The History of Powder Metals in Damascus Steel

Larrin

Larrin

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Jan 17, 2004
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Through interviews with 15+ knifemakers and Damascus steel producers I was able to put together a history of the introduction of powder metals to pattern-welded Damascus steel. This was a particularly influential period in terms of mosaic Damascus pattern development and it was fun to talk to these legendary Damascus makers about the process of pushing the envelope with new techniques. https://knifesteelnerds.com/2019/08/19/the-history-of-powder-metals-in-damascus-steel/
 
Awesome! Gonna read right now

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Just finished the read! Great article!
 
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Larrin - you've outdone yourself AGAIN! with this article. I found it VERY good reading. Thank you again for all the GREAT articles you put out for use mere mortals.
 
Larrin said:
What happened last winter?
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I tried my best to find a pre-existing example of the method I used to make this:

9jmr8Ib.jpg


I couldn't find any reference to the use of laser cutting and filling with powder that apparently Matt Diskin pioneered. Only the various forms of "mosaic building" using solids in powder cans. So I made the tentative claim to have come up with a novel idea. Which makes me feel like shit. I should have known, nothing new under the sun. I suppose I didn't do exactly what he did, though stacking up a bar of cut outs did occur to me and I made some test pieces of that.

This is one reason I really appreciate your "knife history" articles even if the primary purpose of your blog is steel/performance. There are very few indexed sources of historical precedence when it comes to this stuff. If you weren't "there" or knew someone who was, outside of a couple key things mentioned often in various articles across the web like Moran starting the damascus trend or whatever, the history is kind of lost.
 
kuraki said:
This is one reason I really appreciate your "knife history" articles even if the primary purpose of your blog is steel/performance. There are very few indexed sources of historical precedence when it comes to this stuff. If you weren't "there" or knew someone who was, outside of a couple key things mentioned often in various articles across the web like Moran starting the damascus trend or whatever, the history is kind of lost.
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The history parts of my articles have taken by far the most time and have been the most difficult to research. Very little is recorded and much is lost. I've enjoyed it though.
 
Interesting stuff Larrin, I really wasn’t aware that some folks had advanced the craft so far!! Some of those “picture” damascus patterns are astonishing!
 
kuraki said:
I tried my best to find a pre-existing example of the method I used to make this:

9jmr8Ib.jpg
.
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John, that is one IMPRESSIVE Bowie - and great work on the patterned Damascus. You're one of the Masters.
 
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Larrin, thanks for sharing. I've specifically been slowly trying to learn about the history of powder Damascus lately. Steve Schwarzer's article in Knives 2019 is on reading list.

I've also been looking for similar industrial & academic efforts - particularly hot working powder in a canister (vs HIP or conventional press and sinter). My intent was to look for research or technical information that could be applied to canister Damascus.

I found a 1949 report by James R. Long and Earl T. Hayes for the Bureau of Mines titled "Sheath Working of Metal Powders". This deals mainly with hot rolling titanium powder inside an iron canister. The article cites related work dating back to 1798, but appears to be the first to take advantage of the sheath's protective effect while aiming for compaction.
 
Powder metallurgy for producing parts close to final shape has been around for quite some time. Longer than PM steels have been around.
 
8D399B04-6578-46A6-9668-CE812AA4242C.jpeg Great article. Here is picture of a Wootz Damascus blade smelted and forged by Al Pendray. I think it needs to be reetched.
 
Thanks for the article Larrin!!

I always wondered about the quality of steel made this ways, to be precise, its powdered steel density vs the density of the solid steel in the pattern. Did you made tests in this regard?

Pablo
 
PEU said:
Thanks for the article Larrin!!

I always wondered about the quality of steel made this ways, to be precise, its powdered steel density vs the density of the solid steel in the pattern. Did you made tests in this regard?

Pablo
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Because it is forged with significant reduction the steel will be 100% dense or something very close to it. I would be more concerned about oxides.
 
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