My son's first damascus billet!

[Atlas Knife Company]

Recent upgrades to the burner on the Atlas mini forge prompted a small hammering session over at Dave Larsen's. Graham made this billet of cable damascus. The forge we used was the first forge I made. Straight in the side, no angle, so many improvements since this forge. I can't wait to try the burner for a session with a new forge. We do have a 12 ton press that we're just dying to try this with.

Graham has his own 100lb. post anvil and a forge with his name on the front plate, but he thought it would be too loud and annoy the neighbors so he hasn't done more. He stated while making this billet that it wasn't too loud and he was going to start hammering more at home.

Any pearls of wisdom for a young maker just starting damascus?

PS: Yes, we know the forge and anvil shouldn't be on the ground.

Here's the billet after a bit of sandblasting:

 

[Hengelo_77]

I like it!

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

Thanks. He's psyched about finishing out the billet into a blade at the hammer-in at USAKnifeMaker next month.

Although, I'm kinda disappointed to see that after 200 views, only one comment about a young knifemaker's first billet.

 

[AVigil]

Looks like he is having some fun.

 

[lunadam]

Always great to see a new generation rocking the craft. Is that a home built forge?

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

Yes, that is the first forge I ever built. You could call it the great-grandfather of the Atlas Mini Forge that we now sell through USAKnifeMaker.com. All the forges now ship with this same burner.