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Go to the website of Jesus Hernandez, bladesmith, and look at his stuff about making tamahagane. There is quite a bit there. His work is really nice, too.
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Organic steel
- Thread starter theflyingplatypus
- Start date
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Salem,
I think you meant to address this to "theflyingplatapus".
I am aware of Jesus' great work.
I think some may have read my answers wrong. I love tamahagane and the process. I was just saying the term "Organic" was the wrong word.
The process is quite a task, but the results are worth it if all comes out right.
I think you meant to address this to "theflyingplatapus".
I am aware of Jesus' great work.
I think some may have read my answers wrong. I love tamahagane and the process. I was just saying the term "Organic" was the wrong word.
The process is quite a task, but the results are worth it if all comes out right.
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- Sep 9, 2003
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Platypus, as has been mentioned, the closest I feel I have come to "organic" steel is the bloomery material I make from the ores I dig here in Michigan. I didn't want to hi-jack you thread with a blatant "everybody look at my knife!" post so I have started a separate thread here:http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9035491#post9035491
Stacy is correct that part of the line-up at next years Ashokan is a smelt from Lake Superior magnetite sand to a heat treated blade.
ac1d0v3r1d3, as a guy who works with the stuff all the time I feel I need to say something to this... you may not know how right your are
! It is WORK, a lot of it and the time and cost make it some of the most expensive steel you can work with (damascus is cheap by comparison). And all for a very unpredictable product with none of the consistency or many of the nice properties of modern steel. But it is so cool for entirely different reasons than we normally look for in knives.
It does have other endearing qualities other than the novelty factor, it welds forges, grinds and polishes like a dream, with no comparisons in modern steel. Of course it is a P.I.T.A. to heat treat but when working it it does feel, smell and even tastes more "organic" than any metal I have ever experienced, short of that Keweenaw float copper.
Stacy is correct that part of the line-up at next years Ashokan is a smelt from Lake Superior magnetite sand to a heat treated blade.
ac1d0v3r1d3, as a guy who works with the stuff all the time I feel I need to say something to this... you may not know how right your are
! It is WORK, a lot of it and the time and cost make it some of the most expensive steel you can work with (damascus is cheap by comparison). And all for a very unpredictable product with none of the consistency or many of the nice properties of modern steel. But it is so cool for entirely different reasons than we normally look for in knives.It does have other endearing qualities other than the novelty factor, it welds forges, grinds and polishes like a dream, with no comparisons in modern steel. Of course it is a P.I.T.A. to heat treat but when working it it does feel, smell and even tastes more "organic" than any metal I have ever experienced, short of that Keweenaw float copper.
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- Jun 10, 2003
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Reading this thread I was reminded - I DID make an organic knife !! For those who eat polenta , there are ways to slice a big mound of it usually with a length of string. But for a more formal , fancier way you make a polenta knife . So I made a knife of wavy grained maple !!!