How to keep blade cool while silversoldering the tang?

[P.K.Hansen]

I'm about to extend the tang on a few damasteel blades, and need to keep the blade-temp down. All ideas are welcome

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Unless the existing tang is very short, there will be no real problem. The heat doesn't conduct back that far enough to raise the blade above the tempering point. Placing a sheet of metal over the blade, clamping it in a vise, or wrapping it in a damp cloth can help if you are worried.

When I silver solder on an extension, I set the blade with the tang upright in a third-hand clamp or vise, and apply the hard solder or brazing metal to the extension. When it flows, I place the extension in place on the tang and braze them together. Once solidified, I stick the blade portion in the slack tub to cool it off, and let the joint air cool.
Re-temper the blade after this to make sure the tang isn't brittle.

However, I don't know how well Damasteel will silver solder. You might be better off to weld the extension on. Try it out on some scrap first to see.

 

[P.K.Hansen]

Thanks.
I'll try to clamp it to the anvil on my vise, with a long piece of brass on the top.

 

[logem]

How about doing it like this?

Mike L.

 

[Hengelo_77]

Stick the blade in a large potato

 

[P.K.Hansen]

I placed the blade on an aluminum plate, and clamped an aluminum block on top. Then I placed some wet paper on the rest of the blade that was sticking out . Work perfectly fine. Didn't look very professional though
Thanks for all your ideas.

 

[Frank Niro]

The potatoe thing does work very well, but you may not get many to believe that. I was given that by someone who worked in an army gunshop. I have used the potatoe thing several times but when to a product called "heat trap" or something like that. Frank