How to make canister dumascas?

K

Knife devotee

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Jan 26, 2018
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hello everybody. how do I make canister Damascus? And can I make it in a devil forge DFSW?
any help will be much appreciated.
 
You can easily make a forge k=like the DFSW ... but it isn't a very great forge. It certainly wouldn't be my choice for welding.

Not to sound silly, but to make canister damascus, you put pieces of steel and powdered metal in a canister, weld the end and a handle on, and forge weld it into a solid billet. It takes skill and either a power hammer or hydraulic forging press.

You ate 15 and probably new to knifemaking. I suggest you work on learning to make knives by stock removal before learning forging. Damascus welding is way down the road, and canister damascus is at the end of the tunnel.

May I ask how many knives you have made, and if you have any forging experience?
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
You can easily make a forge k=like the DFSW ... but it isn't a very great forge. It certainly wouldn't be my choice for welding.

Not to sound silly, but to make canister damascus, you put pieces of steel and powdered metal in a canister, weld the end and a handle on, and forge weld it into a solid billet. It takes skill and either a power hammer or hydraulic forging press.

You ate 15 and probably new to knifemaking. I suggest you work on learning to make knives by stock removal before learning forging. Damascus welding is way down the road, and canister damascus is at the end of the tunnel.

May I ask how many knives you have made, and if you have any forging experience?
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I have made about 11 knives and have very little forging experience. the DFSW is the only propane forge I can find that I can afford and my mom wont let me make one. I do know I am biting off more than I can chew. But that's why I am asking so I can decrease my chances of failure.
 
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I would put off getting a forge and make stock removal knifes for a few years. Save up and get a better forge later on. You can do a lot with a set of files and a stack of sandpaper. A cheap grinder would help. Sll the tools needed can be bought for $100. A $100 grinder will speed you up, but won't make you better.

I would suggest you checkout local makers and see if you can arrange a shop visit with your mom or dad attending.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
I would put off getting a forge and make stock removal knifes for a few years. Save up and get a better forge later on. You can do a lot with a set of files and a stack of sandpaper. A cheap grinder would help. Sll the tools needed can be bought for $100. A $100 grinder will speed you up, but won't make you better.

I would suggest you checkout local makers and see if you can arrange a shop visit with your mom or dad attending.
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thanks for the advice. I have a brake drum forge but it needs fixing up and I have few power tools such as a 1x30 sander, bench grinder, drill press and dremmel.
 
I see you're from Oregon. I'd suggest joining the NWBA and attending some of their functions and there you can meet local smiths. If you're from the Portland area, their home base/mentoring center in in Longview, they have demos the 4th Sat of the month and open forge time with a tire hammer at the center for member's use. If in Southern Oregon, I know there are smiths/knifemakers who have meetings at their shops in northern CA.
 
There is a great meet up/demo/swapmeeet in October in Kelso/Longview that the NWBA does, i would highly suggest checking it out if your in the PDX/Vancouver area as it's not that far north of it. Great way to meet makers, watch demos, and they have good amount of tools for sale as well. https://blacksmith.org/events/swaptoberfest-ii/

It's one of those events that will give you a crash course in seeing how things are done, what is needed to do it, and what your capable of doing at this time. Plus yeah, lot of great folks at it to meet and learn from too.
 
milkbaby said:
First off, you need some White-Out...:D
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Lets not confuse this youngster with silly posts here.

One problem Devotee may have with joining local clubs is how much his parents are on board with his knifemaking. He is likely too young to join or attend without one of them present. I would suggest he get the info on the October meeting and ask his folks to take him. That would also be a good time to discuss his ambitions to become a proper knifemaker. Meeting other knifemakers would also help his parents understand our community better.

My other advice to Devotee is - Slow Down. I started at 11, and am still learning. Take your time and read as much as possible. Things like canister damascus will come along when you are ready for them. You won't have to ask how its done when you are ready to do it.
 
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Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Lets not confuse this youngster with silly posts here.

One problem Devotee may have with joining local clubs is how much his parents are on board with his knifemaking. He is likely too young to join or attend without one of them present. I would suggest he get the info on the October meeting and ask his folks to take him. That would also be a good time to discuss his ambitions to become a proper knifemaker. Meeting other knifemakers would also help his parents understand our community better.

My other advice to Devotee is - Slow Down. I started at 11, and am still learning. Take your time and read as much as possible. Things like canister damascus will come along when you are ready for them. You won't have to ask how its done when you are ready to do it.
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My mom is pretty supportive. Thanks for the advice I will slow down. I will see if she will be willing to take me to a meeting.
 
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