What about making "composite deposited alloy padded strips" for pattern welded blade?

[Alphonse]

Call to Ye Bladesmiths!
The only experience I have with knife making is what I have read/seen here and some of your sites/Utube vids..SO DON"T GO THROW"N KNIVES AT ME for this question.
I am facinated at what U's can do with motorcycle chains, springs, tool steel, scrap...the whole concept of making a "sandwitch of different steels, and hot forge welding by hammer or press into your new alloy blank for knifemaking!

I thought that would it not be great to have composite pads of a low cost mild steel base any size needed. WITH A DEPOSITED PADDED LAYER of any
hardenable alloys of your choosing...neatly layered.

One plate can be ANY comb. of CHRM. Ni Moly Van, cobalt. ect. hardsurfacing deposit, depending upon your knifemaking metalurgical needs.

Say you start with a mild steel base strip nin. thickness of 3/16" and depsit a pad upon it of approx 1/8-3/16" thick. Would this be too thick? if at all usable?
I have a used all sorts of hardfacing materials and alloys and thought what about a "SUPER CHROME MOLY VANADIUM COBALT STELITE" dumascus steel?

Edited January 5, 2009 by alfonso
language

[Rich Hale]

PIck up a couple of books on this subject I recommend those by Jim Hrousalas,,That will geve you the long answer. There are a lot of things involved with different mixes and he has more experienc with odd mixes than anyone I know of. Hoever if you want the short version of the aswer ,,Some of the materials you mentiond are not for begginers to weld and when you lay a deposit it would likely have to be x rayed for inclusions,( lots of welder can hold that standard) and then machined for a flat surface prior to adding another layer. Not alot of folks could do this,...

[otto]

I dont think many folks have good luck forge welding crome moly (I dont like to) but I have used cobalt 66 tig welded to axes and hardie edges makes a tough edge on mild steel. as for van.-stelite I dont know give it a try and let us know what happens.