nitewatchman Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 I would like to forge weld high carbon steel to nickel sheet to obtain damascus pattern lines. I have a supply of thin metallugically pure nickel sheet but have never attempt this. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated nitewatchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Anderson R Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 I dont know much about welding nickel, but I do know it wont weld to itself so make sure when folding your billet that theres alway a peice of high carbon between the nickel layers. Also remember, nickel absorbs impurites like a sponge and when using coal sulfer contamination is always a concern, so Id use gas if possible, good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 (edited) Welding is when you have two pieces of similar material with a similar range of melting point. Soldering is when one of the materials has sufficiently different enough melting point that only one of the two materials melt. Edited December 7, 2008 by UnicornForge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul B Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Welding is when you have two pieces of similar material with a similar range of melting point. Soldering is when one of the materials has sufficiently different enough melting point that only one of the two materials melt. I may be wrong, but my understanding for what it is worth, is that nickel is so different than steel that you are basically soldering not welding. So are you using the steel or the nickel as the solder? Which melts first, I'm guessing the steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyshackleford Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Nickel melt- 2651F 1095 Steel melt- 2760F midpoint temp is 2705F just to throw numbers on the situation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmercier Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Nickel and carbon steel weld together just fine, I do it quite a bit when making damascus. Pure nickle is used a lot in mosaic damascuses and the like to make a high contrast and striking pattern. I do most of my damascus welding with a friend's hydrolic forging press, and use a propane forge when doing it, around 2300 F by the pyrometer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitewatchman Posted December 7, 2008 Author Share Posted December 7, 2008 Thanks! That is what I wanted to hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Cut the sheets into strips 1 to 1.5 inches wide 3 to 6 inches long stack alternating nickel, high carbon and possibly low carbon so you have a stack at leas 1.5 inches tall. I arc weld a handle on one end of this stack and on the other end weld one pass across the ends to hold them together. If you dont have a welder you can wire the stack together but a handle makes it easier to control the hot iron in/out of the fire and onto the anvil. Tongs are OK but a solid handle is easier to control. Bring the stack up to welding temp. I stand the layers up/down in the fire so the heat goes through the layers. Are you using gas or coal forge. If gas forge take a rod of 3/16 or 1/8 and piont the end. Bring everything to temp and touch this rod to the billet. If it sticks in the fire it is at heat if not it will not weld out of the fire. The billet needs to be even temp so turn it as it comes up to temp. You dont want the bottom or top to be hotter. If using coal bring it up to temp then stop the air blast for a minute or so to allow the heat to equilize. flux or not each has its followers. I use anydrous borax not 20 mule team from the grocery store but that will work It is ok to weld a portion of the billot and then return to the fire continuing down the bar till it is all welded. Once welded draw the bar longer, cut or fold and weld again. The ;more time you cut and stack the finer the pattern becomes. Once you are close to finished number of layers then you must decide how you want to change the pattern but that is another subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 ive welded pure nickle and it is tough! if you are hand hammering be prepared for a lot of work! i also found that it takes a lot more heat to get it to weld at least that is wnat i remember... it also dosnt want to draw as much as the carbon steel you weld it to so i would use thicker pieces of high carbon to the nickle..and forge at high heat to keep the weld from delamanateing.. it does give a fantastic pattern .. you might try blueing the finished piece as the nickle dosnt take blueing so the contrast is bueatiful.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Richards Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Nickle will weld up really nice to HC as stated above. Just be really careful to keep the pieces clean. Remove all the mill scale from the 1095 and have nice bright finish. Grind the piece so the scratches are perpendicular to the stock. This helps the flux penetrate and also allows for an easier escape when welding. Keep it hot and work fast and you should have great success. Have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 (edited) Since no one mentioned this... Do NOT try for too high of a layer count as the nickel will defuse into the steel at high ( 600 or more ) layers in the typical thickness of a knife blade. Edited December 7, 2008 by steve sells typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 If you cannot make every forge weld perfect and have not made a lot of billets without flaws from carbon steels then wait on the nickel. One easy way is to weld 1095 and L6 (or 15n20) Both of those steels have some nickel in them and make great patterns and alot easier to weld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Not to mention the other potential long term benefits of high temperature burning and welding of nickel:http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/zinc-cadmium-hydrogen-fluoride-other-toxic-compounds-8515/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.