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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: tippit on February 03, 2008, 09:03:00 AM

Title: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: tippit on February 03, 2008, 09:03:00 AM

I love the pattern of the different damascus but until I get a press or power hammer it is beyond my making.  However some nice patterns can come right from the forge...1080 steel capers.  Doc

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/Capers006.jpg)

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: d. ward on February 03, 2008, 09:10:00 AM

Middle one,looks real good.bowdoc

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: robslifts on February 03, 2008, 09:41:00 AM

they all look good to me!!!

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: MYSTIKBOW on February 03, 2008, 09:41:00 AM

Hey Doc,
I think the pattern on all of those look pretty cool. Is a pattern like that prone to rust easier?  Do you use a gun blue for a finish or just lightly polish them?

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: sticshooter on February 03, 2008, 10:07:00 AM

AMAZED AGAIN!<><

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: swp on February 03, 2008, 11:36:00 AM

Very NICE! If the top one is up for adoption, I know of someone that will give it a good home and bloody the blade every once in a while. :)

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: robtattoo on February 03, 2008, 12:17:00 PM

Nice blades Jeff! I like playing with different etchants myself, to acheive interesting results......

  (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/saladcream001.jpg)

  (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/oxblood003.jpg)

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: tippit on February 03, 2008, 12:35:00 PM

Rob, We got a lot to discuss at the Sweat  :D

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: OconeeDan on February 03, 2008, 08:48:00 PM

All of those look great!  What etchants are you using?
Dan

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: 4runr on February 04, 2008, 08:08:00 PM

What I wouldn't give to just be a little trickle at that Sweat!! Just to get an earfull and an eyefull. Doc you and Rob need to record those conversations  :bigsmyl:    :bigsmyl:

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: tippit on February 04, 2008, 08:34:00 PM

The pattern is quite simple and no etching.  I take my blade down to a finish polish, then keep normalizing it til I like the outer crust.  When you quench it all that blows off and leaves the pattern.  If you don't like it just keep finishing the blade to a more polished look. It just has a look of a real old blade.  Only problem is cause the blade is near or at finish ie. thin, you can warp it in the quench.  Just takes doing a few to find that point...Doc

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: OconeeDan on February 04, 2008, 10:47:00 PM

Thanks, Doc.
Dan

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: vermonster13 on February 04, 2008, 10:54:00 PM

Very cool

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: ber643 on February 05, 2008, 08:18:00 AM

They sure look neat, Doc and Rob. Don't think I'll get to forging. So many fun things to do - so little time -   :D

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: ZaneD on February 05, 2008, 03:20:00 PM

What does "normalizing" mean?

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: LAR43 on February 05, 2008, 04:16:00 PM

As the steel grain structure is broken down & beaten out of alignment during forging & grinding many makers normalize their blades prior to continuing work on them.
Normalizing is heating of the steel to a dull red & allowing it to air cool. Many makers do this several times before the hardening/ tempering process to allow the grain structure in the steel to re align itself. Many also align the blade with magnetic north for/during the cooling process.
It's said to help pull the grain structure into alignment.

Larry

Title: Re: Poor Man's Damascus
Post by: tippit on February 05, 2008, 09:09:00 PM

Lar,  No wonder my knife seem to stick in my sheath...it must have been pointin' South  :)   Thanks for the response on normalizing...Doc