AWESOME JOB!!!
Funny you should have this post right at the same time I am just getting my first billets of cable damascus(3 of 'em), and one true damascus, ready for cutting and grinding. Been racking my brain (that was a fruitless exercise!!), and prowling blade forums as well as input from my mentor for blade designs. I think I might mock a few up out of wood and clay to see what I like the best as far as blade profile and handle shape are concerned. Yours look great!
I kinda learned how to use the 24 ton drawing dies on my first piece and that made a real fancy piece of damascus ribbon (no good for a knife anymore but it is shaping up real well as a bracelet
My other billets came out great, so hopefully I'll have something real purdy to show you all.
Not that you need it, but since you mentioned how tuff it was to learn this stuff from a book, feel free to ask any ?'s you might have, not that I could answer too many of them, but my buddy is a true master at the forge so he could help I'm sure.
Again, great job and good luck!
Nathan