Stainless Damascus Steel for Wedding Band?

Hello Dave,

Dan  here. I took a weekend course with you a couple years back and had an incredible time!! I have not kept up with actual forging as much as I would've liked, though I have constructed a propane forge (based on yours) (see: Gas Forge Construction Plans ) and I have actually gotten into knife making. I have made two hunting knives, one double edged boot knife for a co-worker and I'm working on a 14" bladed chef knife for my partner. (It's taking FOREVER!!)

I hope all things are good with you and your art! I'm wearing my safety glasses and I actually think of your email sign-offs when I slide them on!

I'm hoping that you might be able to help me with something.....I'll be getting married in late September (for better or for worse! LOL and I doubt you can help with that!) and I am planning to make my own band. I am trying to find a small piece of stainless damascus to drill out and shape, as forging a stainless billet is far beyond my capabilities right now. I guess my questions to you would be:

-Do you have a small piece of 1" diameter stainless bar-stock that I could buy a couple 3/8" cut-offs from?

-Failing that, can you recommend a supplier (or another blacksmith) that would have some on hand and willing to sell?

-Failing all that, could I commission you to forge a stainless billet (flat bar-stock is probably easiest, I imagine)?

I'm of course, open to any suggestions you might have.

Thank you for your time and I'm looking forward to hearing from you,

Dan

 Hi Dan
Nice to hear from you and I am glad you have been doing a bit of work. As you have figured out knife making is a lot of fun with its own set of challenges.

Damascus
I have not done any stainless damascus. It is a challenging weld and draw out.
I would take a look at  http://www.knifemaking.com/default.asp under blade steels. There is a wide assortment of patterns etc. available. Most are 1/8th inch thick and the pattern is developed on the flat with not much on the edge.

You also might want to talk to someone who is producing the stainless Damascus, although I have no recommendations there.

Just drilling through would work but you would lose most of the pattern. Also drilling through the stainless and the D2 you will need carbide bits.

An alternative is to take a 1/8th thick 3/8th wide strip and bend into the ring size with heat and weld or silver solder together, Then you could get some of the pattern and the 3/8th width. This will show a joint in the finished piece.

Alternatively you could bend the strip to the required curvature. Cut 2 to 6 pieces and embed them in a wax base that is the actual ring size. These pieces of Damascus become "gems" embedded in the wax. Then take the wax master with the Damascus in place, to a jeweler that does lost wax casting. They can sprue it up and place it in an investment. Then they will burn out the wax and fill the cavity with molten gold. Once cold you get an exact copy of what you made, so make sure the wax fits your finger before sending it to be cast.

Once cast it will still need to be cleaned up and polished etc. The gold should fuse directly to back of the steel at the casting temperatures. In the end this will give you more of a segmented look to the wedding ring with the Damscus pattern showing with a thin line of gold next to it.

I hope this helps.

Take Care
David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith www.ArtistBlacksmith.com

Bottom Draft Forge Clogs | How to Prevent It?

 Hi there David hope you and your family are well and hope you busy with your work and lots of sales I have a problem that you may have an answer too , I have 2 forges one side draft which works well the other is a bottom draft and it keeps clogging up with small coke clumps coke dust and molten clinker ,the opening on the forge  is 3.5 inches maybe I may need more airflow I'n not sure , it becomes a pain cleaning the forge and restarting it, would you know how to stop this problem hope to hear from you , will send some photos so you can have a look , thank you .

 

Regards

 

Petar

 

 Hi Petar
This is a universal problem with bottom draft forges. The rate at which it clogs up depends on the quality of coal you can get and the type of work that you do. Eg. heavy forge welding lots more clogging. 

 

With coal that has a lot of clinker in it we have to clean perhaps every two hours. Usually not a big problem though. I just scoop the large quantity of coke from the top of the fire, on to the side pan of the forge then scoop out the heart of the fire with the clicker and coals. Toss this into a metal bucket for screening later to get the good bits of coke . Give the clinker breaker a good rattle and make sure all is clear then pile the coals that I originally put aside back into the fire pot and crank the air again.
The coals at the side of the forge stay lit for about 1/2 an hour if they are piled up so it is easy to get them back up to temperature with a little air blast. The whole clean out process takes about 3 minutes so it is fast turn around if the coal is bad. Good coal I can get about 4 hours out of before I have to clean out.
Another option if you are in the middle of something important is I use a "clinker picker" Just a rod about 30 inches long with a small 1/2 inch diameter hook on one end that I can place down in the fire pot and grab large chunks of clinker that form and hall them out of the air opening and carry on work. Very fast and often all that is required to carry on work for another hour.
I hope this helps.

