Hot Rolling Damascus Billets?

Centaur

Centaur

Joined
Sep 16, 1999
Messages
3,277
I've been forging blades for a few years now. I use a home made LP forge. Lately, I've been experimenting with forge welding. I've had good luck welding 1095/1018 and L6/1095 billets. My problem is drawing out the billet in preparation for the next weld.

I have a treadle hammer (designed by Jere Kirkpatrick.) It really helps with the welding. With a bottom fuller, I can draw out reasonably well, but I just can't seem to keep my layers as straight as I would like.

I was wondering about hot rolling. If the roller diameter was fairly small, like the same diameter as the pein on a straight pein hammer, or as a fuller, I think it would work well. I was toying with possibly building a small hobby sized roller device. I'd be willing to bet that there's some plans out there somewhere on the 'net. If not, maybe I'll design it myself.

Has anyone else heard of, or tried this method for drawing out billets?
 
I messed with that several years ago, after looking back at my shop logs, there was always difficulty with the rollers absorbing too much of the heat. Anything less than 1/4" thickness would develop occasional cold-shuts. If there was an effecient way to keep the rollers hot enough, along with the billet, I don't see why it wouldn't work. I really havn't worked with it since, the press and power hammers have taken up where the roller idea left off for me. Keep us posted on any progress with this.
http://www.mtn-webtech.com/~caffrey

------------------
Ed Caffrey
"The Montana Bladesmith"


 
Thanks for the reply.

I was considering the rolling just for drawing out the billet. The welding part I have no problems with.

I was thinking about the heat absorption of the rollers. Perhaps ceramic rollers would be the ticket. I've been searching the 'net for suppliers.

I've got the inspiration part, now to add the perspiration part! Gee wiz, with all my spare time... Yeah, right!
 
I have read a surprising and interesting paper (unfortunately in French)by:
J. Wadsworth, Dong Wha Kum & O.D. Sherby, published in "Traitement thermique dans le monde" No.205-46, pp39-45. I think you might read it in English in "Metal Progress" of June 1986, pp 61-67. It says how you can stretch and heat weld high carbon steels (1-2,1%C)at low temperature (727 C. degrees)using a roll. They say they achieve billets up to 2'500 layers!
I have never tried this method but, like you, I am interested in getting plans and tips for a roll.
Thank you,
Claude
 
Claude,

Merci! I'll try to dig up a copy at Stanford University's Engineering Library. One of the authors, O. D. Sherby, is a Professor of Metallurgy there.

He's invented a new "Superplastic Steel" that some say may be a modern equivalent of "true" Damascus. But John Verhoeven and Al Pendray will say different!

Regards,

Centaur
 
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