belt and V angle

[masonred]

The belt on my rivet forge came apart this morning. Looking for a place in Austin Tx or San Antonio to get a replacement. Anyone know who might make one or have some materiel that would work? It's a manmade materiel and is perhaps nylon or something like that.

What angle and depth would be the best for making damascus from cable? Useing a round piece of 15 lb steel about 5 inches across that came from a salvage place.

Thanks 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

The title is a little confusing.

Is your belt a V-belt or like all forges I have seen a flat belt. If it's a flat belt they are easy to make. Go to a thrift store and buy some old leather belts that are the right width. Then cut them up and skive the ends and glue with contact cement and stitch the joint with heavy thread or rivet them. Measure the length needed and do the other end the same to the right length.

[masonred]

2 questions

The belt is flat

The V is what a swage has. Hope to make a damascus knife with the V.

[Latticino]

Swage size for consolidating elevator cable into a billet by forge welding wholly depends on the diameter of the cable itself.  I have used either half round or 45 degree angled bottom swages for this, both work.  You just need to have enough cable sticking up to hit while forge welding and enough width at the top opening not to pinch your cable diameter.  You don't even need a swage, but it certainly makes it easier since you are compressing the cable radially (for a half round) or at least in two directions for a V-swage.  Personally I think the half round works better, and has more general uses as well for other projects.  I believe that JPH has posted one of her excellent videos on how to forge a half round swage that fits in a hardy hole.