Jeremy the other one Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Hello, Im pretty new to these forums and in part also to blacksmithing. I have made only a few knives while trying to figure out what styles I like to make and came across a problem. I was working on an ambitious project of turning a foot long piece of cable into damascus and attempted to make it into a diamond ground stiletto knife. First off I was wondering what people thought of the product, but I was also wondering if anyone had suggestions on how to get a better diamond grind without having to, well, grind so much off and waste so much material. I did hand bevel it into a diamond shape first, but I had trouble getting the ridge centered. Apologies if you get this question a lot and I'm just bad at finding the threads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foundryman Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 There are two ways to get steel the shape you want, one is forging, the other is stock removal, you must do one or the other. With Damascus stock removal is by no means a bad thing, the more metal you remove, the more pattern you expose! I have to say though that without a guard that knife looks as dangerous to the person holding as it would be to whatever is on facing the pointy end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy the other one Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 In retrospect you're right I probably should add a guard. Thank you so much for your time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 In Damascus it depends on the pattern: some are ruined by grinding more, some are improved by it. Most books on it will have a series of drawings showing what happens to a simple twist piece depending on how deep you grind; may I commend "The Complete Bladesmith", "The Master Bladesmith" and the "Pattern Welded Blade", all by Hrisoulas to your attention! Cable should not change the pattern much by depth of grind. As for how to get a better diamond ridge without having to grind so much: PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE; by your 100th one you should be finding it a lot easier to do a great preform by forging and need minimal grinding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar.esq Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I've never forged a diamond ridge like that. It sure looks like you'd have to work the stock evenly to keep things straight as you went along. I seem to recall reading some bladesmith group that made a double edged dagger an exam requirement because it takes great skill to forge them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 If you want a more precise cross section make a bottom and top tool with the profile you want. You can make your tooling slightly oversize to accommodate the amount of grinding you want to do to reveal a specific layer of the pattern weld. Forging between dies will be faster and more accurate and if you use them on a mono-steel piece you won't even have to grind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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