Beginner Attempting Damascus Process

[ThomasPowers]

Don't know if you are working out in the sun; but in my shaded shop orange is way too cool for forge welding a more lemon yellow is what I look for.

[Loneforge]

I tried and failed quite a few times before I got welds to stick....Then I found IFI. Great people and info here. Rich Hale's tips and info helped me a lot......I mean A LOT! Thanks again Rich! Greens'n'Gravy will forge weld and it will be awesome!

[greensngravy]

Well, I ALMOST got the two pieces to weld. I let it cool, then with much effort I was able to pull them apart. This will be a big landscaping weekend, but perhaps I can sneek away to the forge and try again...Thanks for egging me on!!

[firefarm39]

Keep Trying Green! I forge welded on my first attempt, but have had many "learning experiences" (failures) since. Every attempt teaches me something. You get it if you stay persistant.

[Savage]

I admire all the info on this post and have a question that may greatly help out many others reading this and that is, how do you figure out what the mistake/failures route cause was and how to fix it. The fixing part should become self explanitory once the route cause has become identified if actualy possible.

[Dodge]

Forge welding is one of those things that an afternoon spent with a fellow who's good at it can save you *MONTHS* of trying to figure it out on your own.

My favorite play around billet is about 25 layers of band saw blade and pallet strapping (welding in a coal fire I put pallet strapping for the outer layers) doesn't take as many folds to get a good layer density when you start at 25 than 3 or 5 and the BSB usually has Ni for good differentiation. (Also you can find pallet strapping that is not mild steel to help the total C content) (check by heating and quenching in water and checking for brittlness-PPE mandatory!)

 

This is exactly how I did it; actually a couple afternoons a year apart. (Had to travel from Omaha to Phoenix)   ;) After the second visit and a couple online questions to the same fellow, I was able to forge a billet from pallet strapping and bandsaw with enough integrity that I was able to use it for my first knife :) I did 21 layers in gas, cut in 3, and re-stacked and welded to yield 63 layer (not counting scale loss) I did a second billet with same materials that came out well too. That stuff is nice to work with and CHEAP LOL. IIHO, the pattern pops better with a deep etch but ymmv. Good luck Green :)

[Rich Hale]

Savage learning wot went wrong is now rather easy if you pay attention to wot you are doing,,,then compare it to all of the info posted on this site, And most certainly wot is contained in this lenghy post.

A few things mentioned that come up often is trying steels that give lots of experienced folks fits,,,like leaf spings or any HC steel containing chrome.

Failure to clean metal before welding

Incorrect heat.

Hitting too hard.

There are more tips in this and other places on site if you wish to find oiut,,,or just keep on keep on until someday it all clicks.

And this like many skills we can develop will almaze you when youi have it mastered,,,it will make you wonder how it ever seemed so tough when you began.

[Savage]

Ok i see. The reason i asked is because i have a billet that fully welded on its first pass but once i hot cut half way through and folded over it didnt seem to stick and i dont understand why but no worry i tent on trying nd trying till i get it.





And this like many skills we can develop will almaze you when youi have it mastered,,,it will make you wonder how it ever seemed so tough when you began.