Carbon Steel Heat Treat

On forged blades I am careful not to overheat the steel, but also keep it above critical temperature when hammering. Each forged blade is normalized and annealed after forging. Once finish grinding is completed, the blade is taken through three normalizing cycles. The normalizing process is one where the blade is evenly heated in the forge until it reaches the point where a magnet will not be attracted to to. At this time, it is placed back in the forge for a few more seconds, brought out and allowed to cool to room temperature. This is done to ensure the grain structure in the steel is uniform, fine and free of stress that can result in the grinding portion of it's creation.

To harden this blade, it is again heated to non-magnetic, allowed to heat for a few moments more, and then quenched in 140 degree Canola Oil. If differentially hardened, only the edge portion (approx. one third the width of the blade) will be quenched. A dull triangle file should "skate" on the edge of a properly hardened blade at this time. The blade is allowed to cool in the oil, then room temp., and then immediately tempered in my oven at whatever temperature is required for that specific steel. Each blade will receive three 1 1/2 hour temper cycles.

Damascus Steel

My pattern welded steel is created using my home made propane forge and 25 ton hydraulic press. I make a variety of patterns in any dimension and layer count required. These patterns include random, ladder, raindrop, W's pattern, twist and composites of these. I have yet to delve into Mosaic damascus, but will be doing so in the near future.

I also create cable and chain damascus, but generally will laminate it San-Mai style with an 0-1 center core to ensure proper edge holding qualities. I use 1084, 15N20 and L-6 for the majority of my damascus, but have also used 0-1 and 1095 at customer request.

I have made both high and low layer billets of various patterns, but find the lower layer (100 and under) more attractive due to their boldness. High layers (300 and up) are best reserved for smaller blades and low to medium layer for larger blades, in my opinion. It is simply more aesthetically pleasing to me, but as the customer, you can choose whatever you wish.

To create a billet of damascus, I will cut several pieces of high carbon steel(1084, 0-1, 1095) and steel with nickel content (15N20, L-6)to the same size, stack them in alternating layers (1084/L-6/1084/L-6/1084....) run a stick welding bead down each end, weld on a re-bar handle and place in the forge.

The billet is then heated to dull red, Borax sprinkled over as a flux, and placed back in the forge.

The billet is continuously turned and heated until it has reached a uniform heat of at least 2100 degrees. I then remove from the forge and start forge welding it together on the dies of my hydraulic press, squeezing it all together to get a solid weld between each layer and then drawing it out longer, wider and thinner.

When the billet is about 12 inches long I cut it into thirds, grind the face of each layer clean, restack these pieces and repeat the process until I have the desired number of layers.

The billet is then machined and or manipulated to create the desired pattern, and forged to it's final dimensions.

This is a better more detailed description of the damascus forging process, complete with short video clips.

www.vikingmetalworks.com/dammake.html