Take Care
David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith

www.artistblacksmith.com

How to make a Calla Lily

Sir,

Since seeing your video on forging a rose some time ago, I have enjoyed making flowers of all kinds and am continually amazed at the accuracy one can achieve with a little heat and a lot of patience.

I wanted to seek your advice on a flower I was trying to forge; it has a deceivingly simple shape so I thought I would get some help before going through all of my steel!

Because of its bell shape, I wasn't sure if I should raise it, roll it, or some other technique, also, it has that distinct "sweeping" head to it that I can't figure out how to imitate. Any guidance you might have would be very much appreciated.

Gratefully,

Anthony

Hi Anthony
Thanks for the email.
The calla lily is a distinctive flower and you have a couple of options to work with depending on the size that you wish to create.

The most common way to make these is to use a thin gage sheet such as 16 to 20 gage. Then cut out the flat pattern and do some texturing on the surface and the edges and then roll into the shape. Electric weld or forge weld onto the stem and the stamens. This technique allows you to create one of any size. Make a card board template first so you can see how it rolls and the final shape that you get. The sweeping head is simply worked hot over the horn until you get the right shape. Gentle hammer strokes.

The second way which is suitable for smaller flowers and is more work but allows for some variations, is to use 1.25 inch black pipe or 1.5 inch black pipe. This needs to be cut on a strong diagonal and then "sculpted" to the small point on tip of the flower with a grinder. Then forge the cone or funnel shape of the base which again can be electrically or forge welded to the stem and the stamens. Once the taper is forged or partly forged you may want to add the cut or split down the side to create the over lap for added realism.

I hope this helps.
Take Care
David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith
For more tips and questions answered go to the Blacksmith Forum on the main website. You can also get feedback and ideas from other members as well.

​

What is the Smallest Reasonable Air Hammer / Power Hammer and Suggestions How to Sell Your Work?

What is the Smallest Reasonable Air Hammer and Suggestions How to Sell Your Work?

Hello David,

Thank you for your time in creating these emails and your web site. The information is very helpful.

You talked about power air hammers but can you say something as to the size of the different hammers. The head weight varies and I am not sure what weight is appropriate for my work. I know the heaver the better in general but one has to consider the weight of the machine. That is an issue for me as I move a lot. My real question is how light can you go while still being able to work on larger pieces of stock.

Also maybe something on selling. A big obstacle for most all blacksmiths I have come across is how to sell the work and how to price it.

Thank you

Fernando 

 Hi Fernando
You have good suggestions and questions.
Air Hammer
This is a bit tricky and it sounds like you have done a bit of research. The reason heavier overall and heavier head weight is better is that the over all weight prevents the machine from bouncing around in your shop. This means more energy transmitted to the bar therefore more efficiency. Same idea as a heavier anvil is more efficient. As the head weight increases this is the equivalent of a bigger hammer so you can impart more energy to the bar as well.

But your question how small / light can you reasonably go. A few years back I built a 50 lb hammer that weighed total about 400 lbs. Once this was well bolted down to the floor it was surprisingly efficient. It was light enough that I could move it on a two wheeled hand cart. (although possible it was awkward better to move with two people)

This design was an H frame much like the KA75 see http://www.ka75.com/ I made some modifications but essentially the same idea. The KA-75 is a single strike hammer. That is every step on the foot peddle produces one strike. A light tap = a light tap on the work, a heavy step = heavy blow on the work. This machine has a great deal of control and best for punch work or single blow tools.

I do a lot of continuous draw outs and this tapping the peddle every time I needed a strike drove me crazy so I switched it over to a regular cyclic hammer. There are a couple other issues with the KA. Most important is that you don't have full range of motion on dies since one side is blocked with the H frame. Other than that this little hammer works very well and is reasonably portable.

Realistically you can work a 1 inch square bar with a 50 lb hammer. The air hammers I build are 75 lbs and will comfortably work 1.5 inch square. I have worked 2 inch but it was slow going. Sizing is going to depend on how big a piece of steel you expect to work.

