Better knife pics

[Briangoldcoast]

Morning guys,
Some of you were gracious enough to compliment me on my knives but disappointed in my crude photography.
My son like most younger people manages digital technology better than me and took these on the weekend for me. He also chided me for not polishing them up to 'cherry' but I do use them and the carbon steel does have a few stains on it now.
I hope you enjoy them.
Apologies for starting a new thread--again technology meltdown!
regards
Brian

[Briangoldcoast]

Looks like I didn't wait long enough for the upload

[Briangoldcoast]

ironmongrel--- Thats exactly how I made the billet to make the three blades, using borax as a flux
It was about 50 degrees in the blacksmiths shop that day and I must have drunk 4 litres of water

[BaronJ]

Hi Brian,

I really like the patterning in the Damascus steel that you created for the blade. It looks wonderful, like shimmering water.

[eskimo]

Looks like I didn't wait long enough for the upload

can you make a sheath for my knife...the one shown in the first picture


great stuff Brian

[DSEL74]

As in the last thread let me say again stunning work.

Just a side note for those posting this is not Damascus steel, it is pattern welded steel. Damascus comes from a certain region and made from specific metals. Anything else made that looks similar or with a similar process is classified as Pattern Welded steel. The reason I mention this is in the blacksmithing community and knife making community you can be quite forcefully reminded of this fact, as I learnt the hard way when I first started.

[Ueee]

Thanks for the better pics Brian, they look even better than before.


Many years ago I read up on how to forge Damascus Steel: forge welding several pieces together, drawing it out and folding it over on itself over and over. I believe it was from forging different percentage carbon steels together.

Up until very recently, pattern welded steel was often made from mild and plain carbon steel. These days with modern alloys a lot of guys use plain carbon and a steel like 15n20. It gives a really good pattern, holds a better edge and most importantly is far more forgiving to weld as you don't get carbon migration. You can add pure nickel in as well, (or meteorites!).
There is non ferrous version called mokume gane, i pressume it is Japanese in origin, a lot of tsuba are made from it.

Cheers,
Ew

[Briangoldcoast]

Thanks Ewan,
Excellent history and far greater than mine. For a lot I just followed the numbers so I appreciate the extra info.
regards
Brian

[DSEL74]

Ewan is correct on the 15n20. For fun it can also be done with chainsaw & motor cycle chains, and high tensile steel cable. Yes mokume gane is Japanese in origin. In the USA people of use dime coins as they are nickel plated copper. I wonder if our coins would work the same.

[Grahame Collins]

Brian,
I do like your knives as they are proper "using" knives. To many people make fancy knives that will never make a cut.
Form and function are what counts and your knives have both in abundance, I like the fine grain on the damascus.

It looks like a lot of work.

The timber ,and fitted metal and brass get me in.
Very nice work and very nice photos.
Grahame

[Briangoldcoast]

Thank you for your kind words Grahame.

[BaronJ]

As in the last thread let me say again stunning work.

Just a side note for those posting this is not Damascus steel, it is pattern welded steel. Damascus comes from a certain region and made from specific metals. Anything else made that looks similar or with a similar process is classified as Pattern Welded steel. The reason I mention this is in the blacksmithing community and knife making community you can be quite forcefully reminded of this fact, as I learnt the hard way when I first started.

Thank you for this information. :) I'd not heard of "Pattern Welded Steel" ! Another nugget to put in the old grey matter.

[son_of_bluegras]

Here's another nugget. Here in the U.S. damascus is commonly used for both pattern welded steel and wootz, both of which shows a pattern of some sort. Wootz is a single steel that forms a pattern from either carbon banding or alloy banding (the original stuff, named for Damascus, Syria, got it's pattern from the presence of Vanadium in the ore).

ron

[Stustoys]

Here's another nugget. Here in the U.S. damascus is commonly used for both pattern welded steel and wootz, both of which shows a pattern of some sort. Wootz is a single steel that forms a pattern from either carbon banding or alloy banding (the original stuff, named for Damascus, Syria, got it's pattern from the presence of Vanadium in the ore).

ron
W W Greener doesn't seem to be to upset where Damascus steel comes from. In fact he names at least 1/2 doz different types and at least for cities/countries of manufacture of "Damascus". Then again his book was first published in 1881. Seems like "champagne" to me.

Still great looking knives either way.

Stuart