CBrann Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 Ok .. so the Damascus gun barrels of a while ago tripped off something in my head.. they old Brits used to make em out of horse shoe nails... so I got to thinking.. what about drywall screws?? then I thought about the black phosphate coating.. any ideas for stripping that without heavy duty acids? ie hydrochloric sulfuric nitric.. its cold here, I store my gear in an unheated space... and disposal is a pain in the butt! plus I don't have the right protective gear... and that much serious corrosive stuff gives me the creeps.... I am thinking vinegar.. or perhaps glacial acetic... but then there is the corrosive thing again.. I could also go with galvanized and strip with vinegar... .. but the regular black ones are cheaper... and no not gun barrels... I am thinking along the lines of a knife.. or fork... or maybe something else that would benefit from a pattern.. I know the carbon content varies, but is generally higher than mild steel, they spark pretty good when you run them by a wheel.... and there is de carburizing while welding... but I think it would work out ok for either a small knife or crossguard .. or something interesting... Comments .. concerns.. ideas.. cautions.. laughter... thanks for looking, Cliff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 In little more time than it takes to talk about it, you can try it! How ya gonna hold em together to weld? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 Fold them into a piece of sheet steel. It's in one of the out of print BS books linked in blueprints. The technique of folding up old bits of metal is an exercise in one of them. If I find the book, I'll post the link. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 No, no, no...... duck tape em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted December 19, 2009 Author Share Posted December 19, 2009 either I was going to bundle a bunch of big long screws with wire .. or ... do an envelope weld with little ones... I was just hoping someone could suggest a way to strip the phosphate coating so I don't poison myself... I am not sure how they make organophosphates for pesticides.. but I figured enough heat+carbon+phosphate.. could turn ugly.... And just because I though it was a good idea, doesn't make it one.. my one brain versus thousands of brains... someone else might know something I don't ... Oh and it is cold outside... supposed to snow today.... also I don't have much time to forge, so I would like to prep and research as much as I can before I go to my anvil and waste precious time on simple stOOpid mistakes and poorly thought out ideas... hey thanks for looking! Cliff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat pete Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 (edited) put them in a "can" and seal it shut....for the "can" take a piece of square tube (thin stuff) weld the end close on one side and make a lid for the other....the "can can be made outta one piece of square tube by cutting of a section a=on three sides, then you score the last side standing so it folds easier...do that to both ends...fill it with what ever, a little bit of borax....close the lid and weld it shut leaving a litlle pin hole...when you see flame comming out of the hole ..remove it from the fire...forge the whole closed, tap it shut... and back to heating it and lightly tapping it into shape as you go....when it feels solid ...forge it...the "can" will burn off mostly and you will be left whats in it...some guys add a little powder metal to fill in the gaps created but the shapes of thing you stick in the can.... grind it off at the end and etch....see what happens Edited December 19, 2009 by fat pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 put them in a "can" and seal it shut....for the "can" take a piece of square tube (thin stuff) weld the end close on one side and make a lid for the other....the "can can be made outta one piece of square tube by cutting of a section a=on three sides, then you score the last side standing so it folds easier...do that to both ends...fill it with what ever, a little bit of borax....close the lid and weld it shut leaving a litlle pin hole...when you see flame comming out of the hole ..remove it from the fire...forge the whole closed, tap it shut... and back to heating it and lightly tapping it into shape as you go....when it feels solid ...forge it...the "can" will burn off mostly and you will be left whats in it...some guys add a little powder metal to fill in the gaps created but the shapes of thing you stick in the can.... grind it off at the end and etch....see what happens Yep.. I have done the same thing only with a heavy tube... and then cut off the can part of the damacus once welded ( if you dont want it in the pattern. Of course I am doing it under a big power hammer (250lb) so the heavy wall tube does not affect my ability to get a good weld Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 Why drywall screws? Is there something special about them? How about starting with some plain steel wood screws without plating of any kind. Wouldn't that be easier than messing around with phosphate coated screws? Just asking.colin p a duncan - home You may find this interesting or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Drywall screws are reasonably highC without being too high for blades. I don't know how necessary it'd be to clean the phosphate coating but better safe than sorry. How about either sand blasting or tumbling with a sharp abrasive like Copper slag sandblasting media? The closest thing I've tried to a sure fire welding technique is to make a closed (almost) jacket. One being perimeter weld the cleaned layers together say for a pattern welded knife blank, leaving a small hole at one end AWAY from the handle you weld on. as the billet starts to drop below red heat put a few drops of light oil like 3 in 1 on the weep hole. The cooling billet will draw the oil in. As you take the billet to welding heat the oil expands and drives any oil it didn't displace in the first place right out of the billet. Then as the heat increases the oil begins to burn consuming the oxy and leaving a film of available carbon on the steel faces. I've gotten this to weld solid at a slightly higher than medium orange and have heard that with practice it'll work at low orange heat. The one technique I've found is indeed sure fire is get it hot enough and do not beat it to pieces. Beat it to pieces is exactly what I did the first time I "sucessfully" or it would've been if I hadn't beaten it to pieces. What's hot enough? watery yellow, no spaks necessary but when the surface takes on a liquid sheen in it's yellow glory it's ready for some firm but gentle coaxing with a hammer. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Bentiron... most "plain steel wood screws" are zinc coated .... and don't have enough carbon.. that one of the reason that you must pilot drill for any wood harder than pine, or longer than about 1 1/2 inch screw. Plus they are pretty soft, that one of the reason that the heads "strip" so easily when the driver bit cams out.... Frosty... I like the idea of mechanical removal of the surface coating... but I don't have a tumbler or blaster... I have a wire brush and vinegar and sand paper.. I like the weld idea though... may have to try that... As for why? ... just for something different and unique... I have seen blades made from bike chains.. billets .. saw blades.. ... meteorite... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Try the vinegar on a handful of screws. That may strip the coating overnight. Remember to have a vent for the hydrogen gas, and a cloth or trap to prevent aerosol vinegar. Setting this outside may be a good idea except for the cold. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Double duty! Throw a bunch of mucked up drywall screws in your tumbler *as* the medium and then sort them out after they get cleaned up too. Scrapmascus can be made with most anything after you get good at welding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 So far so good.,.. gonna give the vinegar a try... ever have those day where you don't want to poison yourself for fun?? I been having those days for a while... figured I would tap into the brains, experience and creativity of you all for some backup. I was hoping NOT to get "NEVER DO THAT !!!!" .. or something if my plan was exceptionally stupid.... under exceptionally stupid would be combining potassium permanaganate and glycerin ... in a full gunpowder storage room... with a door locked from the outside.. now for thermite.. tha is a whole different thing... thanks... will report back.. Cliff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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