OK, here's the deal. I have some 1" ball bearings from a historical source. I'd like to incorporate them into one of my historical damascus pieces. I also have some (presumably mild) steel plate from the exterior of a battleship. On hand I have 1084 and 15n20. I'd like to make a bowie that includes the historical material.
If I forge the bearings down flat to 3/16 or so, then match that size with the mild plate, I can make a billet big enough at least to clad a core. If I push the layer count, I should get the carbon content to .5 or .6 with diffusion.
Alternatively, I could start adding 1084 and 15n20 in the mix somewhere after the initial bearing/plate stack welds, in which case I shouldn't need to do a core/clad scenario.
What's the contrast likely to be like on 52100 and mild? Would this plan benefit from the addition of the other steels for contrast?
Since I have battleship stuff, I'll either go with a broad ladder to get waves, or I may try kind of a West Tx Wind pattern turned lengthwise so that the waves go along the blade.
Chromium is merely varying shades of gray, whereas nickel is white / silver. 52100 only has Cr adn will not give a very high contrast with mild plate. To add color, lighter - nickel, darker-manganese.
If I were to put pure nickel in between the mild and bearings, that stops the carbon diffusion, correct?
May have to slide some 15n20 in between instead.
Are you assuming that the historical source ball bearings are actually 52100, or have you confirmed this somehow? You can always check contrast between the different materials, by etching them befoe you weld them into a billet. If I were to try incorporating unknown or uncertain steels into a PW billet, I would definitely use some substantial amount of certain material, and stack the initial billet so that I would always have the known HC steel end up in the center of my final bar for the edge. This can also be accomplished with the core/clad scenario you describe.
My experience using mild steels in PW billets is that they etch a pale grey, almost like the color of high-P iron, but less textured.
I'm not cetain that the idea of nickel stopping C-migration is based in fact.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
If the bearings were indeed usable in the billet, I would reserve the mild for fittings on the knife and give them a "bluing" of some type.
Do be aware that when I refer to these elements, I always mean as alloying in a proper steel. Despite its popularity, I myself I would never advise using pure nickel in a knife blade.
These are the risks I take using strangely-sourced materials. Just trying to take advantage of you guys' trials and errors before I dive off into it 🙂
I really think on this particular piece I'd rather not clad/core, just standard "waves" of some kind.
Unless... I could make the core standard 1084/15n20 laddered, to make a sea of waves, and clad it with bearings/mild/15n20 in a low layer random to look like clouds over the sea... My creative rabbit trails sometimes overshoot my actual capabilities...
The mild plate is fairly pitted, might make an interesting guard if blued or browned. More things to play with...
Unless... I could make the core standard 1084/15n20 laddered, to make a sea of waves, and clad it with bearings/mild/15n20 in a low layer random to look like clouds over the sea... My creative rabbit trails sometimes overshoot my actual capabilities...
I for one, think this is a very cool idea. I also think that following those rabbit trails is the only way to get your abilities to meet your aspirations. I say go for it.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
So I decided on a plan for this one and did the initial welds yesterday. Set up the billets for the next round.
6 Bearings plus 5x13 layers 1084/15n20. Will be 71 layers total, with intentionally low layer count. Think nearly stripes. Will be laddered a bit for the final billet.
300ish layer of 1084/15n20/1095. I'm thinking for this one I'll cut ladder grooves longitudinal, couple or three cuts each side, then forge down, then do the side cutouts like river of fire and forge it straight. Kind of looking for compound waves.
Also forged the mild ship plate down to bars. Made a stack with that and 15n20 for the handle frame and fittings. Haven't decided on pattern yet there. I'm tempted to forge a small twist bar for the frame, then W the rest for the fittings, but IDK yet. May add nickel here also.
I haven't started prepping the can with the Okinawa shrapnel, but I'm planning 1095 powder to keep it nice and dark. May include a few ship plate scraps also, and may restack it at least once to get the pattern finer.
I figure at least three more welding days, maybe 4.
I've been seeing bits and pieces of this on FB and IG. This is a very cool project. The only thing I can say at this point is regarding the twist bar for a frame. I don't know if you ever done one before. These can be tricky, (but you can do it) and look best if you make a twisted bar, split it lengthwise down the center, and use half the bar for the frame, bending it inside out so the stars appear. Go man, go!
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
Yeah, that twist frame is an interesting possibility. May not make the cut on design, IDK yet. I figured I'd forge it down then grind it in half, but your idea to split may be better.
I did get the can prepped. A few hours in vinegar and then some scotchbrite belt and the shrapnel was good to go. I put some small pieces of boat plate in there also. 1095 powder. I'll need to restack this one a couple of times after I stick it the first time in order to get the pattern of the chunks down to where I want it.
Yeah, with the issues posting here I'm not likely to put many pics. I do have a big WIP going on Bladeforums and am posting on IG as well.
