cable damascus blade...

[J. Neilson]

Well maybe we can do this. I'd like to get ideas from folks who are interested. Like opinions on the best time of year for you, how long (1,2 or 3 days), number of attendees, what you'd like to see or could contribute as far as demos or such and so on and so on. You can e-mail me (subject hammer-in) or we can start a new thread.

I apologize nifeman. It wasn't my intention at all to hijack this thread.

[nifeman]

Not a problem J, I enjoy the reading, and besides this is supposed to be where everybody can learn and reunite (sort of) ...Bud

P.S. and as long as you don't mind me stealing your corian spacer ideas

[J. Neilson]

Hell, I'll send you some. E-mail me your mailing address.

[ragnik]

I would be interested in participating. Not sure what I could bring to the table being so new but would love to learn more! I have been wondering if hammer ins ever happened in PA.

J I can email you if you want, and if there is some way I can help let me know

Ross(email: ragnik@charter.net)

[MJ Hofbauer]

ragnik, I don't think you have to worry about being New, since I'm probably the newest out of the group. I would just be worried about doing something stupid at a hammer-in and having all the smiths decide I'm the thing they want to hammer!

nifeman, get any further on the blade? I can't wait to see it. I have a bunch of Crane rental yards and such in my area, while it would be quite a ways before I was ready to try my hand at cable Damascus, I thought trying to get some cable to have on hand might be a good idea. Are any cables decent to use -as long as they don't have a coating to them- or is there something specific to look for?

-MJ

[hammerdownnow]

Things to think about are, local hotels to stay in. Nearest resturants. On site camping? electricity, toilets, water. Food, cookouts. Forges , grinders, steel anvils, demonstrators. release of liability forms. Wheew! lotta work.

[hammerdownnow]

.....or you can make it informal. Just show up and fend for yourself. Small 4-20 person slap togethers can be fun. Everyone just brings what they can carry and hang around one or two forges and take turns showing what ya know.

[J. Neilson]

Please don't feel funny about being new to this. I'm only going on my fourth year since I ground my own blade and made a knife. Seriously. New, smew.

There is definately alot to consider if this is going to be more than a day event. Small town but, there's definatley lots of on-site space. I'll have to get Tess (the brains of this outfit) to work on this.

[ragnik]

Hammerdown: Good point on liability forms perhaps there are some out there that can be had from some one else who as done this??

JN: Maybe the upfront way to go is start a seperate thread and see who would be interested and as you stated before also for what time of year! There seems to be a good bit of interest overall. Also I know from your link that you spend a lot of time on blade forums maybe there are more folks over there that arent on the ckd that would have interest!!

Also to hammerdown's point maybe a informal 4-20 group event would be a good starting point with the intention that if there is greater interest there could be a future event either at your place or somewhere else if we had that option!!


Just some thoughts

Ross

[nifeman]

MJ, no not yet, but, if the temp gets above 20 degrees I'll get back in the shop (unheated) and try to finish it up today. More pics tonite I hope. I'm about 6 months away from old fartdom (word?), and I don't tolerate the cold like I did when I lived in Pa. 13 yrs. ago...Bud

Wish I could make it to the proposed hammer-in, I know how much fun they are.

Also, J I don't need the corian (thanks for the offer though). I have a supply down where I work (Home Depot), also there is a place that makes counter tops close by that I'll have to check out.

[hammerdownnow]

Hey Bud, besides being stiff under the hammer, how did the forging go? How did you do it, flux it, twist it, ect. Do you have a power hammer? Have you made it before?

[nifeman]

Hey Hammer, let me see if I remember.

The components are pretty simple:
piece of crane or elevator cable, flux (I use plain old 20 Mule Tean Borax), tongs and a light 24 - 32 oz. hammer, forge you're comfortable with, and your favorite anvil

Start with a piece of cable about 12" long, heat to red, untwist a ways (just so you can flux all the wires, a helper is sure NICE), back into the fire till it gets a red to orange heat, take it out and twist it back up as tight as you possibly can and brush the excess scale and flux off, reflux and back into the fire, now is when it gets tricky, you leave it in the fire till the flux starts to boil and it gets a creamy yellow color, take it back out and QUICKLY get it to the anvil and start tapping the end farthest away from you. A couple of taps turn it 90 degrees and tap again, by this tme it will need to reflux and go back into the forge. Work about an inch or so at a time. You will notice it starting to solid up as you keep heating and tapping. Work as much as you want the billet to for the length of the blade.

As you get the billet squared up it will get stiffer and you'll notice more of a ring to the steel when you hit it. Once you've got a billet about 5-6" you can hot cut it or use a right angle grinder to cut off the solid part. then it's just a matter of drawing it out and forging your blade. Your billet should be about 3/4" square when it's done if you use a piece of cable 1 - 1 1/8" to start.

After it's forged, you can refine the profiles and bevels to your liking. Do your normal HT. One thing to remember is that you should only take the edge to about 1/16 to eliminate a possibility of cracking. After that hand sand to about 1500 or 2000 grit, clean with acetone or alcohol to remove any fingerprints and oil and soak the whole knife in ferric chloride and water mix (1 to 3 ratio) for at least 2 hours, rinse it off with water and dish soap, and provided it's got a good pattern, coat with gun bluing, and sand (LIGHTLY) just enough to bring up the highlights.

To answer some of your other questions:

I wish I had a power hammer and I only made cable damascus once before. It turned out O.K. but I don't think I had it quite up to welding temps as I had a couple of small inclusions. That is the one thing you have to watch out for.

Hopefully this will help some others in making this beautiful steel and give y'all a hint at what our forefathers went through (sheesh!!). It is fun and gratifying though to have a piece turn out and you can say "I made this with my own two hands" .

Also I hope I didn't leave anything out :confused: ...Bud

[hammerdownnow]

Thanks Bud, My puter has been down for a few days. That is a real pretty piece, and I can imagin the satisfaction level is high after reaching such a goal. Can't wait till I can get two pieces to stick together. Good on ya, and many more to come.