Johnathan I have never done damascus with a chainsaw chain, but I know that you can. I would say make sure that the chain is clean and make sure it is in a tight bundle. I am sure people with more knowledge of this than I will chime in.

I admire your enthusiasm. Good luck.

Brion

Jonathan,I have tried chain saw chain twice, and had trouble keeping it together. I suggest you start with cable, no plated,galvanized, or stainless. The cable that works the best is the Improved plowshare steel (1070) and the Extra Improved plowshare (1084). Using this material you don't have to guess on how to heat treat. You might check locally to see if you can find some. If you cant find any send me an email and I will look to see what I have.

Good Luck on the Chain

Russell

Thanks guys!

I just saw a video in you tube and the guy starts his damascus by dipping it inn something.

Do y'all know what that's all about?

Dear Johnathan,

Chainsaw chain is usually oily and dirty. I would recommend cleaning it in kerosene or some other solvent: BE CAREFUL very combustible and toxic fumes. Keep away from fire and do not breath. The "billets" I have made were done as follows: Clean the chains/s you want to use. Fold them up in as small and tight a bundle as you can - about 4" - 6". Then wire the bundle together and weld a work handle on to the bundle so you have something to hold on to. It is real floppy at this point. Put the bundle in the fire and "cook" off any remaining solvents, etc. Warm it up to a nice forging temperature and then use 20 Mule Team Borax as a flux. (This is a laundry additive and you can get it at the supermarket. Use it straight out of the box.) I keep my Borax in a metal shaker with holes to sprinkle the Borax evenly. Now bring the metal up hotter and hotter until the surface looks "wet". This is welding temperature and you need to LIGHTLY start hammering/ welding the loose billet together. Start at the end farthest away from you so you do not burn all the wire of before you get some of it welded. It takes a while because the chain is made of so many pieces and even though bundled it is still "fragile" and can fall apart while welding if you are not careful. Flux the billet with the Borax each time you put the billet back in the fire after hammering it. You need a good wire brush to brush the billet after hammering and before fluxing and putting back in the fire. Once you get the billet "stuck together" it is easier and just like welding up bars but you have to make it into a bar first then fold and weld like a "normal" billet.

You may want to try welding two or three bars together before trying the chain so you get the hang of the welding first. The fire is very bright and you should wear welding glasses that you can get at a welding supply.

Hope this helps,

Jim Crowell MS

Jonathan, Have you thought about trying cable? It is a good place to start learning about welding, but doesn't require the folding that is typically associated with damascus. Without a power hammer or forging press drawing and folding can be quite difficult. Not impossible but definitely a lot of hard work. Anyway, just something to think about. Cable is usually pretty easy to find, and given the right type can make a decent blade. Good luck with whatever you try, I believe that the trying part is the most important, so you are off to a good start. -Justin

Thank y'all so much!

That really helped!

I think I will start with chainsaw blade because thats all I have right now but I will definitely look for some cable.

Thank you Jim, that is really good information. Another thing you might try Johnathan is getting some mild steel from Lowes or Home depot. I think it is 1018 also known as welding steel. Use a couple pieces of the 1084 you have and sandwich a piece of the mild steel between them. The 1084 is 1 inch wide, so get some 1" wide mild steel in 1/8" or 1/4" thickness and start welding them together using Jim's method. They should weld very well. I would start with four inch long pieces. This should give you a billet four inches long by 1" wide with three layers. This will allow you to get the feel of forge welding and how this works. You could also sandwich the 1084 between the 1018 and make a san main billet. Have fun and be careful.

Brion

Great!

I had never thought of that before, that was very helpful.

I do know what your tanking about with the steel and will have to try that.

do I have to grind the coating off these pieces before forging?

Jonathan, I think Lowes or Sutherlands should carry cable that you can buy by the foot. Check in the section where they sell ropes and chains. But remember what Russell said, make sure it is not plated, galvanized, or stainless.

Thanks!

I'll have to look for that when I go to get the bar-stock that Mr. Brion was talking about.

|quoted:

Thanks guys!

I just saw a video in you tube and the guy starts his damascus by dipping it inn something.

Do y'all know what that's all about?

Maybe someone has already mentioned this, but I think what you are referring to is dipping the billet into a saturated solution of borax (in hot water). Hot water actually dissolves quite a bit of borax--cold water not so much, it seems. Not sure if this is still the recommended practice within this community (or if it ever was), but some recommend it.

Also, I would agree with what other folks are saying about starting with something simpler like San Mai. I have very limited experience, but I was making a billet of 1045/1095/1045 yesterday and feeling pretty good about it (and myself). Then I left the billet in the forge a little too long (well, a lot too long) and totally destroyed it--burned it right in half. Luckily, I hadn't spent too much time on it (just hours, not days). If I had been 3/4 of my way through a damascus billet I would have had much more time/$ invested and it would have been tougher to take...

Good luck this weekend!

If you have no means of welding a handle to the billet, how difficult is it to forge the billet using only tongs? Also, what kind of wire would you use to hold the steel together during the forge welding process and what thickness of wire is used?

Chain saw chain isn't all that hard to weld. The second billet I ever welded was chain saw chain. Do it exactly like Jim said. Use some black iron (bailing) wire to wrap it up. When it first starts to weld, it will look like a sponge. Holes everywhere. Keep welding and eventually you will get a really neat billet. I've found that Oregon chains make excellent blades.

Go for it and good luck!

Dale

OK, I think I will, Dale.

I got rained out today but I am going to try again tomorrow.

I can't wait to try all the great ideas that I've gotten from y'all. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />