Hi,

I got from a freind some small pieces (2'x2'x4mm) of Damascus steel. I would appreciate to get information what is the treatment required prior to forging and post forging.

Thanks a lot,

Cheers,

Fellini

Depends totally on what alloys were used! Is it wrought iron and pure nickle or D2 and L6?

Dang 2 foot x 2 foot, must be a great friend

If your friend made them, why not ask him about your questions?
Please provide more information on what you would like to make with these parts. Are the parts 2x2 feet x 4mm or 2x2 inches x 4mm? You may want to polish one side and etch it to see the pattern, you may be able to decifer a general idea of what may have been used in those parts depending on the shades of gray. Have you ever worked with pattern welded steel before?

Thank you Jeremy for the response. This is the first time I'm working with Damascus still. It is 2x2 inches by 4 mm. I'm planning to make a knife. I will use your good suggestions as a starting point.

Thanks a lot,

Fellini

Not knowing the alloys it is very hard to give specific working suggestions. Anything we suggest might be great for certain alloys and totally ruin other alloys.

If you do not know what it's made from you need to dedicate some of it for testing of working temps, quenching temps/quenchants and tempering temps.

Or you can risk it all heating it above magnetic and quenching in warm oil and then tempering starting around 325 degF (note degF) and testing it to see if it's too hard and if so drawing temper again at 25 degF higher and testing; repeat until you get the hardness you want.

If it won't harden enough in warm oil then you can risk it in a brine quench; but don't complain if it cracks!

Do remember to work it Hot, NO forging on it when it's not a nice cherry red. But don't burn it up either---the temperatures of course depend on what the alloys are.