Disastrous void in purchased damascus, need solutions. Diagrams of problem included.

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jdm61 said:
Assuming that it will even "stick' without burning the carbon out of the edge of your blade, would an ugly bead of dissimilar steel that will look like a grey turd be a sufficiently persuasive reason?;)
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The current plan is to use the same steel that the knife is made out of, and it would look nice a shiny like the rest of it after sanding. Carbon steel welding is tricky, but people do it all the time. However, I am working with Poshland Knive's Amazon Rep to see what they can do for me.
 
Zambash said:
The current plan is to use the same steel that the knife is made out of, and it would look nice a shiny like the rest of it after sanding. Carbon steel welding is tricky, but people do it all the time. However, I am working with Poshland Knive's Amazon Rep to see what they can do for me.
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Ummmm, if you are talking about Poshland Knives I found EBay and Amazon I would just walk away and consider it a lesson learned rather cheaply. A finished damascus knife for $40-50? Well, lets just say that it wasn't made in the UK by someone named Nigel or Clive using best methods and materials. Or, if you so chose, if they offer to replace it, you can give you lady a turd with a bit more polish to it.;)
 
This Is Damascus steel and anything you do to it (welding) is going to mess up the pattern. So was this a finished knife blade you bought. Good damascus is pricy, a rule of thumb is $50-$100 per cubic inch. That's just for bar stock. I have done a good bit of Damascus in my day and if I discover a slag inclusion or cold shut I toss it. It sucks when you have 2 days into just making the damascus but it's what's right. I dont get cold shuts or slag inclusions any more sence I switched to dry welding. But the onley way to fix this problem is if you notice it in the billet when your making the damascus. You can open it up hot with a chisel and wire brush and re flux but 99% of the time it does not work. As much as it sucks you need to remove that flaw and hope it does not run the length of the blade.
 
Zambash said:
Got it from Poshland Knives through Amazon.

I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything, but could you give some of those reasons? From a metalurgical standpoint there really isn't any reason why a bead over the void shouldn't stick.
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Pakistan made billet is a waste of time. get your money back and spend more for quality material made from known steels.
 
I'm not going to violate any rules regarding pimping, but there are people in the US who make serviceable damascus from known steels at reasonable prices who stand behind their products.
 
I'll just bet you if a repair of some sort did give results it won't cut worth a darn after hardening. As someone said and is near truth the steel combination is more likely metal from a manhole cover and a soup can.
Frank
 
Frank Niro said:
I'll just bet you if a repair of some sort did give results it won't cut worth a darn after hardening. As someone said and is near truth the steel combination is more likely metal from a manhole cover and a soup can.
Frank
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Use the soup can for canaster Damascus filled with chunks of man hole cover.
 
oh just go ahead and try the welding idea then report back how it goes. Otherwise you will always wonder what if.
 
Bought some of that cheap dam when I first started and never ended up even trying to use it from the way it looked when I got it. I could see voids when I pulled it out of the packaging. Gave it to some guys I work with and went and ordered some US made Damascus from one of the well known makers down south. Just consider it a lesson learned. If your not paying a higher price for Damascus it's because with this stuff you get what you pay for.

Jay
 
Zambash said:
Got it from Poshland Knives through Amazon.

I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything, but could you give some of those reasons? From a metalurgical standpoint there really isn't any reason why a bead over the void shouldn't stick.
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I didn't say it wouldn't stick.
You'll get all the surrounding area so hot you'll ruin the hardness and tempering.
You'll have a cool letter opener.
 
I would try to get your money back, or a replacement.

That said, if this is a blade for you, go on and try the weld. Don't listen to those saying throw it out! Wasteful attitude! Chances are it won't work. But it may. No one can say it 100% won't work. The other thing is it may work, but you may have an unsightly spot where it was welded. Once again, if this is for your own use, than who cares?!? I could certainly live with a product that is 80% good, looks wise, to save money & my time.

Now if this is for someone else, especially a paying customer, than you must start over.
 
DavidHoback said:
I would try to get your money back, or a replacement.

That said, if this is a blade for you, go on and try the weld. Don't listen to those saying throw it out! Wasteful attitude! Chances are it won't work. But it may. No one can say it 100% won't work. The other thing is it may work, but you may have an unsightly spot where it was welded. Once again, if this is for your own use, than who cares?!? I could certainly live with a product that is 80% good, looks wise, to save money & my time.

Now if this is for someone else, especially a paying customer, than you must start over.
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Trying to fix a piece like that will save you little money and absolutely no time. Looking 80% good means that it looks 20% crappy.
 
jdm61 said:
Trying to fix a piece like that will save you little money and absolutely no time. Looking 80% good means that it looks 20% crappy.
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If he is able to salvage this, in lieu of purchasing another $100 piece of Damascus and REDOING the many, many hours vested in this piece so far, how is he NOT saving much money?? Perhaps $100 is nothing to you, and I say awesome on you for it! But to many people, myself included, that is quite a bit to forget about.

You misunderstood(rather, looking to be confrontational) what I meant by looking 80% one way. I would not consider a functional piece with 20% of the Damascus pattern different to look "crappy". I understand some will. Especially those wrapped up in Damascus. I look to FUNCTION over FORM. A person so concerned with using Damascus, and having it look 100% or trashing it, us much more consumed with FORM. I don't use Damascus anyway because it is JUNK steel. Soft as baby food, but will chip if you dare touch the edge to anything harder than soft wood.
 
You are merely demonstrating your ignorance. If a COMPLETED DAMASCUS KNIFE from this vendor is $50, how would an non heat treated blank cost $100? As for the damascus that I make, it never leaves my shop any softer than 60Rc and does not chip if you touch he edge to anything harder than soft wood. It is basically the sum of the component steels and I do not use junk steel.
 
Put $200 worth of work fixing it and it will be worth less than when you started.

For the same reasons it didn't forge weld, it won't tig weld either.

Hoss
 
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You purchased the billet through Amazon so a refund/replacement should be doable.
If you absolutely won't go that route, Stacy laid out your next alternative, which is to grind out the flaw and re-shape your blade. I've had 12" gyotos become 7" santokus in this manner. Just me. No one else. Knife making is a process of recovery.
 
jdm61 said:
You are merely demonstrating your ignorance. If a COMPLETED DAMASCUS KNIFE from this vendor is $50, how would an non heat treated blank cost $100? As for the damascus that I make, it never leaves my shop any softer than 60Rc and does not chip if you touch he edge to anything harder than soft wood. It is basically the sum of the component steels and I do not use junk steel.
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I was merely using $100 as an example. Now allow me to educate you on what "ignorance" is. Because it seems you are a bit confused. As I stated I was using the $100 as a reference.... I don't know what the OP spent, but he did say it was a considerable cost to him. I'm not sure why you are plucking $50, and comparing to the $100 I was guessing. The OP never actually SAID how much he spent. Regardless, if it is $50, $75 or $100...., it was of considerable cost value to him. As it would be to me. EVEN AT $50. Again I congratulate you being monetarily fortunate, but to many of us, $50 is a CONSIDERABLE some. Your arrogance is quite off putting though! At no point was I comparing or inciting it being worth more one way or the other. I was simply referencing his initial cost in buying the material.

And so we see, once again, your combative, argumentative attitude pointing out a moot issue. And THAT my friend, IS ignorance in it's most unadulterated form!

As far as YOUR Damascus is concerned.... Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?

And since you have nothing of value to ever offer me, you are ignored!
 
Ok. Stop.
Be grown-ups and disagree politely.
Getting all cranky and insulting each other will get the thread shut down and then the OP won't benefit from any further discussion.
 
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