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I Forge Iron

Damascus finish


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I forged out a dagger blade from a billet of 1090/nickle silver. (This piece was given to me by a retired smith; he said it is 500 layers, birds eye pattern.)

I just forged the shape of the blade but did not hammer the edges down, so that it is still the same thickness all of the way through. What I wan't to know is can I grind it down or would it be better to forge the profile into the blade? How will either of those options affect the look of the pattern?

Thanks in advance!

Dave

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Inter Library Loan, a common set up at American libraries where they have borrowing rights from a large number of other libraries generally including University ones and major city ones too.

So living in a small town in NM I can easily ILL a book that is so hard to find that a 4 year open search on Amazon.com can't dig one out to buy; or I can ILL a book that costs hundreds of dollars and read it for free! (they started charging a $1 lately down here though)

When I lived in AR our small library was in a group of 90+ libraries including a dozen universities.

Inter Library Loan a real research tool when you don't live in a big city---and many times when you do!

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I'm pretty sure it's nickle as the guy that gave it to me said it was......course he retired 20 years ago! :o

Anyway, I did forge it out and kept it at a good bright yellow heat for forge work, and didn't have problems with anything melting out.

Maybe I'll call the guy and double check!

Dave

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Dave ,
if your blade is made from "random" or simple laminar damascus then grinding will give your pattern far more parallel lines following the edge (as you cut through more layers making the bevel). Hammering the bevels in will tend to give a more wood grain like pattern near the edge (as the action of the hammer pushing one layer below another will be more evident).both have there place .
If you have a look on one of the bladesmithing sites at stock removal damascus blades as opposed to forged damascus blades the difference will be evident .
If the pattern is complex or twisted then once again the effects will be quite different .
It is quite unlikly that your blade is nickel silver and steel (nickel silver is a silver coloured brass is ) and more likley pure Nickel and steel .

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