damascus and hammer technique

[joelon]

Hi all!
I had a guy ask me the other day about me making him a damascus knife. I can't forge weld yet but was wondering if you can cheat and use the welding machine this guy has. Maybe my asking this just shows how little I know! :shock:

And question number 2 is, what is correct hammer technique!?

Thanks for the help!!

[Glenn]

Look at the topic "Chain saw chain Damascus ????'s" on the Blacksmithing section of this forum.

If you layer the metals and arc weld them on the edge, the middle is unaffected and NOT welded. To make damascus you need to learn to forge weld. It is not that difficult but does take practice.

I will start a new topic on how to make a forge weld and after several explain "their way" will collect the notes and make a blueprint.

[JPH]

Joe:

You can make a psuedo-laminated knife IF you are crafty enough to use the right rods in a arc welder...

You will need a "starting base" piece to weld and build on that will be ground off once you get the mass you need.

You will be doing ALOT more work that it would be worth but it can be done..simply lay a layer of bead down with a HC steel rod followed by a layer/bead of say a mild steel or better yet a high Ni rod and then continue doing so after you hammer off the scale off the previous bead.

After you get it built up enough you simply grind off the iron you started with for a base piece and forge from there.

More work that it is worth if you ask me but the results are rather "funky" looking. Done this a few trimes when I had nothing better to do and wanted something a bit "different"..

JPH