matt fieldcrafter-uk Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 (edited) Hi guys long time no post , I'm slowly gearing down making knives . Lots of reasons for it non that will interest you ha ha . Anyway as part of that I'm using up materials that are here , all I have left really is the steel to make pattern welded blades (incorrectly called Damascus) Anyway , it all starts with 25 alternating layers of carbon tool steel and carbon nickel steel . The original billet weighed 10.5 lbs . You can see it here with the power hammer . New forge starting to build in heat . You can see above after long enough and with good fluxing then under the hammer 25 individual plates of steel become one harmonious billet . Edited July 5, 2015 by matt fieldcrafter-uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt fieldcrafter-uk Posted July 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Once the "welding course" is compleat (basically the hole billet is now one ) I begin to draw it out in to a longer thinner length . It's so long I have to work in overlapping heats , you can see the billet goes right through the forge . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt fieldcrafter-uk Posted July 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Let it cool , grind clean one side , cut in half and repeat all the above to give me 50 layers . Now I have another bar , clean it , cut it into 3 , restack and weld . One bar of 150 layers . End of day one . Over £200 worth of steel used , £70 worth of propein , work shop hire and diesel .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southeastpete Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Long process! I'm sure the finished pieces will be worth it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt fieldcrafter-uk Posted July 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Beginning of day two . 4-5 hours of grinding ahead , followed by forging . I need a zig zagging type of grind to generate the pattern I want (my version of a ladder pattern) I missed the next stage of the process but I heat the bar to welding hear (light yellow colour) One flat I cut it up in to billets , flatten them etch . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt fieldcrafter-uk Posted July 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Day 3 I thermo cycle the steel to reduce the grain structure of the steel so I can get a finer edge on the finished blade , I do this by hearing the steel to non magnetic then air cooking , we do this 3 times each piece . Then I anneal the steel which is heating it to non magnetic the cooking over as long a period as u can , maybe 5-8 hours . End of day 3 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt fieldcrafter-uk Posted July 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Day four , close a couple of bits and test for softness and pattern . Then I Finnish every stage of the test billets (odds and ends , a trial kitchen knife) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt fieldcrafter-uk Posted July 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Then I made two fully finished knives . In going to stop talking now and just photo bomb . Hope you enjoyed it ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic1281 Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Wow!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt fieldcrafter-uk Posted July 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Ill have one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic1281 Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 I'd love a good kitchen knife in that style! They look superb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Fascinating and brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxon T Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Absolutely beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 that is hard work..................very impressed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 really interesting stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Very interesting indeed , they certainly end up things of beuty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampwick Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Beautiful, absolutely beautiful! What a great write up, what great skill. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 (edited) lovely matt, but I can't see a tanto in there Edited July 5, 2015 by Paddy Galore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James1983 Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Find all the work that goes into them fascinating. They really are amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Hi Great thread 👍 Serious amount of work in the blades and terrific pattern to them Thanks for sharing All the best Of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfbee Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Best thing I've seen all week, thanks for posting Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigman Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Oh Matt damn man there lovely your the Mascus master :-) love where your knives are going now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA-airgunner Posted July 6, 2015 Report Share Posted July 6, 2015 absolutely stunning work.....do you have a web site im interested in buying one of you pieces.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sle Posted July 6, 2015 Report Share Posted July 6, 2015 I really want one now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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