Many San Mai flavors

zoe crist

zoe crist

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Jun 7, 2009
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Hello to everyone !!
I have a variety of San Mai flavors now. I have been experimenting using pure nickel with 410 stainless steel. The 400 series are magnetic which make surface grinding and other operations easier. This is a new technique and there are a few bugs to workout. Like there is some delamination in the stainless where I cut in the wavy pattern. It seems that when the stainless gets sooooo thin in those area it peels a little but it doesn't affect the outcome though because when you grind the bevels you essential "erase" those small peels and the rest of it has a solid fusion. All the pieces that have Damascus core use 1095/15n20 Zoe Crist Tribal pattern. Depending how I draw it out the pattern expands or is tight. If you are looking for some San Mai I have some in stock and will make to order with quick turn around times. The price is for linear inch and it is the same price no matter how wide or thick as long as it is in standard dimensions like 1 1/4",
1 1/2", or 2" and thicknesses down to .090" and up to 3/16"(.187") Beyond that I adjust the price a little. I am writing a paper on the details for the particular querks for heat treating this material. Here are some specs and varieties below ..…......price per inch.........
410 SS over 1095 -$18
410 SS over Damascus -$25
Damascus over CPM154 or
AEB-L -$27
Stainless Damascus over
CPM154 or AEB-L -$30
Stainless Damascus over
1095 -$28
.... And now the cool one....
410 SS over 7 layers
alternating pure nickel and
1095 each side over Damascus. (Wow) -$35

If you hollow grind or flat grind you can get different proportions of how high the SS climbs up the blade. In the pics below these were all rough ground at 60 grit and quick etch. After a high grit finish and heat treat the colors and carbon migration line will really pop !! On the SS/1095/nickel/Damascus I could have ground it a bit more to reveal more of the Damascus. On the knife pic that was left rough forged look on purpose The Damascus pic is an example for the core material.
 

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A few more pictures to the post above.
image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg
 

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Thanks guys. It is nice to be working again. Things are different but I'm learning to work with it.... Or should I say without :)
 
doing a hellova job my man, just goes to show, The true artist an knifemaker in you.Alot of heart an soul buddy!
 
Thanks a ton ba it is good to be back. I just need to let everyone know that I'm back in the game !!!
 
I'm very pleased to see you working again . I certainly am interested in some of your new billets. I think I would really like the stainless over the Damascus to use for a folder blade. A length of 4"-5" with a thickness of .110-.116 or so would probably work well. Much thicker and I think I would loose the artistry you put into the steel. You can if you wish, contact me at niro@telus.net Frank
 
good to see you back Zoe. What is new about what you are doing or do you mean new for you? just asking because I have been doing this for years.
 
Hi bill.
Thanks for the welcome back :)
I was meaning for me. And also was referring to the nickel/1095/410/Damascus particularly. I'm learning how to balance the proportions. Of course if you break it down forge welding of different materials is nothing new and all this is just variations of forge welding. I have used these materials in my own knives for years as well but in getting consistency where I feel confident in selling the material is another thing :) San Mai in various forms has been limited on the supplier side of things. Yes many have done it but not many have offered it for sale.... And maybe for good reason. But I'm seeing if I can do good enough work and offer it to others. It's tricky at times.
 
It is tricky isn't it. The nickle makes the weld a little easier and helps retard carbon migration. keep up the good work.
 
Thanks bill. Will do.
Since I got you here and this may not be the ace but others might find interesting so .....
I have a question for you. In dealing with proportions, is it correct to think that if I have a piece of Damascus or 1095 or whatever that is lets say 6" long and 2" wide and .060" thick and welded to 416 that is .125" thick and same dimensions and that is drawn out to 12" long. Does the core move in a true linear fashion thus being now .030". And if so the 416 should be .0625" ? If so then that should give about .030" or so extra on the 416 to surface grind all the scale off and give a clean and evenly proportional billet. That is the theory I'm working off. Yet sometimes I find it doesn't hold true and I think it must be because I can't calculate the oxidation and loss to scale.

If you have any thought or experience I would love to hear your thoughts
 
I find that the core moves about 20% more than the 416 when using 52100. I would think that 10xx series steel would move more than that but have never used them in san mai. I start with all three the same thickness, ~.190 x 6 x 1.25. weld then draw to the width I want ~2.5 then roll to my desired thickness .125-.140. this is for my kitchen knives that finish out ~.105
 
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