Working that billet

G

gredpe3

Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
442
I have learned alot on this billet,I converted a 4lb sledge to a straight wedge.Drawing it out across the horn seems to be giveing me some good progress.Now I just need a plan to get it good and flat before clean-up,so i dont lose a lot of material.I will keep at it and figure out a way.I made a flatter out of leaf spring but so far it aint workin like I wanted it to.
Eddie
 
You are going to have to clean it up one way or another, so just forge it as flat as you can with a square face hammer. If you are forging the blade, keep on forging to get the basic profile and bevels. Once it is done, grind it smooth and to shape.

Loosing material is just a matter of life when making damascus billets. It is a fools errand to try and save material at the expense of the billet quality. Some billets will sacrifice well over 1/2 of the starting steel to get a great looking pattern.
 
I herdat.I'm done for the day. This weekend I'll show the billet ,my new homebuilt forge with dual Z-burners and my custom hammer.The Blacksmiths of days gone by have my utmost respect. Working a billet by hammer and anvil ain't easy.Oh and if I remember the flatter spoon made from leaf spring,which would probably work if I could swing a bigger hammer.
Eddie
 
This is my first billet,i didnt realize the lose factor was so great. I should have started thicker than I did. I went with five layers alittle over an inch thick.Lesson learned.
Eddie
 
Five layers of .20" is a good starter billet.
Something around 1.5"X6"X five layers of .20" is doable by hand.
Weld, re-weld ( to make sure it is solid), draw out to twice the length, fold, weld, re-weld, draw out, repeat for a total of six times = 320 layer bar. By the time you do the final draw out, the billet will be about 3/4 of the original weight.
 
This is a flatter. You place it on the work and strike it with a maul.
 

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I need one. My sloppy forging made me remove way to much material.I went back and added a couple pieces of metal so it wouldnt be a complete lose.If the billet is only good for fixtures I will still be fine with it.I am going to start a new one soon and pay closer attention to the flattening.Plus start with more material.I said it was just over an inch but it was just under.
Thanks for the help,Eddie
 
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