Alright, after nearly 10 years of making knives, it's time to mess with some Damascus. I have a 9 layer billet of 1084 and band saw blade tack welded together and ready to go into the forge this weekend. I've not pushed the forge to see what kind of temp I can get, but it's a venturi that I usually run at 5-7 PSI for forging. I plan to block up the back and maybe half the front, crank the propane, and see what happens as far as atmosphere and temperature goes. I plan on borax flux, and have read and watched youtube a bunch where they talk about what the flux should look like when it's time to weld. Several sources mention touching a mild steel piece to the billet to test for sticking. I'm assuming folks are talking about baling wire, some small rod, etc, and that the wire should be at welding temp as well? Any other tips regarding determining welding heat? I read that the most common cause of failure is trying to weld before the billet is hot enough or soaked enough. What else should I watch out for?
I plan to set the weld by hand, then do my drawing out on my treadle hammer. If I could end up with a 27 or 58 layer billet big enough to forge a hunter or small bowie, I'd be satisfied.
I plan to set the weld by hand, then do my drawing out on my treadle hammer. If I could end up with a 27 or 58 layer billet big enough to forge a hunter or small bowie, I'd be satisfied.
