Made my first damascus today!
I used 4 layers of 15n20, one layer of 1080, and 3 layers of 1084 (just had an oddball piece of 1080 laying around the shop and couldn't resist...) Got a total of 8 layers. I cut off the welded ends, and ground down the edges, and it looks like one solid piece of steel - no gaps or unwelded spots thus far. I sanded one side smooth and was going to cut halfway through, fold it and weld it and draw it down, to create more layers. I thought that maybe, before I do that, I'd see if it's necessary. If I go ahead and forge the billet down and make a knife out of it, will it show that cool pattern when it's finished and etched? Should I combine it with another damascus billet, and do something like twist it (planning on doing 01/mild billet tomorrow afternoon or Monday). Is it necessary to fold the billet to increase overall strength of the steel? If folding it and creating more layers is the next step, do I need to stop between welds to grind the surface smooth before hot-cutting and folding and doing the next weld? I have to say, my previous attempts at damascus have flopped, and I'm stoked to have actually forged a successful billet! I also used anhydrous borax on this one, and 20 Mule Team on the previous efforts, and am wondering if that made a difference - there was almost no scale on the billet after it cooled. And what little there was, wire-brushed off easily while it was still red-hot from forging. I'm perfectly happy to fold it and weld it to create more layers, but I guess I'm wondering what the best way to go about that is - I don't want to screw up a good thing. Anybody got any advice?
I used 4 layers of 15n20, one layer of 1080, and 3 layers of 1084 (just had an oddball piece of 1080 laying around the shop and couldn't resist...) Got a total of 8 layers. I cut off the welded ends, and ground down the edges, and it looks like one solid piece of steel - no gaps or unwelded spots thus far. I sanded one side smooth and was going to cut halfway through, fold it and weld it and draw it down, to create more layers. I thought that maybe, before I do that, I'd see if it's necessary. If I go ahead and forge the billet down and make a knife out of it, will it show that cool pattern when it's finished and etched? Should I combine it with another damascus billet, and do something like twist it (planning on doing 01/mild billet tomorrow afternoon or Monday). Is it necessary to fold the billet to increase overall strength of the steel? If folding it and creating more layers is the next step, do I need to stop between welds to grind the surface smooth before hot-cutting and folding and doing the next weld? I have to say, my previous attempts at damascus have flopped, and I'm stoked to have actually forged a successful billet! I also used anhydrous borax on this one, and 20 Mule Team on the previous efforts, and am wondering if that made a difference - there was almost no scale on the billet after it cooled. And what little there was, wire-brushed off easily while it was still red-hot from forging. I'm perfectly happy to fold it and weld it to create more layers, but I guess I'm wondering what the best way to go about that is - I don't want to screw up a good thing. Anybody got any advice?
360 layers with 3 welding heats, this is very fast for me. When I used to cut and fold my billets I would sometimes find a flaw but no more. I use the plain old 20 Mule Team for flux.