Barry Jones
10-15-2008, 02:33 PM
Phillip and I spent the weekend down at Montgomery Community College in Troy, North Carolina. We were overseeing one of the many knifemaking classes we organize for the school and the North Carolina Custom Knifemakers Guild. This class was Basic Damascus Steel Making with Tommy McNabb.
Normally, Phillip and I are there during each class to make sure the instructor and the students have what they need for the class. We also go in and set up all the equipment so the class runs smoothly. We usually don't get our hands in on all the fun unless a student has a problem. This week was a little different. Both Phil and I worked our asses off forging our first billets of damascus steel. Yes, after 22 years of knifemaking we finally made our own steel.
Each student started out with 7 layers of steel in their billets. They consisted of 1084 carbon steel and L6 steel. The L6 has nickel in it so that will be the lighter colored steel which will give a nice contrast to the darker 1084.
Phillip forged his billet out into 224 layers. That is 5 folds and welds in addition to the initial weld of the original 7 layers. Phil anded up putting a waffle pattern into his billet. That's right. The press dies he used gave the steel the look of a waffle. The resulting pattern, once ground down and etched looks like little bullseyes thruout the entire bar of steel.
My billet also consisted of 224 layers. I opted to put a ladder pattern in mine. I have yet to grind the billet down and etch it but I'm sure it's gonna be nice.
We can't wait to make some cool knives with steel we actually forged out. :101
Normally, Phillip and I are there during each class to make sure the instructor and the students have what they need for the class. We also go in and set up all the equipment so the class runs smoothly. We usually don't get our hands in on all the fun unless a student has a problem. This week was a little different. Both Phil and I worked our asses off forging our first billets of damascus steel. Yes, after 22 years of knifemaking we finally made our own steel.
Each student started out with 7 layers of steel in their billets. They consisted of 1084 carbon steel and L6 steel. The L6 has nickel in it so that will be the lighter colored steel which will give a nice contrast to the darker 1084.
Phillip forged his billet out into 224 layers. That is 5 folds and welds in addition to the initial weld of the original 7 layers. Phil anded up putting a waffle pattern into his billet. That's right. The press dies he used gave the steel the look of a waffle. The resulting pattern, once ground down and etched looks like little bullseyes thruout the entire bar of steel.
My billet also consisted of 224 layers. I opted to put a ladder pattern in mine. I have yet to grind the billet down and etch it but I'm sure it's gonna be nice.
We can't wait to make some cool knives with steel we actually forged out. :101