Stainless steel in junk box canister damascus?

[Leon Husock]

I was thinking stainless steel jewelry tumbling media might make for a neat pattern. It comes in different, irregular shapes and sizes, and if you put it in a can with 1084 powder it'd contrast really nicely. I know when people do stainless welding they generally do it in an oxygen-free environment, which this would be. Any reason this wouldn't work? I know I'd have to put a piece of HC steel in there somewhere to actually hold an edge.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Only one way to know for sure. Let us know how it comes out.
Putting a piece of 1084 down the center to make the core is wise.

 

[Leon Husock]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I'll definitely give it a shot and see how it goes. Should I clean the tumbling media first, and if so how? I can't exactly grind them clean.

 

[argel55]

I've been told you can do it but be prepared to let it soak a lot longer to make a weld. I'm going to make a ring for a friend's son and use 154cm drill shaving in a canister with 1084 powder.

 

[Leon Husock]

I've been told you can do it but be prepared to let it soak a lot longer to make a weld. I'm going to make a ring for a friend's son and use 154cm drill shaving in a canister with 1084 powder.

Oooh, good tip, thanks. I totally forgot that stainless welds at a higher temp. I run my forge off 20 lb propane tanks so I like to keep the PSI as low as possible for whatever I'm doing, so I'll definitely have to crank it for this.