Forging Steel ?

[4horn]

I am fairly new to knife making !
I am now at the stage of buying new steel instead of useing old car springs,
planer blades, & ect.
I have started buying and using 5160 for my plain blades.
I have had fair results making cable damascus and am now thinking about
trying my hand at forging two steel damascus!
My question is, because I have been unable to find any 1084 steel as
resonable priced as 1080 and or 1095, which steel is better at forge welding with
15n20 ?
And or is 1084 the best answer for the money?

[Ed Caffrey]

1080 will weld and work just as well as 1084 does. If you had good success at welding cable, your going to be surprised at how easy it is to weld and work laminates (as long as your mixing the right steels). There seems to be a big misconception out there that folks should start forge welding with cable.....I strongly disagree. Getting good solid welds and a clean finished billets is much more difficult with cable than with straight laminates. If your looking for a good source for 1080, try Kelly Cupples. He will shear to the size you request, and ship it to you in a 5 gal bucket. All you have to do then is assemble the billet and start forging.

[4horn]

Thank You for your reply and advise!
Now all I have to do is figure out how to get a hold of Kelly Cupples.
Mike

[Ray Rogers]

Kelly Cupples 509-949-5231