Some San-mai for the dark alley.......

[kbaknife]

And check out the video!

 


 

[TrackerNy]

Outstanding, Karl.

[bjansen]

Excellent !

[flyflinger]

Remarkable piece

[Fallguy]

Very Nice Karl.

[Steve Nuckels]

That is a beauty!

Karl, do you manipulate the San-Mai billet prior to the final grinding to get the pattern on the blade?

I have a San-Mai billet, and if I do a stock removal blade I would suspect the boarder between the core and SS will be mostly straight and uninteresting.


Steve
----------
Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Foundation
ABS Apprentice

[Thadbow]

Great work Karl!

[smokin joe]

Wow. Just beautiful.

[kbaknife]

Steve - yes.
My three pieces are 1/4" stainless and 3/8" 1095. I reduce the billet only about .050" per reduction. I have adjustable stops that allow for infinite adjustment. I reduce the billet with FLAT dies for ALMOST the entire reduction. I'm very focused on keeping the center in the center.
Then, on the next to last reduction I switch to round drawing dies to upset the billet some and then follow that on the last reduction by switching back to the flat dies.
This gives it a forged-in ladder effect you see here.
I've said many times this is a great visual example of what happens when using ladder dies.
I forge down my ricasaso and tang out of the remainder of the billet.

I forge my San-mai out of the thickest pieces I can easily find.
I want carbon migration.
I want that thing to be at welding and forging heats as long as possible.

I've seen many makers and commercial sellers create San-mai with pieces that equal almost their final finished thickness. So they end up spending very little time at forging temps and very little time under the power hammer and press.
I'm not excited about those at all.

I've had lots of discussions regarding the way I forge San-mai with other guys who do, as well.
They say how they're afraid to forge down their ricassos or their tangs for fear of delamination.
My reply is that if they're afraid to do upset-style forging on their San-mai then they should not be selling them to people.


 

Originally posted by Steve Nuckels:
Karl, do you manipulate the San-Mai billet prior to the final grinding to get the pattern on the blade?
Steve
----------
Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Foundation
ABS Apprentice

[Steve Nuckels]

Thanks Karl!

Steve
----------
Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Foundation
ABS Apprentice

[Lin Rhea]

Quote by Andersen Forge:
   

I want that thing to be at welding and forging heats as long as possible.
 

There are two ends of the spectrum. We have been taught to be careful with the high heats. I've seen so many that are afraid of getting it too hot that their forging skills are handicapped. While it is true we don't want to burn the steel, the heat is our tool and should be used as we need it. It's not something to be avoided if and when we deem it appropriate. It's all about control.

It's no coincident that the higher heats Karl mentions go hand in hand with the thicker pieces he mentioned. The mass of the thicker pieces allow and NEED the higher heats to accomplish the welds and the necessary reductions.

Good information Karl.

[kbaknife]

Originally posted by Lin Rhea:
Quote by Andersen Forge:
   

I want that thing to be at welding and forging heats as long as possible.
 

There are two ends of the spectrum. We have been taught to be careful with the high heats. I've seen so many that are afraid of getting it too hot that their forging skills are handicapped. While it is true we don't want to burn the steel, the heat is our tool and should be used as we need it. It's not something to be avoided if and when we deem it appropriate. It's all about control.

It's no coincident that the higher heats Karl mentions go hand in hand with the thicker pieces he mentioned. The mass of the thicker pieces allow and NEED the higher heats to accomplish the welds and the necessary reductions.

Good information Karl. [/b]

And once I know I have my weld and things are like I need them to be, I gradually lower the forge temp throughout the remainder of the session.
And ALWAYS! keep the dragon's breath about six inches out the forge door so I know all oxygen has been consumed inside the forge.
Luckily, the outer skin of stainless is not needed for performance. In truth, it is sort of protecting the inner core of 1% carbon during the forging process.
I also end up grinding about 1/16+ off the outer profile of the billet to steel that has never been exposed to the forge atmosphere.
It's funny sometimes how many things we do and never seem to consider them while we're doing it.

[Steve Nuckels]

Karl & Lin, thanks for the good info on the San Mai it will come in handy when I get around to using it!

Steve
--------
Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Foundation
ABS AP