Damascus
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Damascus is the forge welding of different steels to come out with different patterns in the finished knife. A good blacksmith coal is recommended for forge welding. There are lots of steels to choose from. It's best to try different combinations and see which ones work best for you. The Machinery's Handbook is a good book to help you learn about the different metals and the temperatures needed for each process.
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To start, stack two steels of choice, alternating them to the desired quantity. Attach a handle to one end.
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Bring it to temperature, flux it, bring it to welding temperature and weld. Draw it out to twice the length, keeping it to the same width. Then cut it and fold it.
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Leave just enough metal to hold the piece, then reflux and weld. Repeat this process until you have the desired layers. I have had from 20 to 600 layers in mine. Once you have the desired layers, draw out the billet to 1" wide by 3/8" to 1/2" thick. Now you can put a pattern in it.For the ladder pattern you grind every 1/4" the length of the billet. Turn it over and do the same on the other side but between the grinds on the first side as shown below.
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For the pool pattern, drill holes on both sides for the desired pattern.
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For the maiden's hair pattern, square your billet 1" by 1" then round it. Bring it to welding temperature and then twist.
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From this point on, work your metal at forging temperature. This will help to refine the grain structure. Pound the billet flat to about 1/4” or less. Now you are ready to forge the blade out to a basic shape. Use the grinder to profile and grind the blade edge. I like to start with 36 grit and work all the way down to 360 grit. At this point you need to harden the blade. At this point you put the blade in the etching solution. Time depends on the depth of etch you want. Draw the back three times to temper and put on the handle you desire. Sharpen to a razor edge. You should end up with a beautiful knife that holds an edge.
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