Thank you, gentlemen!
Here are the replies to some questions I got!
How does the chainsaw chain affect the strength/toughness/edge retention of the steel?
In my usual san mai steels, the laterals are softer than the inner core, so that adds to the resistance of the blade (that's the idea behind the process - and the damascus sides make the knife look nice
). In this case, there is some added resistance, but it's not that noticeable as in the 1010/1070 case due to the composition of the chainsaw (52100/1070) It is better than if the blade was just 5160 though.
As for the edge retention, all san mai steels have the exact same retention as a regular blade made with the inner core, as that's what gonna perform. So in this case, this blade will have the same edge characteristics as a 5160 blade.
Ariel, I have always admired the way you do things most people say can't be done, like putting nonferrous metals into a steel blade or steel into mokume. laugh.gif Keeps 'em guessing!
I know a lot of people that like to talk... I prefer to work and let my creations speak for me
In these two links people can see the processes I use to make pretty much everything I offer, so anyone willing to try can actually do it:
http://www.aescustomknives.com.ar/docs/knifemaking.htm
http://www.aescustomknives.com.ar/docs/tutorials.htm
I get about a dozen emails a week asking me questions about different techniques and I'm always happy to help. (If anyone sent me an email that I didn't reply, please re send it, as I probably didn't get it or lose it on a spam filter - I get over 100 a day of those)
why do you weld the stuff inside a canister??
I've welded a few bikechains and chainsaws before... always just using the handhammer to begin with and later a powerhammer... never used a canister, and it seemed to hold up nicely... now I'm wondering whether that was a mistake.... or maybe the container makes the whole thing just a lot easier?
I've hand forged bike chains and chainsaws before with no cannister and I've found my personal results to go in hand with the books I've read about it. An average of 90% welding, where you have to cut more un-welded borders or remake the entire thing if you get inclusions in the middle, etc.
Then I started to use a cannister, still hand forging with just a hammer and while it takes longuer, I got the same results as I get with the press, almost 100% welding. I haven't keep a real record, but I'd say 99% welding on all pieces I've made. Then with the press, I get even better results, reduce time and get to try new things.
The concept behind the cannister is the same as with stainless forging... It reduces the O2 inside and the steels weld easier
Now this cannister process is just to weld materials together, as for flattening more and shaping the steel, those processes (either you use a hammer, a power hammer or a press) are done once the ingot it outside the cannister.
What's important when you're adding other melted metals to the blade is that you kinda have to make the desired final thickness from the get go. The piece I've posted in the first posts was the second one I had to make for this project. You'll see why in the next pictures.
This is a chainsaw welded to a SAE 5160 flatstock, made exactly like I've showed before.
I don't press it to flatten everything as I need the empty spaces from the links to receive the melted bronze later, right?
But then you get to realize that this is still too thick for a folder blade...
And when you press it more to flatten it to the proper thickness, you lose the interstitial spaces to accomodate the bronze, and you end up with an ingot like this, with not enough bronze on it, that once the blade get ground, it's gonna lose even more.
And this is why you have to consider all of these (thickness, blade shape, and type of grinding to be done) before start making the piece!
As for the tempering, the previous dagger got HT'd to be somewhat softer (as it was a sticker) than a user knife, but this one will have to get a special treatment, with the bronze there and all, so I'll be taking pictures of that and the etching once Ruben finishes the grinding.
Thanks for looking!
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Ariel
