- Hey, not sure where to go with my W's billet from here. I started this with only 13 layers. I doubled up on the 15n20 so it will be a brighter PWS. I did the tradition way for W's by forging out the billet, squaring it, then flattening out on the bias. I cut it into thirds, restacked, forge welded and drew that out. Right now it is at .480 thick 1.5 wide and I will have about 10" of useable steel. I cut off the end for a test etch and so far I really like the pattern. It may be tighter away from the end. Just not sure where to go from here. It is probably to thin to accordion cut, what about a ladder W, or I have heard of some people forging it square, cutting, and 4way. I am thinking the best bet is to maybe cut in half or 3rds, forge weld, leaving thicker and accordion cut. What is the thickness I need for accordion cut? Any suggestions would be great! Thanks
(Don't look at my messy work bench!)
I, too, start with 13 layers. But the first thing I do is draw that out and cut into 4 and re-stack and weld so I have 52 layers. X 3 would work as well and maybe would be good for hunter size knives. But I did 52 on the knife I show below.
Remember - the amount of layers you have in your initial billet will be the number of "rows" you have from cutting edge up to the spine.
Then I draw those 52 layers out a little, re-square and crush.
Then draw out and cut into 4 pieces, re-stack and weld.
Draw that out and cut into 4 pieces, re-stack and weld.
Now I have 16 layers of crushed Ws.
I draw that out to around .450" and forge the basic profile of the blade and press in ladder dies.
Grind off the highs of the ladder.
Finish knife.
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Super cool blade Karl! Thanks for the help again! I was worried about cutting and restacking again thinking it might distort the pattern to much. But you have 16 layers of W's and it still looks amazing. I only have 3 so far so cutting and restacking shouldn't be an issue. Thanks!
What are your ladder dies like? Are they 3/16" groove 1/4"... Did you make them or buy them. I need to get some made or bought.
Super cool blade Karl! Thanks for the help again! I was worried about cutting and restacking again thinking it might distort the pattern to much. But you have 16 layers of W's and it still looks amazing. I only have 3 so far so cutting and restacking shouldn't be an issue. Thanks!
What are your ladder dies like? Are they 3/16" groove 1/4"... Did you make them or buy them. I need to get some made or bought.
And don't forget to increase the initial count of layers in the beginning billet. But you're already past that. My ladder dies are pieces of old "gear rack" that I made into dies. I've never measured anything on them. Riverside machine has a nice selection of dies: https://www.riversidemachine.net/ecommerce/forging-equipment.html
I took my billet cut it into thirds, restacked, welded, drew out to .45x1.90x 7" I decided to make my own ladder dies for the press. I cut 1/4" grooves and have 1/4" rises. Should hopefully get them finished tomorrow. I think my plan is to take this W's billet from here and ladder pattern it. That should work, correct?
So let's think about this for a moment. If you are pressing the grooves in, you will have to gring away the ridges formed until you have a flat surface. If your bar in .45" thick, and your depressions are .25" deep, they will cross over the mid point of the bar. You won't have anything left after grinding. So if you go ahead with this plan, you should only press into each side about .15"-.18". That will leave your finished thickness after grinding flat at .09"-.20".
If you grind the grooves in, and them forge flat, you can pass the center line as long as you leave enough material in between to grind a bevel into. Does that make sense?
“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.”
It has been a couple of months since I finished this knife. I thought I better come back and show a finished pic! So this is a broader ladder pattern, but I still really like the way it turned out. It has a carbon fiber short guard with micarta spacer, and a super nice piece of ironwood for the handle. I also made the sheath which has a crocodile inlay.
Thanks for looking and thanks for everyone's help on this project!
That is a very nice package! That came out very well indeed.
“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.”
