So, I've read (from Hrisoulas) that pure nickel can create some wonderful contrast in pattern-welded billets. However, my local steel supplier doesn't carry any of it, and all the places I can find online seem to sell impure "nickel silver", or charge a lot more than the $5/kg price that it seems to be going for.

Does anyone here use nickel? How much are you paying? Where do you get it?

You can use cast iron welding rods for contrast. I saw a friend drill hole through the billet, insert the "pins" in the holes the finish the billet. He use 1/8" rod, knocked the flux off, buffed the rod and cut the "pins" to the thickness of the billet. Very nice contrast.

Yes (as Thomas said) the welding rod for cast-iron is called "Ni-Rod."

"Ni" as in "Nickel."

You can get nickel sheet from Jantz Supply

texas knifemakers supply

OnlineMetals

Or like was mentioned before Nickel welding rod

Another way I read about involved having a number of small section steel bars Nickel plated then forge weld them together. If you have an electro plating company near you this could be an option?

Jose,

Unfortunately, Jantz and Texas Knifemaker's Supply only seem to carry nickel silver, which often contains zinc. I don't think you can weld that.

Also, OnlineMetals seems to be charging something like $100/lb for their sheet; that seems rather high.

Give them a call, they often have some in stock. Or you can call Scheffield Knifemaking supply, they have this.

NICKEL 201 SHEET 99% Nickel
DESCRIPTION CAT. NO. PRICE CAT. NO 5+ PRICE 5+
.030 X 6-1/4

thanks for the tips on where to get nickel sheet,i narrow vein mine the stuff 5000 feet underground in sudbury ont .can. and often think of using it in a project.

you dont have to use pure nickle to get the contrast .. l 6 or 15 n 20 steels work well and have enough nickle to give good contrast..they forge weld much nicer than pure nickle . good luck !

15N20 and L-6 (bandsaw blade) both contain 2% Nickel and both will give good contrast in a damascus billet. They are almost identical in makeup except for the 15N20 contains a bit more moly I think. Anyway it's something that starts with an M and I am too lazy to look it up. Either one will do nicely

I got my nickel last year from Admiral steel, a online steel store. Worked great for damascus. Although I now use 15n20.
Chris