sfeile Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 Tried making a billet to see if I could actually do it. Started out wrong actually because I only had 7 layers of 1095 and 15n20 and it was a pretty small billet. So not much heat retention at all when trying to set my welds. Also, my 15n20 was thinner than my 1095, but for some reason I put them on the outsides of my stack, so I lost a lot of them to scale. Somehow however, everything actually went mostly right. Well... Except the whole trying to put a bit of birdseye pattern into it. Being so small and already drawn out to far, I couldn't drill the holes deep enough, so the pattern didn't come through. I had enough material to squeak this little thing out of it. (just after quenching) I did find out tonight that an etch will really show your failures in sanding. I also found a couple of small voids in one side. Not a full delam because I can't hook them with my nail or anything, but there is definitely a bit of a depression in those couple spots. Overall though, I'm not overly mad about it being my first pattern welded blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 I say that for a first attempt, it came out very well. You should have seen my first one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Looks pretty good to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 19, 2021 Share Posted April 19, 2021 Note that when you say it was only seven layers that means the billet could be anywhere from say 14 inches tall to 0.07 inches tall depending on how thick the starter layers were---YOU know that information, we don't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted April 20, 2021 Share Posted April 20, 2021 Very nice. Pattern and shape both look great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfeile Posted April 20, 2021 Author Share Posted April 20, 2021 Thanks Irondragon, anvil, and Rojo. Thomas, fair point. It was four layers of .049" 15n20, and three layers of .125" 1095. So just over 9/16 of an inch thick and inch and a half by two inches. On 4/18/2021 at 11:44 PM, ThomasPowers said: Note that when you say it was only seven layers that means the billet could be anywhere from say 14 inches tall to 0.07 inches tall depending on how thick the starter layers were---YOU know that information, we don't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 20, 2021 Share Posted April 20, 2021 My most common billets are made from bandsaw blades and pallet strapping bands and so 20 layers are not very tall. I can throw in some plain 1.2% C stock for a carbon donor if needed. (Old black Diamond Files; I must have 40 pounds left from when I lived in Ohio and went to the fleamarket 3 times a week...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfeile Posted May 1, 2021 Author Share Posted May 1, 2021 Here it is all finished up except for sharpening. I know an Amish saddlemaker that does an amazing job making sheathes, so I will do the final edge after he is done with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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