Here's one for the diary...

Phillip Patton

Phillip Patton

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jul 25, 2005
Messages
5,376
A couple weeks ago I forged a laminated billet of W2 and 416. When it cooled down after drawing it out, it curled up like a banana. I figured I had forged it too much on one side, but I've never had something warp like this, so I hammered it straight and normalized it. It still curled up. Every time I've had the oven hot in the last couple weeks, I've either normalized it or annealed it, hoping that would help, and it just won't stay straight.

I finally figured out why. I put the W2 on the outside! Aaargh! So it's a billet of 416/416/W2. Yep, I'm not perfect, and I'm not too proud to admit it. I hope you all get a laugh out of this. I know I did. ;)

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This post will probably show my lack of understanding of forging (and might make me look like a dummy, but that's ok!) but could you clean off that W2 and add 1 more layer of W2 and 2 more layers of 416 to the top and forge them together and then draw it out to the proper thickness??
 
That's funny, Phillip.
Just goes to show the different activity going on from one steel to another.
And if it's not done right when you have the layers done correctly, during post forging and hardening, that W2 can rip right down the middle and literally pull itself apart down the length of the spine and cutting edge. That happened to about the first three of my laminate blades.
As I was reading your post I was trying to figure out what could be wrong and then you divulged the obvious.
You did get a laugh out of me.
 
har har! Well played! I very much enjoyed your story, and really appreciate your humility:thumbup:
That piece would make for a wicked garden tool, a mini mattock for removing dandelions or somesuch. Waste not, want not:D
 
Or make another billet just like it and weld the 2 together and have lots more blade material...Anyway thier is always a fix when you think about it long enough.
 
amcardon said:
....could you clean off that W2 and add 1 more layer of W2 and 2 more layers of 416 to the top and forge them together and then draw it out to the proper thickness??
Click to expand...

Salem Straub said:
Or maybe you could fold it one time? Anyway, good story.
Click to expand...

Bruce Evans said:
Or make another billet just like it and weld the 2 together and have lots more blade material...Anyway thier is always a fix when you think about it long enough.
Click to expand...

Sounds like three right there!
 
Considering the initial...um, layering confusion...we thought we better not take anything for granted and better make sure. ;)
 
Make me a camp knife outta it! :thumbup:
Sure would be happy to add it to my Patton collection.
 
TALON158 said:
Make me a camp knife outta it! :thumbup:
Sure would be happy to add it to my Patton collection.
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And quite an extensive collection it is, too. ;)
Honestly, though, I don't think I'll be using this type of laminate for hard use knives. It's too soft for my taste. It's about like having one third of the blade hard. Wait, it IS having one third of the blade hard...
 
amcardon said:
I had no doubt you knew how to fix it, I was more wondering what the proper fix would be for it.

So, what did you do? :D
Click to expand...

I haven't done anything with it yet. Some time when I'm bored, I'll try to weld it together right, but my experience thus far is that I can get a better weld with taller, narrower pieces. These are 3/16" thick and over 2" wide...
 
Phillip, did you think about either folding it or adding another layer each of W2 and 416?

I think you could fix it.

Just kidding, we know you are eminently qualified in this arena...
 
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