After cleaning and re-organizing my shop I had a few little pieces of high(er) carbon steel, so instead of tossing them, I decided to make a billet . I call it the junk knife (made from would be trash). It is made up of a piece from a broken file (1095?), some 5160, busted band saw blades, and mild steel (billet would be really really tiny without that). Welded it up in my gas forge, 163 layers, and cut an 'X' pattern in it before drawing out to size. The handle is a piece of hickory from a busted hammer handle and the bolster is aluminum. Etched it in distilled white vinegar for a couple hours, taking it out periodically to get the bubbles that formed around the blade off and make sure it did not pit or anything like that. I am not much for knife making, but had a good time making this little thing. Definitely not the last billet I will make. :) Critique is appreciated (Honesty is the best policy) because if I'm not learnin, I ain't earnin!

-Crazy Ivan

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37982-first-pattern-welded-knife/

That's a fine looking "junk" knife !

I like it !!

Scrapmascus is the technical term :D

Looks very handy, can we get more pictures?

Sure thing. I'll try and have more pics up in a couple hours.

-Crazy Ivan

Well if that was your first welded billet I have to tell you it turned out real nice! Looking forward to more photos and the next billet when you actually plan out the stack. Great job on the blade.

 

Dick

that looks so much better than my first damascus 

Some more photos as requested.

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37987-1st-pattern-welded-knife/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37986-1st-pattern-welded-knife/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37985-1st-pattern-welded-knife/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37984-1st-pattern-welded-knife/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37983-1st-pattern-welded-knife/

It looks great. Like the proportion of the blade and handle. It looks really handy. A great way to recycle those scraps. 

In my Dreams...... I'd be shakin that thing around for all to see!

Thanks for the comments! After some more digging i found some more pieces for my next "scrapmascus" billet and put them to the side. Another dull and useless file, pallet banding, bandsaw blades, 5160, and some kind of mystery steel railroad clip (I'm gonna do some tests and figure out if it is suitable). I think I might try a twisted pattern on this one. Its gonna be a while before I get around to it because I'm starting a big sculpture tomorrow and will be working on that for the next few weeks. I'll be sure to post pics of the next billet though!

-Crazy Ivan