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The Damascus Forum The art and study of Damascus steel making.

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  #1  
Old 10-14-2014, 07:07 PM
phil c phil c is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
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contrast problem

ok i think i over did things here. the experiment is.... l6 i think from a very old 30 inch circular saw blade and bed frame steel from a old bed. probably 1070 or slightly lower. tested both they do harden. folded it to 972 layers. having a hard time getting a good etch with pcb etchant. the pattern is there but hard to see too many layers ? or metal not dissimilar enough????anyone got any ideas.

Last edited by phil c; 10-14-2014 at 08:03 PM.
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  #2  
Old 10-14-2014, 07:43 PM
jmccustomknives jmccustomknives is offline
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A "very" old saw blade could just be a simple carbon steel. Since the bed frame is a simple carbon steel ?1075'ish? and the saw blade is also going to be in the same carbon content, that along with the high layer count you've probably getting close to going homogenous. Instead of the bed frame, try using a couple of old files and keep the layer count below 300. Fully harden and temper then etch.
Good luck.
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  #3  
Old 10-14-2014, 07:56 PM
phil c phil c is offline
 
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thank you that's making sense to me i was hoping the saw blade was l6 with nickel but thats what you get when using old stuff you cant verify. gonna try it...files huh ok

Last edited by phil c; 10-14-2014 at 08:02 PM.
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  #4  
Old 10-15-2014, 09:04 PM
argel55 argel55 is offline
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Are you diluting the pcb or if straight will not etch properly.
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  #5  
Old 10-16-2014, 04:11 AM
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GHEzell GHEzell is offline
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You are using mystery metal... this is not advisable when making pattern-welded steel... God only knows what the compositions are.


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  #6  
Old 10-17-2014, 01:29 PM
phil c phil c is offline
 
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mystery metal yes i am. i thought all older large circular saw blades were made of L6. apparently not wont make that mistake again. and yes i did dilute the etchant 60/ 40. 60 being the etchant. sorry it took so long to get back to my computer.
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  #7  
Old 10-17-2014, 01:35 PM
phil c phil c is offline
 
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i do see a pattern but only under a magnifying glass. gonna try making a blade harden and temper then etch. as recommended by the steel addict imccustomnives . thanx
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  #8  
Old 10-25-2014, 05:44 PM
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GHEzell GHEzell is offline
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Sorry it to me so long to get back here, for some reason I'm not getting emails telling me there are replies...

That "all old large circular saw blades are L6" bit of misinformation has been circulating around the knifemaking community for decades, and will likely continue for decades to come. The "all wide sawmill bandsaw blades are 15n20" rumor is not true either. Those large circular saw blades that have been tested are roughly equivalent to 1080, which will make a fine blade, but will show almost no contrast in a patternweld unless mixed with a nickel-rich steel. 15N20 is made by Uddeholm and is used for bandsaw blades, but it is not the only steel used for that purpose, even by Uddeholm.

15n20 is an excellent steel for blades, and is widely available in thicknesses ideal for patternwelding.

Differences in manganese, chromium, and to some extent carbon can cause some contrast, but they pale in comparison to the contrast from nickel content. On top of that, 900+ layers is going to be a very fine pattern anyway! I hope you get a visible pattern after it is heat-treated, but I suspect it will be quite subtle...


__________________
A good friend told me one time about forging "What is there not to like, you get to break all the rules you were told as a kid, don't play with that it is sharp, don't play with fire, and don't beat on that"
Wade Holloway


See some of my work.
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