Cool Pattern Started

[Lin Rhea]

This will change pretty drastically but I thought this pattern looked pretty good after the first layering. I stacked 17 layers of alternating 1084 and 15N20, then I knocked the corners in and crushed it. I then cut it into 5 pieces, stacked, and welded it. It will subsequently get restacked some more but this is what it looked like at this stage.
   

[Bladepeek]

Fascinating. Looks like you'd see on a screen in a hospital emergency room  

[gudspelr]

That end view reminds me of a low layer version of some of your knives (I want to say laddered W's?). This will be interesting to see the side view as the pattern develops.      


Jeremy

[Lin Rhea]

Yes, it will be a laddered W pattern. Now there are 5 layers X 17 layers welded together. Soon it will be 45 X 17. Then the billet will be forged into one or more blades.

[D.Ellis]

I'll be watching this one for sure.
 I have a blade bashed out with twisted w's.....or my attempt at them. So many variables with w's depending on initial stack count and then w's stack count as well as how they are crushed at first, and later manipulated.........almost endless possibilities.
I wonder if anyone has done w's rain dropped??
Darcy    

[Alexander13]

Any sort of Damascus is beyond my skills right now but I really enjoy watching you guys create yours! hopefully someday I'll get to that level.

[Lin Rhea]

You are right Darcy. There is no end to the variety that can be achieved with this process. Even when two people who attempt to forge the same W pattern, it will be somewhat different because of the slight variations of tooling and technique.

[akaboomer]

I like where this is going. As always I enjoy the progress pics. Thanks for sharing.

Chris

[Track]

I'm sure this will be another outstanding looking pattern. Looking forward to the pics of the progression to the final blade.

[Doug Campbell]

Lin, I think your incapable of doing anything not "cool". You had definitely inspired me many times.    

[Lin Rhea]

I started this morning on my last weld and had to forge the "embryo" of the blade while up to heat. I snapped a shot of the rough embryo while hot. You can see the lines of the pattern in the scale. This is my normalizing cycle so the scale will be pretty heavy at this stage. I have to cut the grooves in to establish the ladder pattern and then re forge the blade thinner and finalize the profile before grinding. This blade will settle in about 12 inches X 2-1/16.
   

[Lin Rhea]

I cut grooves on regular spacing on both sides but staggered. This will give it the regularity of pattern.

   
 
As you see, the blade taper and bevels are semi forged while allowing some (not much) reduction after the grooves are ground in.
   
Here I am forging the grooves out and finalizing the blade's shape. As you see I am starting near the back working toward the tip.
   
 

Here is the forged blade. I have done no profiling so I may change the look some but I kind of like the profile the way it is.
     

It turned out to be 13 inches.

[kbaknife]

Aw, come on. Teaser.
I wanna see the pattern!!!!

[Lin Rhea]

OK Karl.     I took a snapshot of the pattern but you'll have to ignore the scratches.
   

[kbaknife]

It's all clear to me now.    

[D.Ellis]

That pattern looks great!
Darcy  

[Lin Rhea]

Thank you. that was about a 2 minute etch while pretty rough.

[DANA HOLMAN]

Lin, that's a nice pattern, but did you notice the funny face with big nose and long hair at the top of the blade? anyway can't wait to see the finish product

[Lin Rhea]

I see it now Dana.  

[D.Ellis]

Did you get this finished yet? I have been waiting anxiously for updates on this one.......such a cool looking pattern. Don't leave me hanging Lin!   :D  
Darcy