Ladder Pattern: Forge then grind or Grind then forge?

I was not familiar with snagging wheels, but have used what we called cup wheels ( cup stone). Learn something every day.

The reason they grind much faster and more efficiently is the same principle as why a contact wheel cuts faster and better than a flat platen. The smaller contact surface concentrates the metal removal and cuts faster, while wearing away less abrasive.
 
This thread went from ladder patterns to presses to stock removal.
That said, I've been using those snagging wheels for quite some time and will use them as long as I can buy them.
Google is your friend and sometimes you can find them on sale 2 for one!
No matter what you do with ladder patterns, about 1/2 your steel ends up on the floor.
I can't tell much difference in the end result.
I prefer pressing in the pattern as it's just more reliable.
 
Karl, my limited experience with the dies is that when you press them, you may only end up with 40% of your steel on the floor and that is an improvement :DOn the other hand, when you cut, it appears to make it easier to do some non-parallel stuff like what Mr. Fisk and other do with the fanned out ladder patterns.
Karl B. Andersen said:
This thread went from ladder patterns to presses to stock removal. On the other hand, when you cut, it appears to make it easier to do some non-parallel stuff like what Mr. Fisk and other do with the fanned out ladder patterns.
That said, I've been using those snagging wheels for quite some time and will use them as long as I can buy them.
Google is your friend and sometimes you can find them on sale 2 for one!
No matter what you do with ladder patterns, about 1/2 your steel ends up on the floor.
I can't tell much difference in the end result.
I prefer pressing in the pattern as it's just more reliable.
Click to expand...
 
Ive noticed a lot of guys seem to prefer their ladder dies cut with a ball end mill to make the channels rounded instead of square. anyone care to comment on that?
 
I think there will be less shearing with a round fuller than a square one.

The pattern should be more wavy and spread out around and in the depression made with a round press die. This results in wavy lines all the way across the "ladder" when done.

If a square edge die was used, the pattern would be sheared straight down and leave a tight series of lines on the sides of a non-lined bar.
 
I prefer to press then grind. The bottom two pics show ladder pressed with round dies...lower layer count vs higher.

However, the first pic was a billet ground then forged flat, to achieve a wider ladder effect.

Tad

150217_Tad_Lynch_006.jpg


DSC_2513.jpg

1439872290.jpg
 
Is that first one straight layers or W's?
Tad Lynch said:
I prefer to press then grind. The bottom two pics show ladder pressed with round dies...lower layer count vs higher.

However, the first pic was a billet ground then forged flat, to achieve a wider ladder effect.

Tad

150217_Tad_Lynch_006.jpg


DSC_2513.jpg

1439872290.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Tad, that middle knife in your pictures(all look awesome by the way,great work) that's a somewhat lower layer count correct? around 250-300 maybe?
 
Kentucky said:
Tad, that middle knife in your pictures(all look awesome by the way,great work) that's a somewhat lower layer count correct? around 250-300 maybe?
Click to expand...


More like half of that. You don't get the chatoyance or shimmer... more of a high contrast look.

Tad
 
Thanks, I was kinda thinking it looked similar to some 150'ish twist Damascus Ive made but I wasn't sure that layer count would work well in ladder or not. I like the deep hard etch look on lower layer count Damascus like that myself.
 
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