instructables
Mosaic Damascus Steel
by Noblie custom knives
Itisnecessarytotakecarbonsteelandsteelwithhighnickelcontent(orpurenickel) Damascussteelpatternsvary dependingonhowthecraftsmanworkswiththeworkpiece.Damascussteelismadefromseveraltypesofsteelwelded togetherintoablank
Thissteelisknownforitsexquisitedesignsandpatternsandisoftenusedtomake Damascusknives anddaggers.It takesthebeststeeltomakethemstableand exible.
Usingtwoalternatingtypesofsteel,theblacksmithheats,twists,andstackslayersofmetaltocreatevibrantpatterns WithinpatternsofDamascussteel,thesteelcanbeshadesofwhite,gray,orblack.Experiencedblacksmithscancreate manypatternswhileforging Thentheblademustbehardened
HOWTOMAKEAMOSAICDAMASCUSBLADE
MakingDamascusbladesisquiteasimpleprocedure.Yet,itistime-consumingandrequiresongoingaccuracy.The commonprocedureislikethis:
1.Collectcomponentsinafurnace.
2.Heatfurnacetomeltthecomponentstogether.Afterthefurnacehasreacheditscoolingpoint,removethemetalbillet andheatittoarequiredtemperature
3.Startthefolding(‘sandwiching’)stage.Hammerthemetalwhileitishot.Afterthemetalcools,reheatittoforgeagain.
4.Cutandre-assemblethebillet.Forexample,youmaystackfourbarsinaquaternarycross-section,orinventanother structure Tack-weldthebars
5.Repeattheheatingandpressingphase.Thistimeyoumaypressthebilletfromtheanglesideaswell,toaddwaviness tothepattern.
6 Afterdoingtheheatingandcuttingforacoupleoftimes,youmaygocreative Thistime,cutyourbilletatanangle, from15to35degrees,andre-assemblethepiecesbyturningeachofthemby90degrees.Thiswillrevealthemosaic patternontothebladesurface Tack-weldthepiecesagain
7.Repeatthepreviouscycleasmanytimesasyouneed.Don’tforgettosharpenedgesandshapetheblade.
8.Oncethe nalshapehasbeenattained,cutandhand-forgethe naldetailsofyourblade.
9.Moveawaythecarburizedmetalexcessfromtheblade’ssurface.
10 Reheattheblade Hammerit at,thenpolishtosettheblade’snear- nalform
11.Etchthesurfacewithacidtoamplifythepattern.
12.Uponcompletion,cleanacidcarefullyfromtheblade’ssurface.
Supplies:
MATERIALSANDTOOLS MATERIALSANDTOOLS
YouwillneedthefollowingtoolstoforgeDamascussteel:
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Forge;Anvilandhammer;Tongs;Temperingoven;Drillordrillpress;Vise;Weldingtool
Also,thesematerialsarecrucial:
uxmaterial(topromotemelting),suchas nesilicasandorferricchloride;metalscrap;brasspins;rebar;quenchingoil; nishingmedium.
Assemblingthebilletsisthe rststage.Cutthesteelplatesintotheright(identicallysized)dimensionsforyourbladeand stackthemup,alternatinglow-carbonandhigh-carbonsteel,withthethickestmaterialonthetopandbottomofthe billet.Afteraligningallofthelayerstogetherandformingabillet,createatemporaryhandleyoucanusetomovethe materialinandoutoftheforge.
Step 1: 1. Assemble Your Billet, As You Normally Do for a Damascus.Step 2: Forge Welding
Yourforgemustbecapableofreaching2,300degreesFahrenheit.Youmayuseceramic berinsulationoracastable refractoryintheforgetohelpresist uxandalsotoprotecttheceramic berfromdamage
Standardweldingstepsare:
1.Placethebilletintothepreheatedforgeandsoakuntilthebilletisdullred.Thenapplyanhydrousboraxas ux.
2 Allowthebillettoreachtherightweldingtemperature,whichiswhenthe uxisbubblingquickly Ensureevenheating ofthebilletbyrotatingit.
4.Weldthebilletusingapressorhammer.Hammerwhilethebilletishot,sothatthesteelplatesformahomogeneous block
5.Removethe uxandscalewithawirebrush.Reheatthebilletandforgeintoasquarepro le,reheatingasmanytimes asneededtoreachtherequireddimensions;
6 Whenthebillethascooled,removeanyscaleofthebillet Cutthebilletasnecessarytoreachthedesirednumberof layers,andfoldthesectionsontopofeachother.
7.Repeattheweldingprocessanddrawthebilletouttotherequireddimensions.Repeattheprocessasmanytimesas neededtoobtainthedesirednumberoflayersintheblade.
Mosaic Damascus Steel: Page 3Step 3: Cut and Re-assemble the Billet.
Forexample,youmaystackfourbarsinaquaternarycross-section,orinventanotherstructure.Tack-weldthebars.
Step 4: Repeat the Heating and Pressing Phase.
Thistimeyoumaypressthebilletfromtheanglesideaswell,toaddwavinesstothepattern.
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Step 5: After Doing the Heating and Cutting for a Couple of Times, You May Go Creative.
Thistime,cutyourbilletatanangle,from15to35degrees,andre-assemblethepiecesbyturningeachofthemby90 degrees.Thiswillrevealthemosaicpatternontothebladesurface.Tack-weldthepiecesagain.
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Step 6: Blade Forming and Finishing
Whenthebillethascooled,removeanyscaleofthebillet.
AfterforgingyourDamascusyoumustheat-treatit.You’llhavetorunthreethermalcycles,heatingthebladetononmagneticandthenallowingittocool,torelieveanystressesthatmayremainafterforging.Afterdoingthisthreetimes, allowthebladetocooltoindoortemperature.Thiswillnormalizethesteelanddiminishthepossibilityofdeformation duringthehardeningstage
Theproperly nish-groundandhandsandedbladeshallbethenetchedtorevealtheDamascuspattern.Etchingis carriedoutbyimmersingthebladeinanacidbath.MoreinformationaboutmosaicDamascuspatterns here.
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mosaic Damascus blades
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