low and high layer Damascus

[savagesultin]

Hey folks, trying Damascus for the first time. I started with 11 layer billet once forge welded it cut the billet in half and took that 4" billet and have 44 layers now. I still have one billet that has the original 11 layers. has anyone combined billets with different layer counts? im sure they have and also what is low layer or high layer count as far as the cut off? would 100 layers still be considered low layer. if can figure out how to add pics ill do that as well

thanks for any help

 

[weo]

Hey folks, trying Damascus for the first time.

Welcome to the addiction.....

... has anyone combined billets with different layer counts?

Lots of times.

what is low layer or high layer count as far as the cut off? would 100 layers still be considered low layer.

Completely subjective, but to me anything under ~30 layers would be low, and anything over 150-200 I'd call high. But I don't spend much time thinking about the exact number of layers, but rather what the end pattern would be. I might have a relevant recent example:

The edge is where the different layer counts is, trying to represent water. The top blade is 45 layers, the second is 30 layers, the 3rd is 240 layers and the bottom one is 15 layers.

if can figure out how to add pics ill do that as well. thanks for any help

Check out the stickies at the top of the page, specifically the one titled: "All the good info you want in one place". Post #2 has instructions on how to post images, called" "How to post a photo"
https://bladeforums.com/threads/sticky-threads-all-the-good-info-you-want-in-one-place.1052730/

 

[Wyo Coyote]

Welcome to the addiction.....

Lots of times.


Completely subjective, but to me anything under ~30 layers would be low, and anything over 150-200 I'd call high. But I don't spend much time thinking about the exact number of layers, but rather what the end pattern would be. I might have a relevant recent example:
View attachment 1461933
The edge is where the different layer counts is, trying to represent water. The top blade is 45 layers, the second is 30 layers, the 3rd is 240 layers and the bottom one is 15 layers.



Check out the stickies at the top of the page, specifically the one titled: "All the good info you want in one place". Post #2 has instructions on how to post images, called" "How to post a photo"
https://bladeforums.com/threads/sticky-threads-all-the-good-info-you-want-in-one-place.1052730/

Dang, those are sweet. I really like the effect.

 

[savagesultin]

Welcome to the addiction.....

Lots of times.


Completely subjective, but to me anything under ~30 layers would be low, and anything over 150-200 I'd call high. But I don't spend much time thinking about the exact number of layers, but rather what the end pattern would be. I might have a relevant recent example:
View attachment 1461933
The edge is where the different layer counts is, trying to represent water. The top blade is 45 layers, the second is 30 layers, the 3rd is 240 layers and the bottom one is 15 layers.



Check out the stickies at the top of the page, specifically the one titled: "All the good info you want in one place". Post #2 has instructions on how to post images, called" "How to post a photo"
https://bladeforums.com/threads/sticky-threads-all-the-good-info-you-want-in-one-place.1052730/

Thank you for the reply and help

 

[savagesultin]

Welcome to the addiction.....

Lots of times.


Completely subjective, but to me anything under ~30 layers would be low, and anything over 150-200 I'd call high. But I don't spend much time thinking about the exact number of layers, but rather what the end pattern would be. I might have a relevant recent example:
View attachment 1461933
The edge is where the different layer counts is, trying to represent water. The top blade is 45 layers, the second is 30 layers, the 3rd is 240 layers and the bottom one is 15 layers.



Check out the stickies at the top of the page, specifically the one titled: "All the good info you want in one place". Post #2 has instructions on how to post images, called" "How to post a photo"
https://bladeforums.com/threads/sticky-threads-all-the-good-info-you-want-in-one-place.1052730/

Those are some really nice knives, nice work

 

[Dominick Maone]

 

[DevinT]

IMO, there’s not a lot of low layer damascus that looks good or is well thought out.

Daryl Meier recommends one layer every .001”. Daryl Meier brought back pattern welded steel in America even before other more known smiths.

There was a time that the norm was 512 layers.

Patterned billets usually have 100-200 layers, like ladder, raindrop etc.

Tight twist has between 50-100 layers.

Turkish twist has low layers, ~15 -20 or so.

Someone should write a book about pattern development.

Hoss

 

[weo]

Someone should write a book about pattern development.

I think you're probably qualified. And I'd probably pre-order one.

 

[Russ Andrews]

X 2...!

I think you're probably qualified. And I'd probably pre-order one.

 

[Richard338]

IMO, there’s not a lot of low layer damascus that looks good or is well thought out.

Daryl Meier recommends one layer every .001”. Daryl Meier brought back pattern welded steel in America even before other more known smiths.

There was a time that the norm was 512 layers.

Patterned billets usually have 100-200 layers, like ladder, raindrop etc.

Tight twist has between 50-100 layers.

Turkish twist has low layers, ~15 -20 or so.

Someone should write a book about pattern development.

Hoss

Yes someone... maybe you could rival Larrin's best seller! I'd buy one even though I do stock removal.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

If the question is can you stack 11 layer pieces with 44 layer pieces and weld up - yes. The final pattern will show wider and narrower stripes.
If you stack four 11 layer pieces with three 44 layer pieces ( I never use even numbers), the resulting billet will have 176 layers. That will work, or, fold it and get 352 layers, which looks pretty good.