First Forge Weld

S

sirwilliamjr

Joined
Feb 2, 2004
Messages
44
The main reason I set up a forge (as opposed to a stock removal system) was so that I could learn to make my own damascus blades. I bought "The $50 Knife Shop" and was planning to follow Goddard's instructions on making a wire rope knife, but I've almost given up on finding some good cable. So I was thinking the next easiest thing to start with would be San Mai damascus. I plan on trying it as soon as I get a chance, but I figured I'd ask here anyway whether or not this is a good way to start. I've got what I assume to be 5160 from a coil spring, a bunch of lawn mower blade (new and old), some old files, and some mild steel bars. I was thinking of using a file, but I don't have a good pair of tongs yet, and it certainly isn't long enough to hold on to. Since the lawn mower blades are already flat, unlike the 5160, I could quench a few to find one with a lot of carbon, then cut off a long strip and sandwich it between two shorter strips of the mild steel (I figured that's the point of San Mai). Then I'd put borax on it, weld it, and forge the end with the mild steel into a knife and cut it off from the rest of the lawn mower blade. So, after all that.... my question is, for someone that has never forge welded, does this seem like a good plan? Thanks for any advice/hints/corrections.
-Will
 
Go and find some cable.... It's everywhere if you just look in the right places. Good luck
 
The way I finaly figured out forge welding was thanks to Bruce Evans. He gave me some hands-on at his shop and showed me how to weld "frontier style" damascus.

Basicly start with one piece of metal(high or meadum carbon), and set a slightly smaller piece on top and weld together, and so on till you have a stack then forge into a bare and cut and fold, cut and fold till you get the desired layer number. Welding one piece at a time realy showed me how easy it is to weld and what the metal should look like when it's ready to weld.

Your plans sounds fine to me, just make sure you forge it evenly or you'll have one the high carbon off centered.
 
In the beginning don't be afraid to do some destructive testing.Cut apart your work and look for defects usually cold shuts , that is areas that have not been welded. Later when you're doing complex patterns it's a good idea to make notes ,how many twists ,and folds so if you come out with a nice pattern you can reproduce it.
 
The flux will tell you when its ready to be welded. Watch for it to start crawling around all over all over the metal like a bunch of crazy fleas. You will see what I'm talking about.
 
Mark knows all about fleas :D :D

You going to Tackrock Mark?
 
blgoode said:
Mark knows all about fleas :D :D

You going to Tackrock Mark?
Click to expand...

I only have fleas in the Winter when I grow my beard.

I'm planning on being at Trackrock by all means. If everyone can make it that has planned to be there, we should one heck of a good time.
 
I mentioned it to the wife last night.....She said "whatever you want to do"

How long of a drive for you ?

Sorry sirwilliamjr...you can have your thread back.....

I too want to try my hand at forging billits. Where to get the flux / borax?
 
I got my flux (anhydrous borax) from Kelley Cupples.

It's a 9 hr drive for me. I dont mind. We usually stay for 4 or 5 days.
 
Hell...I still need an anvil and forge.....Thanks Mark..
 
Aiko555- Any suggestions of where to look? I think I've tried everything in the yellow pages under junk, scrap, cable, wire, rigging, and a few crane companies. I even had some people (I think it was a rigging place) tell me where to find it, and then those people didn't have it. :confused: . Do you (or anyone else) know of a place online that you could order a few feet of cable for a resonable price? Thanks.
-Will
 
Try the cable from Sheffield Knifemakers Supply. It's new, of known compostion, welds well, and makes a good blade. Somewhat pricey, but so is wasted time.
 
fitzo said:
Try the cable from Sheffield Knifemakers Supply. It's new, of known compostion, welds well, and makes a good blade. Somewhat pricey, but so is wasted time.
Click to expand...

Hey Mikey, I just started carrying cable in various sizes in extra improved plow steel that's new and from a known source. Give me a couple of weeks and I'll put up some data regarding heat treating (i.e., tempering chart showing hardness vs tempering temperature)....got some forge orders to catch up on and then that's the next item on the list to do... I've got it in several different sizes and cheaper than the place you mentioned...

:)

-Darren
 
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