Selling
This is a hard question. I think I have an article up on the website about pricing and what really goes into the cost of making a piece. That is a bit different from the actual selling and that does warrant a full article in itself. Some suggestions.

• For smaller items, craft shows. This helps for leads on larger custom work. Always have your portfolio with you and the best pictures you can take. (Some people are using tablets for this now with some success)
• Wholesale trade shows for items that you can sell and make fast and in quantity.
• Website Online. I would say this is number one marketing strategy in this modern world.
• If not a full website look at Etsy some people have had very good luck with it. I don't use it myself but I have heard good comments.
• Consignment at higher end art galleries and art stores.
• Your own retail location (means you have to stop traveling for a while) also probably means you have to hire someone to run the store as you make the items.
• Art studio tours. This one depends on location and local studio tour availability. For some people very profitable.
• Advertising in high end home decor magazines. (This one can be expensive with no returns, possible but be cautious)

That is most of what comes to mind off the top of my head. Each smith has a slightly different path as we each specialize in different products.

I hope this helps.
David Robertson
ArtistBlacksmith.com

How To Blacksmith a Courting Candle

What Are The Steps In Blacksmithing a 1800's Courting Candle?

Hi David

I wonder if you could assist me in explaining what is the best way to make a courting candle holder like they used in the early 1800's? The one I saw looked like it was made of 5/16 round bar with 8 rings and it had a little loop on the top.

Thank You!
Dawn

Thanks for the courting candle inquiry.
I use to make many of these and of several different styles. I used 1/4 round bar or 1/8th by 1/2 inch flat bar. Both look nice. The 5/16 that you mention will work just a bit more effort.

So my steps

• Point the end of the bar
  
• Make a small curl on the end for decoration
  
• Bend tip in a curve over the horn in the direction of the spiral
  
• Use a 3/4 or 7/8 diameter rod as a mandrel to wrap the steel around. I got fancy as I was making many of these courting candles and built a jig so that I could have a constant spacing on the spiral with a separation of about 5/16. On the smaller stock sizes this could be bent cold. 5/16 diameter rod I would tend to spiral hot. The curved tip was clamped on top of the mandrel and turned as the straight steel was fed in the bottom. There was a catch arm to cause the bending and a spacing pin to keep everything at the right spacing. If done cold there is significant snap back when you make the final loop.
  
• With the round bar I forged a handle on bottom end and looped it around to create a base, then up and folded down to make the handle. Another decorative curl on the handle end of the bar. True everything up on a flat surface. For 1/4 inch round bar I used 60 inches of material. Less for the flat bar.
  
• The flat bar courting candle I would fold a piece about 3 inches long back under the main candle stem with two holes drilled in it. This was then screwed to a decorative wood base. Alternatively if you want a carry handle you can fold under 12 inches with the 3 inches the same a s above and the remaining 9 inches bent like the round bar up then back down again to form the handle.
  
• The plug that spirals up can be made out of wood dowel or pipe with a pin on the side as a handle that fits through the spaces in the spiral structure. Traditionally these plugs were often made out of thin sheet steel as they only have to support the weight of the candle.

You will have to do a fair bit of fiddling and fitting to get everything to work properly, but once you have your jigs made up you can make these pretty easily. If you are only making 1 or 2 you will still need the mandrel but you can just eye up the spiral and make any adjustments after it is formed.

I hope this helps.
David Robertson
www.ArtistBlacksmith.com 

What is Best Layout For a Blacksmith Shop?

What is best Layout For a Blacksmith Shop?

I have been a member of your site for a while. I have done welding in the past but never blacksmith work. I have accumulated most items over the years but I am going to join our local blacksmith club in Murfreesboro Tennessee to start learning about the trade. 

I am also in the process of drawing up plans for a shop/barn combination I wish to start on within the next year. 

Can you recommend anything on how to layout a shop for blacksmith work? I have seen some people keep the floors dirt and I saw some youtube videos talking about having the forge, anvil and vise in a triangle around where you stand. I just don't want to build the shop and say later that I messed it up. 

Thanks

Gary  

Hi Gary
Thanks for the inquiry.
Shop design is a personal thing and each of us have our preferences. Most of us agree that they are never big enough.
So that is my first suggestion build it as big as you can afford.

