Decorative damaskus steel

[Natlek]

Which steel should be used to make decorative damaskus ? As i understand that should be much easier to do ? Also which steel is good to make decorative stainless damaskus ? If i can make it i should use them to try to make sanmai with that ?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

1075 and 203E works for ornamental carbon steel damascus. It can even be made with 1030 and 203E.

Stainless is a bit out of my experience, so I'll let others chime in tere. In stainless the pattern won't show as well without HT.

 

[weo]

In stainless the pattern won't show as well without HT.

Isn't this also true for plain carbon steel damascus?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

The decorative carbon steel color is more about the etch than hardening. The 203E will stay quite white while the carbon steel will turn dark. Just forging it together is prenty to make the colors show. If you use a 1030 (.3% carbon) steel and 203E (.2% carbon and 3-4% nickel) nether will harden anyway.

In stainless the steel won't be rust resistant until it is hardened.