More on damascus micarta (raggish if you'd like)

ArielSalaverria

ArielSalaverria

Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
1,617
These four following pictures are part of a process similar to the one already shown on my previous thread Making "Damascus" micarta, but in this case, what changes are both the measure of the clothings and the quantity.

Here we have 60 pieces of clothing in a 2 x10" measure, half in black and half in brown.

The idea here is to make a fatty torsioned piece, so I tied it up to a wooden flat piece -covered with plastic film to prevent glueing agains it. This will prevent the torsioned clothings to "escape" when I light press it.

dammicDOS1_big.jpg


dammicDOS2_big.jpg


dammicDOS3_big.jpg


dammicDOS4_big.jpg



With this, I'll be able to use this piece for a hidden tang knife, and the advantage is that you get to see the patterns on all sides of the piece, even on the top and back.


Here's how it looks on the finished knife:

dammicDOS5_big.jpg


dammicDOS6_big.jpg


dammicDOS7_big.jpg


dammicDOS8_big.jpg


dammicDOS9_big.jpg


dammicDOS10_big.jpg




To answer some common questions, I use 4 tons of pressure, if you don't have access to a hydraulic press, you can use a mecanical one, kinda like the one Moe used on poor Curly.

The resin I use is the one sold to repair boats, that it's used on glassfiber materials (you can also ass glassfiber to the clothings if you'd like to)

If you'd like to use wood, it'd have to be around half a milimeter thickness, but you can't torsionate it, just bend it (there is an example/tutorial on my website about it)

Thanks for looking!

Ariel
 
Really great looking stuff. Might have to try that soon. Thanks for sharing.
One question. Going to have to find a hyd press or suitable sub.
 
Nice, Ariel!
My only question is how you get the resin off your hands?
It sems to take forever to clean up...
 
Ariel,
Do you have to leave it in the press until completely set?

I guess it is better to use the thinnest cloth possible?

Thanks for sharing this and regarding your knife, the whole package looks great. :thumbup:

Mike
 
please try not getting epoxy on your hands, its carciogenic as hell as far as i know (heard from people that makes commercial carbonfibre)
 
These have me doing a lot of thinking....possibilites are flying through my head....who ever said the fabric needed to be in sheets? I was in a crafts store the other day and was amazed at the huge range of colors AND texture yarn that is out there....some of it felt like canvas, some softer, some with differing materials woven in......could I take a big bundle of yarn sections, use an elastic to hold them together at the ends, dip the whole shebag into the epoxy, then twist and press? What other materials can we do this with? Different colored papers? What about white fabric, using epoxy that has a few different dyes impregnated, but not equally mixed? what about fine scotchbrite pads and colored epoxy?
 
TikTock said:
These have me doing a lot of thinking....possibilites are flying through my head....who ever said the fabric needed to be in sheets? I was in a crafts store the other day and was amazed at the huge range of colors AND texture yarn that is out there....some of it felt like canvas, some softer, some with differing materials woven in......could I take a big bundle of yarn sections, use an elastic to hold them together at the ends, dip the whole shebag into the epoxy, then twist and press? What other materials can we do this with? Different colored papers? What about white fabric, using epoxy that has a few different dyes impregnated, but not equally mixed? what about fine scotchbrite pads and colored epoxy?
Click to expand...

i was planning on tring to put yarn inbetween the layers to give sorta a spalted look to it also i want to try some of the glow powder mixed in in different %s
butch
 
Torsionate = twist !! Does anyone know the differences in using a synthetic such as nylon VS a natural fiber such as cotton since cotton will absorb some of the resin while nylon probably won't ....I too, would caution about handling resins without gloves.....In any case Ariel come through with another creative masterpiece !
 
mete said:
Torsionate = twist !! Does anyone know the differences in using a synthetic such as nylon VS a natural fiber such as cotton since cotton will absorb some of the resin while nylon probably won't ....I too, would caution about handling resins without gloves.....In any case Ariel come through with another creative masterpiece !
Click to expand...
ive used 65/35 poly/cotton, blue jeans, and canvas all seem to work well with the epoxy i have been using
i do want to try some different types of epoxy to see just how close to real micarta i can get and still have nice patterens
so far i havent had any problems with what ive made but i have to make sure
if theres a better way to do it by god i want to know
butch
 
The only problem with using synthetics such as nylon is they don't sand real clean like cotton or linen. They tend to smear if you go too fast in the sanding. Kind of have to sneak up on the final sanding...real light touch.
 
howiesatwork said:
The only problem with using synthetics such as nylon is they don't sand real clean like cotton or linen. They tend to smear if you go too fast in the sanding. Kind of have to sneak up on the final sanding...real light touch.
Click to expand...


I have had the same problem. I have tried to stick to cotton, jute and linen. Great stuff as always Ariel. Thanks
 
Nice intergal, and good looking handle material. Please get some cheap plastic gloves. I don't know about the carciogenic properties, but you can develope a seriouse allergic responce to it and it can get so bad that you won't be able to handle anything with resin in it, cured or not.
 
Folks, regarding the epoxy issue, I use a protective cream that you apply like mosturizing cream 5 minutes before working, so it dries up before handling the epoxy, Once the job is finished, I remove this cream washing vigorously with soap and water.

It works much better than the gloves, as I have more control and the latex doesn't get glued between fingers.

It's the same protective cream many mechanics use to prevent solvents and gas to get inside their skin.

Regards,

Ariel
 
Peter_E_Ryt said:
Is there any sort of epocy that works best, or just the 24 hour stuff?
Click to expand...



Thinner is better as a rule. Burlap likes a bit thicker epoxy I have found. I have gotten good results with DER 324. You can get it from this place.
under the name Alpha Poxy. They describe it as flexible but you would be hard pressed to tell it from any other epoxy flexiability wise.


http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/alphapoxy.php
 
Ariel, The micarta is awesome and that knife is too! WOW!:thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top