helps a lot. Is there a tutorial anywhere on how to make damascus? The only other thing I can't understand about it is how patterns are reliably reproduced, such as Devin Thomas's raindrop. Random patterns I get, but how can you mix the steels together just right every time to get roughly the same pattern.

 

[Pinoy Knife]

Lot's of trial and error !! Practise is where you pay dues forging Damascus , Part of it is learning how to "Weld" this is a very hard lesson to learn . if the steel won't Weld you end up with Junk . Pattern's are very hard to Duplicate over and over you have to remember exactly what you did and when to get a specific Pattern , Then try to do it again .

Go to a Hammer in if you are sincere they are not cheap but may give you a head start in the right direction .

Good Luck and remember the Burn's are just part of the "fun "