Author Topic: Mosaic Damascus blade (Read 3267 times)

Canute Rex · « **on:** May 09, 2021, 06:44:12 AM »

Well, I finally got back in the shop and fired up the forge. I have owed a knife blade to a friend for a while and I've been wanting to try mosaic damascus. That is, pattern welded steel that's made by arranging/stacking strips of steel in a pattern rather than stacking them flat and then manipulating them.

My friend wants to make a 17th century ballock knife and is enamored of all things Scottish, so I decided to make him a plaid blade. In Scots dialect those last two words rhyme.

The blade is made from 15N20 stainless and 1095 carbon steel. I welded the initial stack in a steel box (1-1/2" square tube), forged it down and stacked it 2x2 for another weld. Then I cut the billet zig-zag and forged it out straight. Then I forged the blade, rough ground it, heat treated it, and finish ground it. I etched it in ferric chloride and then soaked it in instant coffee to punch up the black. Buffed the high spots with 1000 grit and a rouge strop to punch up the shiny bits. 9" tang to tip.

Here it is:

Nordnecker · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2021, 02:07:56 PM »

That is really something to see. I'm impressed.

old george · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2021, 02:30:50 PM »

Wow!!! That is a gorgeous pattern. What talent, ought to try out for Forged In Fire program.

george

hawkeye · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2021, 03:22:50 PM »

Looks really great wooow👌

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2021, 07:13:36 PM »

"There he was, on the end of my dirk, like a piece of meat!" Rob Roy

Daryl · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2021, 08:41:42 PM »

LOL -

wormey · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2021, 02:40:35 AM »

That is absolutely wonderful! Wormey

Canute Rex · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2021, 04:32:04 AM »

Thanks, guys.

I have some more of that zig-zag billet, so another knife for myself. Then there are some more slabs from that billet that I haven't done the final weld on, so I'll be playing with this stuff for a while.

For the next billet I want to try putting letters in the pattern.

smallpatch · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2021, 06:06:48 AM »

Wow!, just Wow!

Cobweb · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2021, 08:47:55 AM »

Absolutely stunning! Very nice work!

Big John

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #10 on:** May 12, 2021, 01:59:58 AM »

Beautiful work. Looks as tho you might be going aboriginal Maori on us.

I get smallish (5" blade) Damascus blades from Texas, put scales on them, and send them to folks I like. If you can make a couple blades of about the same size, let me know.

Canute Rex · « **Reply #11 on:** May 12, 2021, 05:07:46 AM »

It's funny, Craig, you aren't the first person to say "Maori." There's something to that bold pattern of parallel lines.

You should probably keep buying Damascus blades from Texas. I have no idea how many hours I have in this stuff, but I'm sure my blades would not be economical.

Bob McBride · « **Reply #12 on:** May 13, 2021, 12:10:36 AM »

Beautiful. It has an Easter Island vibe to me. Too cool.

Bsharp · « **Reply #13 on:** May 18, 2021, 10:13:12 PM »

Stunning!!!

Badenpowell · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2021, 04:28:22 PM »

Canute, your ability to think through how to make these layers achieve the desired effect is as great a skill as the way you use your hammer. Quite impressed.

P.W.Berkuta · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2021, 05:29:47 PM »

Not a knife blade that I would carry/use/or have an interest in but it is of fine workmanship

.

Brokennock · « **Reply #16 on:** July 08, 2021, 06:00:13 AM »

Beautiful.
Has this become a finished product we can see yet?

Canute Rex · « **Reply #17 on:** July 11, 2021, 05:49:41 AM »

Brokennock, I handed over the blade to its new owner a month or so ago, and he is going to fit the handle, so I have no idea about the schedule.

Thanks to all for the kind sentiments. More pattern welded nonsense in my future.

Canute Rex · « **Reply #18 on:** August 10, 2021, 05:48:43 AM »

Just got a photo from my friend who finished the knife. It has a grip made of manatee bone he found on the beach decades ago. The fittings are silver.

Brokennock · « **Reply #19 on:** August 10, 2021, 11:08:21 PM »

Quote from: Canute Rex on August 10, 2021, 05:48:43 AM

Just got a photo from my friend who finished the knife. It has a grip made of manatee bone he found on the beach decades ago. The fittings are silver.

I still like that blade.... But,,,, um,,,,,, about that "cross guard," uh,,,,,,, what part of the manatee did that come off of?

Canute Rex · « **Reply #20 on:** August 11, 2021, 06:20:29 AM »

Brokennock: That's why it is called a "ballock knife." Look up the term online and you'll find a lot of variants. It was a popular design for hundreds of years and ended up as the Scottish dirk.

My theory (note: theory) is that people were trying to make a fighting knife with only a wooden grip. In order to have any resistance to a cut, the wooden guard had to be substantial. Add a bit of obvious symbolism, and voila.

Brokennock · « **Reply #21 on:** August 15, 2021, 03:33:31 PM »

Quote from: Canute Rex on August 11, 2021, 06:20:29 AM

Brokennock: That's why it is called a "ballock knife." Look up the term online and you'll find a lot of variants. It was a popular design for hundreds of years and ended up as the Scottish dirk.

My theory (note: theory) is that people were trying to make a fighting knife with only a wooden grip. In order to have any resistance to a cut, the wooden guard had to be substantial. Add a bit of obvious symbolism, and voila.

Lol, I figured on the term. Maybe it is coloration or something but this one makes it seem far more obvious where the term comes from.
It would go well with my pan primer,

It didn't turn out quite like I planned, lol.

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Author Topic: Mosaic Damascus blade (Read 3267 times)