Pattern Welding 5160/15N20?

weo

weo

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I did a search and didn't really find a clear answer, so would this combo make a decent pattern welded blade, specifically for culinary uses?

I'm recently unemployed and about out of my 1095 and O1 stock. I do have a bunch of 5160 bars that have been laying around my "shop". In my search, it seems as if this is a newbie question and about all I've seen is that it's difficult to weld and suggestions to get some 1084/1090 or O1 to go with the 15N20. I've got a fair bit of experience forge welding billets, so if this would make a decent knife, it'd allow me to continue to build my inventory (especially now that I have some extra time) without spending $ on more steel.
Thanks

as always
peace and love
billyO
 
5160 is kind of low in carbon and a tag ugly in the etch from what i have been told.
 
It's a good combination. 5160 forges better than 1084. The lower carbon is better for forging, the moderate manganese is good for dark etching, the chrome keeps the grain size down.

5160 will handle more twisting than other steels and is deeper hardening than other simple carbon steels.

George Werth used it as his primary steel. I think it's what Alabama damascus uses. (They use a combo of a few steels)

It is inexpensive but hard to find in thinner sizes.

15n20 is good with most carbon damascus.

Hoss
 
Hoss, IIRC Brad uses a combo of 5160 and 52100 for his "dark" steels.
 
I'm in the same boat as you, so I know where your coming from. One thing that makes interesting damascus is to take bits of old files, saw blade, basically any scrap high carbon steel and forge weld one piece at a time. Takes a bit of knowledge and scientific guess work to heat treat, but as long as you've got a good idea of what the steel is and treat it accordingly it'll make a good blade. Basically start with a chunk of high carbon steel, stack another piece on top a bit smaller, weld, add another piece, etcetera. Once you've got a nice sized billet draw out and fold several times length and width ways. You'll never get the same pattern twice, but makes for an interesting pattern. This method is also a good way to teach forge welding as it shows you don't need a ton of force to weld, just need to get everything into contact and squeeze flux and crud out at the rite temp. Also it's a lot of fun. Bruce Evens taught me to forge weld years ago with this method, called it "Frontier Damascus" as in the early days smiths would not waste steel and would forge weld up any bits they had-and it sounds better than "scrapmascus", and while it's faster and easier to start with a stack of 1084 and 15&20 and weld under the press, I still do this once in a while for fun.
 
I love it, "scrapmascus" is junktastic
 
5160 etches gray, vs O1 will etch black. 5160 is awesome, but it requires a longer "soak" for hardening.
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This is spring steel wrapped tool steel i was experimenting. It is an actual spring wrapped around a tool steel round stock.
 
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