Floor
I prefer concrete as you can keep it relatively clean and you can move heavy equipment around using wheels and rollers.
I don,t like the dirt floors. They kick up too much dust and you can never find a level spot to true up a table. Also if you drop a small nut or bolt it disappears.
For standing on I use a piece of plywood by the anvil. This softens the concrete for standing for long periods.
The concrete also gives you something to anchor to if you don't want things to move.

Ceiling
Again as high as you can afford. I have a small shop with 8.5 foot ceiling and there are many times 10 feet would have been better. Also if you run a gas forge the higher ceilings will allow more of the heat out of the working area of the shop.

Doors
At least one door should be wide enough to get equipment in and out easily. A roll up garage door is great. I have a 4 foot wide man door that works pretty well.

Electricity
230 volts and at least 60 amps. 100 amps would be better but depends on the equipment you will be putting in. If using industrial equipment you may want to think about 500 volts and 3 phase.

Lighting
Some debate here. I use standard 4 foot florescent lighting. Some people use spot or task lighting. Generally I suggest well lit as opposed to the "dim blacksmith shop lighting". More the key is uniform lighting especially on and around the anvil.

Windows that can open for ventilation.

Layout
This is personal. A common mistake is that people will put the forge against a wall or in the corner. You should be able to hold and work on an 8 foot bar. Now it is very rare that we ever work 8 feet but the extra space does come in handy. If you work with a coal forge you will need to factor in a chimney. In this case I would put the back of the forge against the wall with the working sides free on either side. You never know when you may have a friend over that wants to do some work too. 

The triangle is a handy adaption although it is more each major piece of equipment is one point of the geometric form with the anvil in the middle. So forge one point , vise another, layout table another, power hammer another, tool rack another, slack tube another. Again this is personal adaption on your space and work style. If you set something up and hate the work dynamic you can move things around.

Cold working tools such as grinders and sanders and welders, should be nearby but do not have to be in the hot working area.

It doesn't hurt to sketch a couple of scenarios down on paper and see if they may sense.
I hope this helps a bit 

David Robertson

Artist Blacksmith

How Strong Do you Have To Be For Blacksmithing?

How Physically Fit Do You Have To Be For Blacksmithing?

Hello,

I noticed that you have a blog where you answer questions about blacksmithing.  I am hoping you might answer mine as it is something I think other people wonder about as well.

I am thinking of taking a blacksmith class because I appreciate well-made items that are not mass-produced and like the idea of working with metal.  I don't intend to make my living this way but hope to make some basic items, like knives, hooks, etc.  However, I am curious how strong and in-shape one has to be to do this.? Also, realistically, what kinds of skill sets make a good blacksmith?   I am a woman in my 50s, moderately good condition but not an athlete or weightlifter, a bit on the short side.  I know how to use basic tools but have never built anything before.  Would blacksmithing probably be beyond me?  Perhaps you can describe the physical qualities and basic skill sets which make someone a good blacksmith?

Thank you in advance for your reply.

Regards,
Tara

 Hi Tara thanks for your question and I will put it up on the blog as I agree it may be a common question.

How Strong to be a blacksmith
In this modern age strength is less important than stamina and willingness to look at new ways of doing things. I am by no means what people think of as a hulking blacksmith. I explain to my students that it is really about coaxing the metal to shape not muscling it to shape. This means that there are many repeated hammer blows to create the shape desired. The object is to apply the right amount of force at exactly the right spot to move the metal the right amount. Of course bigger bars require more force to move them.

There are a miriad of techniques and tools that help us manipulate the steel. I know a number of women of all ages that do blacksmithing with out any problems. They tend to think more about design and how to work with the steel instead of handling huge bars.

Realistically it is a physical activity and it requires standing for long periods of time. There is movement of the hammer. Usually a 2 lb hammer swung many times in a day but you get to take a rest every time the steel heats. This is almost 50% of the time. Most of the starting projects use small bar and this is easy to manipulate. Larger projects often use multiple small pieces that are later assembled. The final project might be quite heavy but we can use over head cranes and hoists to move things around. If you set up a larger shop power hammers can help manipulate the steel. These are expensive machines but the amount of work that they do is incredible.

Where I would caution a person with blacksmithing is if they have a previous ailment such as carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, or rotator cuff injuries to their dominant side. The smithing can make these conditions flare up.

Skill sets that make a good blacksmith
There are many common skills that serve the blacksmith well and some specialized skills.

• Be able to look at a problem and figure out a solution given resources at hand
• Willingness to learn and do a bit of research
• Learn from your mistakes
• If you are fighting with a problem being able to stop and look at it from another view point
• Willingness to experiment
• Understanding that this endeavor requires practice and lots of it. You usually can be successful with minimal effort but to be really good takes a lot of practice.
• Some ability to roughly sketch on paper what you want to make helps a great deal. Especially with later complicated projects.
• Not be afraid of the hot metal. Yes you will get burned. Usually they are minor.
• Specifically being able to electric weld will help
• Good hand eye coordination

In short from your description I would say that you would be fine at blacksmithing. Be realistic that it takes time to get good at it but you should have a good degree of success from the beginning.
I hope this helps.
David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith

Is Arc Weld Forgeable?

Is Arc Weld Forgeable?

Mr.Robertson,

Is arc weld forgeable? In other words can you heat a arc weld and change its shape and still maintain the integrity of the weld. I'm talking stick weld using rod for low carbon steal, a36, 1018, 1045

thanks for your help.
Jjim Shaver

Hi Jim
The short answer is yes if it is a good weld to start with.

Now there are some problems. Arc welding tends to create a bit of an undercut right at the edges of the weld. When you forge over top you flatten out the weld but the undercut stays. This can become a crack with successive forgings. It also usually stays visible which I find unsightly and indicates to me that the piece has been electrically welded.

Higher carbon content steel may develop a fracture at the undercut more easily than low carbon mild steel, if it is worked on the cold side. Although high carbon may actually benefit more from the forging process than lower carbon steel especially if it was not preheated when welded.

I would suggest (of course depending on the application) using a rod that doesn't undercut the steel very much. 7014 comes to mind but this depends on the steel and your welder (dc is better than ac) and your welding skills.

Alternatively if you mig or tig weld there is less undercutting and you can forge directly with little issue, both in strength and visibility of the weld.

Of course try a few practice pieces and I recommend forging more on the hot side than the cold side of temperatures and properly prep your welds with V groove and multiple passes as is appropriate for strength. Play with your machine setting until you get the least undercut with the weld.

I hope this helps.
David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith

Hand Forged Nails

How To Make Hand Forged Nails

Thanks for the black smithing tips. I have been enjoying them. I am a beginner. Right now I am learning to make a nail. Can you tell me what size of a hole you need to hammer the nail through to create the head if you are working with 1/4" round stock? And is the hole a little wider at the opening? I am making my own tool to help form the nail head.

Glad you are starting out. Nail making is a good place to start as it teaches you hammer control and speed.
The nail header is a flat bar which can be mild steel to start, but if you make a lot of nails you may want to use a piece of tool steel such as car leaf spring. It should be fairly thick about 1/2 an inch.

You hot punch a square tapering hole in the bar. For the 1/4 round you mention I would not go bigger than 3/16 square. Now the key is that the hole is smaller at the top and larger at the bottom.

This means that after you draw out the point on the 1/4 round and position it . Make the partial cut so that about 3/8 to 1/2 inch sticking above the heading tool. Then take a good upsetting heat on it (bright yellow) then place in the heading tool and twist off the "handle" then quickly drive straight down into the heading tool.

It is best if you cut from all sides not just one side.

As the nail gets driven down onto the nail header the first thing that happens is that it slides until the sharp edges of the sides grab onto the steel. Once it grabs then the hot metal deforms "upsets" to create the head. Once it is well seated you can use angled hammer strokes to make the rosette head.

When it has cooled a bit a tap on the point or simply turning the heading tool over and tapping on the anvil and it often releases the nail. If the heading tool has the small opening down you are wedging the steel into a socket and it is much harder to get out and it doesn't make a nice shoulder.

If you are just starting you will find bigger nails are easier to make. 5/16 or 3/8 rod size. They hold the heat longer so you don't have to work quite so fast.

David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith
www.ArtistBlacksmith.com

Review of Kevlar Flame Resitant Apron

Puncture and Flame Resistant Apron Review

Review of Kevlar Spark Resistant Apron by Magid Glove and Safety

I have been asked to do a review of a heat resistant apron for use in blacksmithing.

You can see it in the photo. It has full coverage and is quite light material. There are cross over straps that are quite comfortable and easy to adjust for sizing. It is also easy to get into and out of.

I am not a huge fan of the color but in a blacksmith shop that will change.

The traditional leather apron is used to deflect sparks or falling hot metal away from your body. Leather is quite durable and will take a beating. But in cold weather (as you see I am wearing my hat as it was chilly today in the shop) leather stiffens up and you practically have to thaw it out.
With this apron it was soft and pliable all the time. A nice bonus.

So How did I test this apron out? Well I simply stretched the fabric across an opening and secured it with two magnets.

I then heated a 3/8ths square bar about 3 inches long to about 1800 degrees F. See the photo on the left.

I then placed the hot bar on the fabric and watched what happened.





So it turns out that after about 3 seconds the heat transfers through the fabric and scorches the underside. Now this means that if you were inc contact with the hot steel for 3 seconds you probably would get burned.

But after smoking a bit (stinks a bit too) the bar was still well supported after 15 seconds. This means that the fabric was still intact after 15 second direct exposure to 1800 degree heat.

Now in the greater schem of things 3 seconds is a long time to have something hot brush up against you in blacksmithing. 15 seconds is an eternity.

So my feeling is this is a good product for general protection.








You can see the smoke in this photo.














This final photo shows the scorch mark. Not bad for 15 second exposure.

More on Forge Welding

Forge Welding Tricks and Temperatures

Hello Mr. Robertson:

I very much enjoy your website (www.ArtistBlacksmith.com) as I am new to blacksmithing and value the articles as a learning resource.

My two questions deal with technique to follow when hand forge welding:

Q#1) I have used both a gas forge and an oxy/acetylene torch to heat small parts when I need to shape and forge weld tool steels (D2) to mild steels. From my research, I understand that the best forge welding occurs when steel temperatures are both above 2400F and when both surfaces are well cleaned. I have a very difficult time seeing the difference in color between dull yellow/orange, bright yellow and yellow/white to know when the materials are both hot enough to effectively weld. I have tried using "Tempsil crayons" to measure surface temperatures, but these crayons only indicate when surface conditions are above 1850F.
What trick or tool do you use to insure that both steel parts are adequately heated to guarantee a good quality forge weld?

There is a lot going on with a forge weld. You certainly need a high temperature and scrupulously clean all helps. At these temperature it is very hard to see and judge the colors of the steel. I usually tell people to look for a lemon yellow or melted butter color or the same color as the interior of the gas forge running at max. But there are some tricks that can be used.

The first one and will gain you the most success is to use special shade 2 welders glasses. Click Here for selection of Amazon Infra-dura safety glasses. I use either the infra-dura shade 2 or rose dydmium glasses for the forge welding. The infra-dura lens actually filters out more of the harsh light than the dydimium. Both of these lenses allow you to see the surface of the steel at high temperatures. The shade 2 lens is green and you have to get use to the color shift but with a little practice this is not a problem. I would suggest wearing them for all forge work.

When using these glasses I am looking for a surface that has a bright greasy look to it. It should also have a look like it is almost slithering around. This is not liquid but getting close to it. The whole weld area should be the same color with no shadows. If it is an uneven heat turn the bar over in the fire and soak it from all sides. It should be an uniform temperature all the way through.

Another trick to try when starting out is forge a 1/4 inch round bar to a point and bend the point over a 90 degrees. Bring the bar that you want to weld up to temperature with the 1/4 round pointed one beside it. When you think it is right touch the point to the part that you think is at welding temperature in the fore fire. It should stick. If it doesn't stick it is too cold. Soak it longer.

If it sticks ( you should be able to pull it apart) take the weld. Start with simple fold over welds such as handles or even 1/4 by 1 inch flat bars just folded over on itself to learn the temperatures required.

Remember in gas forges this is working right at the top of what they are capable of. A high altitude makes a big difference as well. Above 4000 feet you may need a blower to provide extra air.

Q#2) I have heard that some blacksmith's prefer flux when forge welding while others strictly refrain from using flux because flux introduces contamination to the weld site. If flux is preferred, what are the best flux formulas for forge welding steels, stainless steels and wrought iron?

Flux is a bit of contentious issue. If using no flux your joints and fire have to be as clean as possible. Flux keeps the scale from forming on the bar. Scale does not weld. Some fluxes contain a ground metalic ingredient that lowers the welding temperature and increases the surface area at the joint. All these are good things when joining mild steel. I have used these compounds and they do work well. Trade names that come to mind are EZ-weld, Cherry heat, Antiborax, There are others. The problem comes when you are welding damascus billets as this metallic grains introduce a new layer into the billet and it can muddy the sharp transition between the layers.

