custom damascus how to

[gmerrell]

All,
This is a short how I built the damascus NRA hunter I'll do it in stages and try to explain as best as I can, please feel free to ask any ? you have.

I started out with 11 pieces of 1080 0.125"X1.5"X6" and 22 15N20 0.65"X1.5"X6". The 15N20 doesn't compress as much as the 1080 and this will give me a bright pattern. I weld them up, attach a handle and put it in the forge.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/nra%20knife/IMG_0967_zps9b35a431.jpg

As the billet is coming up the temp I sprinkle flux all over it, when the billet is up to 2200-2300F I put it in the press to forge weld all the separate. layers into on steel block.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/nra%20knife/IMG_0972_zps6c0ab661.jpg

I will draw the billet out to get a piece about 1" thick, then let it cool. Then you grind off the scale cut it into 2-4 pieces stack it then it's back into the forge.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_0988_zpsc03373b4.jpg
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_0989_zps3a9d8fc6.jpg
after grinding off the scale.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_0990_zpsa387eec7.jpg
cut in half.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_0984_zps35eeb584.jpg
then you can etch the end and see what you have this is after the first forging.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_0987_zps97c66870.jpg
this is the second forge welding step, you can see the flux flaking off.

Then you get to let it cool, grind, cut, etch to see what you have.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_0992_zps130a8f7d.jpg
Then do it all over again.

This is at 8 layers, after I forge weld this one I'll have 16 then just one more to get 32 total layers. If I was going to do this in one pressing I would have to start with a billet that was 48" wide.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1000_zps40c3af62.jpg

When it's all done and annealed I grind off the scale and then I have to get the pattern on the sides instead of the ends where it is at now. There are a lot of way to do that but here I'm doing an accordion cut. First I drill the hole that will be the bottom of the accordion so that it is rounded and will flatten out without tearing. Then I'm going to cut out the triangles that are scratched out on the billet
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1002_zps8838a61d.jpg
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1007_zps23579663.jpg
that leaves me with an accordion shaped billet that is about 3/8" thick the pattern is on the ends of the triangles that I cut out. When I forge this flat it will bring the pattern the the face of the blade blank. I use a 1/2" round bar to slowly flatten the billet out if you are not careful the bottoms will tear because there is a lot of stress placed there.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1022_zps25634c57.jpg

then I forge that into a knife shape that I want.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1031_zps1797179c.jpg.

That's all for now have to get ready for a water board meeting. post your ?'s and I'll try to get to them in the next couple of days.



(http://s1307.beta.photobucket.com/user/gmerrell1/media/nra%20knife/IMG_0967_zps9b35a431.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1)

[Tinelement]

That my friend.....

Is freaking awesome!

[spleify]

WOW!! [Wow2]

[Flatline]

That's amazing!

Why the accordion cut? Is it to save time or to get a pattern?

[kidicarus13]

Impressive

[Dave]

Nice work on that, never knew how the damascus pattern was done before reading this.

[gmerrell]

I'm glad you all like it, few people understand what it takes to make damascus. Up to this point we are looking at about 2 weeks of work for me, others that can work all day could probably do this in under a week.

Next I grind off all the scale and refine the overall shape, then grind the bevel. Sanding belts are one of the most expensive parts of knife making. Depending on what belts you buy you are looking at $7-$12 per belt and 5-6 belts per knife. I start out with 60 grit to remove the bulk then switch to 120, then 220, then it's off to heat treat the blade.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1045_zps08c29ace.jpg

First I normalize the blade by bringing it up to the steels transition temp ~1500F or until a magnet no longer sticks then let it cool to around 900F in still air. This will take all the large steel crystals and make them small crystals and also releave all the internal stresses in the steel I do this 3 times. Then it's back up to the transition temp and quench in 140F oil.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1033_zpse22ef12f.jpg

If done correctly the blade should be as hard and brittle as glass, a good indication of success is the scale the has formed on the blade peels off, and a worn file will not cut into the edge.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1043_zps03fe5e81.jpg

While I'm heat treating the blade I warm up my toaster oven to 400F, I do a quick grind with a worn 120 belt to remove the remaining scale then it's into the oven for 1.5 hours to temper it. Then I shut off the oven and let it cool to room temp. I do 3 tempering cycles this will lower the harness and increase the toughness of the blade, when it's done it should be around 58 on the rockwell harness scale. Then it's back the the belt grinder starting out with a new 220 gr belt then 300 gr. Then into the shop where I hand sand the blade starting at 220, 400, 600, 800 down to 1000 grit. Then etch my name then clean the blade with acetone to remove all oil and dirt then into a ferric Chloride and water mixture to etch the 1080 steel. this is were you really get a good look at your pattern.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1265_zps097ed509.jpg

The blade etches for 20-30 mins total, I take the blade out ever couple of min and lightly sand with 2000gr to clean off the etched oxide. Then into a TSP bath to neutralize the acid. After cleaning the blade several times I use a cold bluing solution followed by a light sanding with 2000gr paper. The 1080 steel which is the dark part of the pattern is etched bellow the surface of the 15N20 which due to the Nickel in the steel isn't etched by the acid. The sanding will take the bluing off the 15N20 but leave it on the 1080. You don't have to do the bluing part but I think it really brings out the patter.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1283_zpsab530164.jpg
This is after bluing and sanding. If you look at the first post the picutre of the accordion cut, the area on the blade that has the heavy "M" pattern was the face of the triangle that was cut out during the accordion cut the areas between them were the bottoms of the triangle that I drilled out or the tops of the other side.

[gmerrell]

Now I have to start working on the handle my lease favorite part of knife making.
I start by drilling a series of holes in a piece of brass that are smaller then the with of the ricasso then use a file to open up the area until it takes a little hammering to get the guard on the knife.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1075_zps42fb8d46.jpg
I do as much shaping of the guard as I can before gluing it in place. There is a lot of putting it on with the elk antler handle to make sure that everything is flat and lines up the way I want it. I use JB weld to seal the area around the guard to make sure that no blood or moisture get between the guard and the blade which would lead to rust if it wasn't sealed.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1286_zps44de6116.jpg

Then a thread the tang of the knife and then use a piece of damascus to make a pommel that will fit though a piece of brass and screw on the the tang holding everything together.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1253_zps6f44e7a9.jpg
Here is a crappy pic of the finished pommel before it is sanded to 1000gr, etched, and blued.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1258_zps8e151791.jpg
You have to remove all to the pith in the antler otherwise it will deteriorate over time and crumble then you have a loose handle, so I use a drill and dremel tool to clean out the antler then use slow cure epoxy to fill in the gap between the tang and the elk antler, cap it with the brass piece put loctite on the pommel and screw it down tight. Then it's a lot of hand sanding to blend the guard, antler handle, and brass cap together.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1295_zpsc79ea4fc.jpg
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1298_zpsf5a1e8ad.jpg

Then it's on to making the sheath but thats another post.
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s600/gmerrell1/IMG_1322_zps19922b62.jpg

I hope this gives you an idea about what it takes to make a custom knife, for me start to finish is 6-8weeks for a knife like this. If I'm doing a stock removal or forging one from bar stock you are looking at about 4 weeks give or take.

[Musashi]

Wow! Beautiful work and then some.

[ChunkyMonkey]

[Wow2]

[TommyTwoDogs]

Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to post the pictures and the narrative. I have a chunk of random damascus that i have worked on a little bit trying to make a passable knife. It is still there waiting on me to do something. Your post has got me motivated again to try to make a knife out of this 5+ year project. Yous work looks very very good.

[Beprepared]

Holy Smokes Merrell, Nice!

[Arsalan]

Nice job, thanks for sharing, by the way what is market value?

[Awesom]

[MCarp71]

You Sir! Are an Artist.

[soldier-of-the-apocalypse]

show off

[anomad]

That makes a custom knife look like a bargain and a half!