Realearner Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Hi to all, new on here just been reading loads. Anyway got to thinking can you make knife blanks from old crane cable? And if so would it give you the damascas steel look? It's just that at my place of work they change crane cables on a regular basis. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sand Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Hello and welcome from another new member of this awesome site. If I remember correctly Wayne Goddard wrote about it in his book The $50 knife shop. (this is the book that got me into blacksmithing) He calls it cable damascus. There is a whole section on the matter in his book (chapter 6), so depending on the material the cable is made of, I believe it should be possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Look in the Knife making section, and start a search Here's a starter http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/22884-cable-damascus/page__hl__%2Bcable+%2Bdamascus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WmHorus Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Yes it does make cool patterns, it just takes a while in some cases to get the forgewelding down...read read read up on it here. Do web searches on cable damascus and learn all ya can about the process, for some folks its easy for some folks its hard. There is a learning curve with it just like anything, but learn to control your hammer and fire... I almost exclusively make my own steel from cable, eventually I plan on smelting my own.....Just make sure you read read read first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loneforge Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/27959-loneforge-creations-2/ This how mine turned out. This is 9/16 sling cable and folded once. Etched in Ferric Chloride. My recommendation is go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDW Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 This is a cable knife I started on yesterday and finished up today. Probably about 4 hours in it. Not counting the 30 minute etch in muriatic acid. I had made a v-block a while back and used it to do the welding in. I made a spring fuller yesterday to help divide up the blade from the handle and the forged element on the end from the handle. Here is a link to the rest of the pics, https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/11InchCableKnife?authuser=0&feat=directlink This is an old album of how I used to weld up a cable knife. Things have changed a little since then. https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/BirthOfACableKnife?authuser=0&feat=directlink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nerdsmith Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Nice blade ^^. The handle is very nicely done. My fav part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 The handle is very nicely done indeed, the blade is not to my taste. To me it could use longer bevels and a better forward termination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDW Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Here is another knife I finished today. I think I am going to take this one to ABANA. I am not that great at grinding. I just get as much of a bevel as I can, I do not even know what forward termination means. I do appreciate the comments though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironsmith Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Nice knife Lyle, I've been using the one I got from you for a few things, It keeps an edge really well!, If you have time could you post a pick or link to one of your spring fuller, i've looked and can't find a good one. the weld on the hilt looks so symmetrical to now that I look at it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhettbarnhart Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 So it will hold an edge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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