Forge welding stainless bolsters

[jdm61]

I know it can be done as the major German kitchen knife makers forge weld bolsters to strip steel, but how can you do it in the "home" shop? I am thinking about this possibly being 5 layers, 2 for each booster and the center strip for he balde because you can not get AEB-L any thicker than .196. I guess th alternative would be to start with 3 layers of thicker stick and upset the bolster area a little bit.

 

[Matt River]

Stainless forge weld is more akin to mokume gane techniques. Ariel Salvarra has website with relatively simple techniques for most metals. Generally speaking you will need to bring your billet to weld heat in the absence of oxygen by encasing in a box or pipe welded shut, then press with a large hydraulic press or power hammer. Not sure if possible to hand hammer, good luck.

 

[Matt River]

In regards to direct application to a blade billet, a special forge (atmosperic or neutral gas?) is probably used. For home application without distortion of the blade billet a sacrificial metal box or pipe does not seem to apply unless a nonwelding fodder piece could take the place of the scales in the assembly. Conditions that will weld stainless will generally weld most other metals, maybe titanium?

 

[jdm61]

I have a press and the Henckels and Wusthof folks appear to do it by heating the bolster material and the small area of the blade stip steel where they want it to stick using an induction setup.