New Billet and project

[Lin Rhea]

I've got an interesting project coming up, but this is not it.    

Ok, I think this one is still interestting. I thought that you might want to see again some of the process of forging a damascus blade. It seems I am stuck on "laddered W".

This is after the first stack is welded , drawn square, resquared on a 45 degree angle, turned to 90 degrees, and crushed, cut up and restacked.

This pic is after the 45 degree angle. You see that it is sort of 45ed. Not exact.
   
Then I turned the sharp corners up and down and crushed it to the thickness shown next in the layers.
   

[Lin Rhea]

After all the layers are welded up, I forged the very thick and blunt beginning of a blade. I call it an "embryo" sice it's not fully developed but you can tell where its going.
 
The embryo is pretty thick allowing for the grooving and final forging.
 
 

[Lin Rhea]

The grooves are cut.
 

[Lin Rhea]

your pics are to wide please resize and post again thanks.

[Lamey]

Lin I learn a ton about damascus in your WIP threads. Ive made knives for 20+ years, full time for 15+ but never really got into damascus.  Going to finally start making more this coming year, and your posts are very helpfull, for instance I wouldnt think to leave my blade so thick before grooving, so you likely saved me a blade or 2!

[Ray Hammond]

Looking forward to this!!!!

[DANA HOLMAN]

Love these WIP, question Lin, I know you cut the groves in the knife, but is there a plate you could make to do the same thing for your big hammer to press it in. just a question. keep the pictures coming.

[D.Ellis]

I'm not Lin(obviously) But you can either grind the grooves in and forge flat, or forge the grooves in and grind flat. Works for a ladder pattern both ways.
Darcy  

[tomsm44]

I know this WIP is for a damascus blade which requires forging, but I have a question about forging in general.  I have been building knives from carbon steel using the stock removal method for a little while now but haven't decided to get in to forging yet.  Is there any benefit gained from forging a knife, such as the steel properties changing during the forging process, or is it more an issue of preference?  Just curious.  I'm happy with the methods I'm using now, but I may want to expand my options in the future.  I would love to one day be able to forge my own damascus and I would have to start somewhere if I wanted to make it to that level.

Beautiful work, by the way.  I've seen several of these that you have done and I always start trying to picture what the final product will be from looking at these early steps.  Fortunately, I'm usually wrong and it ends up different and much better than what I expect.  Can't wait to see this one finished.

Matt

[D.Ellis]

Matt, the benefits to forging are the variety of shapes you can make and minimizing the amount of stock removal that is neccessary for a big blade. Most, if not all of the steel properties we look for in a blade(fine grain, even carbide distribution etc.) are a result of proper heat treating, reguardless of the shaping method.
Oh, and another benefit of forging is, it is a lot more fun whuping steel with a hammer than grinding it away with a belt.      :D  
Darcy  

[Lin Rhea]

I just got back to a computer that has power. Our power is still off and will be for a week to come. So, bear with me. That threw a kink in my plans to make better progress, so this will have to be bumped later.
 Thanks for stepping in Darcy.  

[Doug Campbell]

Hang in there Lin, sounds like you guys got hammered again down there... Prayers from MT.

[Lamey]

Well whats going on with your power, got some bad weather?  Hope your back up soon!!!!

[Lin Rhea]

Thanks Doug. Yea Matt, we got 6 inches of snow an top of some ice. The real problem was the 30-40 mph winds. Broke lots of trees and knocked power out for a while. Daisy had some fun getting her snow legs working. I got out before daylight checking things out and snapped a few pics.
   your pics are to wide please resize and post again thanks.

[Lamey]

At least some one was having fun!!  Surprised your not out in that snow with your Tall Tines.

[Lin Rhea]

It was good for the first day and I was ready for it to go away. If the electricty was on, it would have been better. To busy trying to get to town and back to find gas. The town was mostly down too. I'll get out there again before it's over and try to get another deer. I'll be away from this computer again for a few days so yall hang in there.

[tomsm44]

Oh, and another benefit of forging is, it is a lot more fun whuping steel with a hammer than grinding it away with a belt.        :D  
Darcy    [/QB]

Thanks Darcy,
I have been making blades in the 6-9 inch range, mostly drop point hunters, so it doesn't take too long to grind them out.  You may have converted me with the comment about whuping steel with a hammer though.  I'll be doing some shopping for forging equipment soon.  I'll try to keep my ears open for hammer-ins in my area too.

Lin,
Stop worrying about those deer and hurry up with this knife.  I need some new pictures to look at when I get in from hunting.  

[amar911]

Great morning picture with the dog, Lin. Best wishes on getting your power back. The knife is looking good too.

Allan

[Ray Hammond]

They're working on his power right now- shouldn't be a day or so and he'll get cranking again!!!

[Lin Rhea]

It's on again!
Now back to work.