Can anyone recommend a good instructional how-to book for pattern steel? Patterns, steels to use, etching, canister methods.. etc...  I'm clueless, looking for some clues.

 

By the most amazing coincidence, this popped up in my "Unread Content" feed right next to a post from the author of "The Pattern-Welded Blade". What are the odds?

why do we bother having a book section if people wont look at it

Truly, it is a mystery.

It might be that things are hard to find.  

JHCC you said it popped up.  what popped up.  I don't see a link.  I searched IFI and google "the pattern welded blade Iforgeiron.com" no hit.

Steve a better question is why do you have a book section that you can't find anything in?   I looked at the forum book section and your book is the only one in there.  

articles nothing on point

downloads maybe but if so not clear

google ifi nope.  

Are you referring to the book section called Book Reviews (8 pages of topics and 1300 posts) or to the books for sale Books, Printed Material.

 

What to look for is just as important as where to look. You sometimes have to get both right in order to get an answer, then use that answer to refine your question. Those that are familiar with the site layout and the IForgeIron  Table of Contents have a head start on finding things.

 

29 minutes ago, MotoMike said:

you said it popped up.  what popped up

He meant this thread popped up next to a post by JPH, the author of "The Pattern Welded Blade."

Books by authors on this site are apparently really valuable.  Steve Sells' book was listed over $1500 on Amazon at one point, and JPH's is getting up there too:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LP3S4Z8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3KVK1LJHIXJNP&psc=1

Glenn

I was referring to the "Book Section" that steve was referring to.  that is all I had to go on.  searches for book section did not yield a result.  

then in store, books printed material (seemed like the closest thing to a book section) no joy

I figured if he meant book reviews he would have said it.  

but if book reviews in miscellaneous discussions (don't know how I missed that) is where the answer lies, I have not found it yet.  

not to be contentious but I spent a good deal of time looking through book reviews and searching. Looked through all 8 pages (twice) but no topics about pattern welding. I did that after searching for "books" and found a post about the section.

Figured it was not quite appropriate to post a request for a reference in an area reserved specifically for reviews so I posted here.

That being said... ANYONE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION?  Ideally significantly less expensive than the cost of paying someone to spend a day showing me how to do it  

This is not my first stop.. I've been searching the web, searching amazon (found the $1,300 one already) and searching here and blade forums before posting.

just to re-iterate.. looking for a reference that shows how to make the different patterns, what kinds of steels to use, how to make folds and cuts, how to do canisters... etc... I catch bits and pieces of info mentioned in forums but mostly people seem to keep this stuff to themselves. Unfortunately I can't afford a class.  This is the most knowledgeable crowd I've found on the interwebs.. figured if there is a good book someone here will know.

 

While I hesitate to recommend a book I haven't thoroughly studied, I believe that this is what you are searching for. 

1 hour ago, Shamus Blargostadt said:

.. ANYONE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION? 

Shamus, I don't know if the mention of the pattern welded knife book was genuine or not.  Elsewhere I see it mentioned fondly.  hard to get an answer I know.  Anyway that book is available used from Amazon for $25 bucks rather than the 1500 or what ever it is going for elsewhere on amazon.

OH! Perfect! Thank you very much! Purchased.. and will post a review in the book review section after a read it

I have book in the above picture, good book on the basic pattern welding of steels. Lots of pictures.

 

I would try to ILL such books at the local public library and then buy the one(s) that work best for you.

Since you didn't limit it to English how about Manfred Sachse's Damaszener Stahl: Mythos, Geschichte, Technik, Anwendung. Manfred Sachse is from the European damascus tradition where it really didn't die out only to be re-discovered here in the USA by folks like Moran.  I believe this book is available in english translation; but I have checked that against the original German one.

Note that there is also a much smaller paperback by Sachse called Alles Uber Damaszener Stahl which I am not recommending at this point.

Some of the patterning tools shown in DS were on display at the Deutsches Klingen Museum in Solingen, Germany

Also the German Hunting and Fishing Museum in Munich had an exhibit of amazing pattern welded gun barrels when I was last there 

I second TP. The Pattern Welded Blade is available through ILL in the NY Library systems, so its a good bet your library will be able to get it. It definitely is worth the read and helped me alot on m first (and still ongoing) attempt at damascus.

Somewhat related, I know we have multiple authors in the iforgeiron population and I was wondering if there's any custom in recommending/not recommending more questionable sources of obtaining the books?

The pattern welded blade is listed in pdf format on many websites, freely downloadable. I don't know if this is due to copyright expiration or blatant violation. As such I won't post any links, but it took me 10 seconds to find one with a google search.

Last we talked he did not like the idea of his book being available for free, JPH is a member here ask him about giving away his work. 

This is an example of why I dont sell mine as an Ebook

Mr. Sells is correct,

The parties offering Mr. Hrisoulis's  (JPH),  book for free are copyright infringers. 

Everyone that downloads that material are, also, copyright infringers.

In other words thieves.

The copyright term is the author's life plus seveny five years.   JRH Is very much alive.

The only out would be if Mr. Hrisoulis had waived copyright and dedicated his book to the public.

As far as I know,  he has NOT done so.

SLAG.

good to know, please delete my comment about it so it doesnt lead people to copyright infringement.

The post was corrected informing folks that there are copyright issues within one hour.