Source for ring-size pieces of stainless Damascus?

chainring

chainring

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Jul 20, 2008
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Now that my wife knows what Damascus is, she wants to have Damascus wedding rings. Tried to sell her on 'em before the wedding, but I guess she wasn't ready! :)

I've looked at some of the beautiful rings that are out there, but I simply can't afford them. Who makes some nice, busy stainless Damascus in about 1/4 thick or slightly more that could sell a piece to me? I'd like to make our own rings - maybe 1/4 thick for me and 3/16 thick for her? Needs to be a pretty busy pattern to show some figure in such a small format. I'd get bolster squares from knifekits, but they aren't thick enough. Any sources out there, or makers who might sell a chunk?

Thanks!!
 
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Yep, I saw Delbert's stuff - it's amazing. It also starts at $950 for a men's wedding band! That's one of those that I can't afford! :)
 
chainring said:
Yep, I saw Delbert's stuff - it's amazing. It also starts at $950 for a men's wedding band! That's one of those that I can't afford! :)
Click to expand...

I think my wifes ring and my ring cost about $1000 total, and there are lots of different patterns. Let me see if i can find the guys website. It is like his retired hobby/business so I think his prices are a lot less than many others. Here it is. http://andrewnycedesigns.com/damascus

I was wondering about the same thing too though. I was contemplating making damascus and mokumegane crosses for christian friends or for like a christian store or church to sell but did not know where to get material.

They have mokumegane too and many combinations of damascus with gold and with stones etc.
Here is a picture of mine and my wifes rings. The black ony my ring has worn off so now the contrast isn't as strong and it looks like a general clean damascus. I think it is just unavoidable for what men do with their rings on.
Wedding%20ring.JPG


And here is the engagement ring for my wife. More espensive of course since it has silver and white gold with saphires in it.
Ring.JPG
 
Contact Delbert of Chad and ask for a section of stainless twist damascus billet that is not drawn down yet. Probably about 1" square or round. Ask to purchase approx. 1 linear inch of it. From this you will slice off your stock. Slices about 3/8" (9-10mm) will give you a piece you can drill out some pieces from. If you are lathe proficient, I probably don't need to give you any tips on making the rings. If you are going to try this mainly by hand and such, read on.

If you haven't thought it through yet, the process of cutting ring blanks on a drill press is to use a hole cutting drill and drill/cut the larger diameter hole about 3/4 of the way through. Then, use the center pilot hole to drill/cut the inner diameter. Once that is cut all the way through, go back to the larger hole size and finish the drilling/cutting.
Make the inner diameter a bit smaller than the desired ring size. File it to size ,or turn it on a lathe. Make a mandrel to hold the blank and file or turn the OD and shape as desired. Do the sides and final width last. Creep up on all the final dimensions....you can take more off, but can't put any back on.

The hole drills should be good quality and kept lubricated. Ones like this will do your task.
http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/082472/082472122145xl.jpg
 
Stacy


What about the washer disc method of making a ring?

Is it suitable for a damascus ring?
Would it not expose the pattern enough,

or is it just more difficult to work the less ductile steel compared to the precious metals?
 
bladsmth said:
Contact Delbert of Chad and ask for a section of stainless twist damascus billet that is not drawn down yet. Probably about 1" square or round. Ask to purchase approx. 1 linear inch of it. From this you will slice off your stock. Slices about 3/8" (9-10mm) will give you a piece you can drill out some pieces from. If you are lathe proficient, I probably don't need to give you any tips on making the rings. If you are going to try this mainly by hand and such, read on.

If you haven't thought it through yet, the process of cutting ring blanks on a drill press is to use a hole cutting drill and drill/cut the larger diameter hole about 3/4 of the way through. Then, use the center pilot hole to drill/cut the inner diameter. Once that is cut all the way through, go back to the larger hole size and finish the drilling/cutting.
Make the inner diameter a bit smaller than the desired ring size. File it to size ,or turn it on a lathe. Make a mandrel to hold the blank and file or turn the OD and shape as desired. Do the sides and final width last. Creep up on all the final dimensions....you can take more off, but can't put any back on.

The hole drills should be good quality and kept lubricated. Ones like this will do your task.
http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/082472/082472122145xl.jpg
Click to expand...

I have another idea to add. My dad made milk caps out of acrylic back when POGs were popular and the plastic ones were used. I am not sure if what I am talking about is popular knowledge or more of a local thing where I live then oh well.
ANywho he would make disks of acrylic by drilling a small center hole and putting that hole onto some stationary post. THis stationary post was a set distance from a scroll saw blade. He would then turn the piece of plastic so the blad would cut the hole. You could try this method to if you have a similar saw handy but not hole drills.
I am not speaking from personal experience though so bladsmth's experience might be more efficient.
 
Count:
I have raised damascus rings from "washer" cuts of damascus...and yes it will work. It isn't a novice skill, and will require tapered mandels. the resulting pattern depends on the layer count and the look is unpredictable. I did a WIP a few years back, I think.
I remember making rings from nickles and quarters back in the '50s. Steel works a lot harder, and has to be worked hot. Stainless adds another dimension to that.

Fish,
Plastic and stainless steel damascus are entirely different processes.....and I remember the POG craze.
 
chainring said:
Yep, I saw Delbert's stuff - it's amazing. It also starts at $950 for a men's wedding band! That's one of those that I can't afford! :)
Click to expand...

Give me a call when you can, as others have stated I do make stainless damascus now and i could help you out. (the damascus is less than the gold and silver ;) )
Del
 
bladsmth said:
Count:
I have raised damascus rings from "washer" cuts of damascus...and yes it will work. It isn't a novice skill, and will require tapered mandels. the resulting pattern depends on the layer count and the look is unpredictable. I did a WIP a few years back, I think.
I remember making rings from nickles and quarters back in the '50s. Steel works a lot harder, and has to be worked hot. Stainless adds another dimension to that.

Fish,
Plastic and stainless steel damascus are entirely different processes.....and I remember the POG craze.
Click to expand...

Yeah you would need a certain blade and preferably a low speed making it much harder. Rings wouldn't need to be heat treated after though would they, leave them in the annealed state?

I admit the hole drill idea is pretty good and probably more efficient.
I was thinking about the patterns too since you never know what it will look like from the side if you use a sheet, though I suppose you could cut a slab off of a block....
 
FWIW, I would call Del and talk to him even if you are making it yourself.
He will also give you a good price on stainless bands.

All damascus should be heat treated, regardless of its use.....especially stainless.....very especially rings.
First - damascus etches different after HT.
Second - often,stainless is not stainless until after HT.
 
bladsmth said:
All damascus should be heat treated, regardless of its use.....especially stainless.....very especially rings.
First - damascus etches different after HT.
Second - often,stainless is not stainless until after HT.
Click to expand...

I did not know that. Im guessing it wouldn't need to be RC 58 but I had always wondered how heat treat affects stainless.
 
In general, proper HT makes the most of any steel's corrosion-resistance. Annealed CPM-154 WILL rust if you leave it laying around for a while, for instance. HT'ed CPm-154, you have to neglect it pretty bad before it will actually rust.
 
I won't go into a Kevenesque rant on carbides and such, but the structures and way things get re-arranged in HT makes the steel harder and more corrosion resistant. The hardness can be drawn back some by tempering. The corrosion resistance stays improved.
 
I've got no way to HT, and I'm beginning to realize that I might end up in over my head on a Damascus ring project! :) I spoke with Delbert yesterday. A very kind and patient guy. I think it's probably best for me to pay the price of someone like him, who knows what they are doing and has the ability/wherewithal to do the job right!
 
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