Very nice work. I really like the Damascus pattern.

Chris

Very nice knife Elvis. I also like the Damascus pattern.

Thanks guys! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' /> i too like this pattern,

it's quite easy to do and there are tons of variation one can do with it <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

Yes that is a nice looking knife and I like that guard.

So, what type of casting are you doing?

<img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' /> the casting was a 100% experiment, made a crucible out of some steel,

put it in my coke forge and started tossing in copper and brass (no clue of %)

made a ingot mould and just poured it in. was quite bad at the first pour (tons of bubbles in the ingot)

remelted the first ingot with some more stuff and poured it again, this time i preheated more the mould.

The second ingot came out half decent, and from that one i made the guard.

Still had plenty of molten metal in the crucible, so i've done a 3rd pour but was just full of bubbles.

and at that point the crucible started leaking in a corner xD so games were over

need a ceramic/graphite crucible and a better mould for this stuff.

eventually would like o try cast guards out of wax copies but for now is out of reach for me.

but still was a fun experience <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

Very nice! I started casting much the same way. Then I got some melting crucibles and some ingot molds. I have done some delft clay casting from shapes I made for fittings. I buy my casting supplies from two jeweler supplly companies here in the US.

http://www.ottofrei.com/

https://www.riogrande.com/

You can make the patterns from almost anything, wax, mild steel, plastic, all work. The nice thing about sand casting, is that you don't loose the pattern piece in the process. So, if it doesn't work the first time, you don't have to make another one.

I made the ball finial for this dagger using a ball bearing for the pattern piece. I put a flat spot on the ball bearing before casting it with shibuichi. The flat spot allowed me to drill a hole to braze in a threaded hex nut.

Nice blade!

and thank you for the links, will take a look.

wax casting is nice and nowadays with YouTube is quite easy to get started <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />