Nagoo

Thank you for the advice,  I was not really trying to make Damascus with it just practicing the welding technique, I have learned a lot from this little discussion, thank you guys

ok, I tried to clean it as best I could with my wire brush but that just doesn't cut it I guess, will need to get me an angle grinder and some flap discs as my next purchase. do you know if that master smith is in Graeagle, would it be possible to get his contact info? 

Ok, finally got my phone back.  I was trying to make a throwing knife, very basic with a point,  was folding and forge welding for the practice of it.  I am using a coal forge.  I live in Chester, CA on hwy 36 about two hours from Portola, there is a novice blacksmith in Westwood about 20 min from me and I did take lessons from him for awhile and then i passed him as he was also a novice and I had more time to practice.

I will be getting pictures as soon as my wife brings me back my phone, she stole it for her weekend trip,  I did not incise before bending and the piece was as clean as I could make it without grinding/polishing the surfaces as I do not have the required equipment to do those things as of yet, I am not a complete novice at forge welding (have had many unsuccessful attempts and a few successful ones) I have figured out how to get my temperature at welding heat with going to hot, I was unaware of the different allows in leaf spring steel so that is good to know.

I live in northern California half way between Redding, CA and Reno, NV

I am new to black smithing and I am trying to forge weld leaf spring steel for a project,  when I folded the piece I noticed that there were a bunch of cracks along the outside of the fold,  what did I do wrong, how can I fix it, and what should I do to prevent this issue in the future?