Kinighteth

Frosty, I understand exactly what you are saying, I have a tendency to try to start on the more difficult level of things and work out the basics while attempting. I guess because if I don't have a position to base the questions I have to ask that are directly correlated to what I specifically want to do. As for the questions, I apparently do not know what type of welding forge welding is. I had thought it was simply forge welding and as for what does flux do in forge welding, my impressions are that it removes or does not allow oxygen to be trapped between the layers to prevent oxidation and keep the layers from separating when cooling or quenching. i do plan to do a lot of practice but I also want to attempt a pattern weld to see where I excel or don't excel, to see just how complicated it is and to see what things I need to focus on learning. I have done a fair amount of brazing and soldering in my lifetime. I spent 8 years in the Navy as a low voltage electrician so that is where those skills came from. And now my profession is working with steel all day and everyday running CnC plasma cutters and prep with angle grinders. And I have found I enjoy this work and want to take it further. With that gettin material to practice with is no problem, like for example I have a full set of leaf springs from a 51 Chevy COE waiting to be worked with. And as for my searching I have done I do look beyond the first page of google results, however they tend to be inundated with results that have no relation to what I was looking for.

I will have to check to see how to put my location under my avatar thank you! And as far as using the search I have done multiple searches using the search feature on this forum which did not return any results that gave any answers to my questions, but rather brought up more questions lol. I don't intend to jump directly into Damascus. I plan to do some basic smithing first but I truly do want to learn Damascus, I think I want to try mokune gane first and see how I fare at that. And you are correct, I do not have the thousands of dollars of equipment, not the thousands of dollars lol but I do have time, and a significant amount of desire and interest in the skill, so much as to say I can't think of anything I have ever had as much desire to do. And I tend to be a very stubborn person lol.

Hi everyone. to start with I am new to blacksmithing, honestly that is a bit of an understatement. Being as I have yet to actually put hammer to anvil, I am not sure you could even say I am new to it lol. However, I do have an anvil and I have a makeshift forge which I plan to upgrade. And I have also done lots of research, which I like to do prior to doing anything. I intend to have my first attempt at smithing this weekend and I would like to primarially focus on Damascus and other forms of pattern welding. This leads me to some of my first questions I have not been able to find answers to in all of my research. - Timascus: I inderstand it is patented but I don't understand, can titanium not be pattern welded like steel? And if so would this be infringing upon the patent? - I also understand titanium is not a suitable blade material, but if used as a layer in Damascus (if that is possible) would it compromise the integrity of the blade material? And if not could it be colored as it is in Timascus? - and as for colors, how are colors achieved in Damascus? I have seen a knife made of Damascus that had some truly remarkable blues and purples, it was a video on you tube of a MSC mick strider custom cobalt forged knife. How are these colors achieved? Is it particular metals that when etched turn those colors? Or is it by anodizing? - has anyone got a good reference on where I can learn what different metals will bring what characteristics IE blacks, Greys, and silvers and so on in Damascus and mokune gane? - and finally when anodizing can one anodize and not, effect the hardness of their heat treat? Thank you you very much in advance!