20 Mule Team Borax found in the laundry isle has been used for years and works well for all general forge welding. It introduces no metallic contaminate. However there is a downside to using 20 Mule Team Borax. On regular joints it leaves a residue of borax that is very hard to clean off. It can be ground or sand blasted off. The problem with this residue is that it will start to turn white as it is exposed to moisture. So you may have this lovely forge welded piece then it starts to get this frosted appearance at the joints after a couple of years. Not pleasant

Different fluxes for different steels.
I have not forge welded stainless steel, but I understand you require a special flux with a Fluoride component to clean the stainless. Wrought iron should have enough slag in the matrix of the bar that you don't need flux but Borax wouldn't hurt.

I hope this helps
David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith

Blacksmith Protective Eyewear Questions

Protective Eyewear Questions

1. Can you comment on fit for people who normally wear glasses - i.e. isn't it necessary to get safety glasses that fit over the regular eyeglasses. I've ruined two different pair of regular glasses because I thought that if I got lenses comprised of 'safety' rated material, e.g. polycarbonate that would work. Well, it might work for safety features, but after a short while I had so many small pieces of metal shavings and welding rod flux imbedded in them, the visibility through them was degraded. To replace these is quite expensive.

2. Why is the tint necessary if the eyewaer has UV protection?

Hi Doug
1) Prescription glasses are a problem. Although if the safety lenses protected your eyes from the metal shards and flux yes they did their job. This is a personal fit thing and yes best option is glasses that cover completely your regular glasses.

2) The forge like a cutting torch puts out UV and Infrared. Most glasses are well protected for the UV but very few protect for the infrared spectrum. The chemistry of the additives in the lens can filter out the infrared. Various tints help you see the metal better by filtering out different spectrums of visible light. The didymium ones I use filter out the sodium flare which is the bright yellow light from the forge.

I recommend shade 2 welding lenses such as Uvex Infradura shade 2 (shade 3 which is more common is pretty dark for shopwork as I start to trip over things). You may also find clip ons available that would protect both you and your prescription glasses but you may have to dig a bit for those. I use a pair similar to the above glasses for forge welding and find them much cooler on the eyes Than the rose didymium that are my regular forging glasses. The infradura filters 85% of the infrared and about 99% of the UV

Also www.auralens.net has a more extensive line of specific high temperature lenses. Look for metal working.

I hope this helps.
David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith

Tips For Forge Welding Above 4000 Feet

Forge Welding at Higher Altitude

By the way I am at 4000 ft. I am told that it is very hard to weld with a propane forge. Is there something you can share with me on what I can use or do before I start to try this????

Most of the trouble with higher elevations is the thin air. You just need more air to compensate for the fuel required to get enough heat for the forge weld. Some people are successful with an atmospheric forge forge welding at 4000 feet. Above that it seems that they need to add a blower to increase the air (oxygen / fuel ratio) . I would try just normally but run your forge hot as possible. Higher pressure. This depends on what type of forge you have.

For forge welding here I use 20 to 25 psi although I am not very high. This does depend on your particular forge though.

If you find you do not get the temperatures required (lemon yellow at least) then you will probably have to look at adding a blower to the system, if your forge doesn't already have one.

The other thing is to put a piece of scrap plate steel down (1/8 th is fine) to cover your forge bottom to catch any drips of flux as it will eat into the ceramic fire brick or the insulation. I use 20 Mule Team Borax and that works fine for me. If you buy "Cherry Heat" or "Anti-Borax" or "EZ Weld" or other trade name flux from either Centaur forge or Pieh tool company or Blacksmith Depot (addresses in the resource section on the website, members area) this type of flux will help lower the temperature for mild steel.

I hope this helps.
David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith

How to use Thermal Cycling in Heat Treating a Knife

Thermal Cycling Steps for a Hand Forged Knife

I have a knife that needs to be hardened and tempered. But I read your thermal cycling article and thought that this would be a time to test it. My question is, is when you thermal cycle the steel is that all that needs done or if the knife needs to be tempered after the thermal cycling process? Is all I need to do for the knife is the thermal cycling process that you describe on your website? could you give me instructions for heat treating a knife and axe using the thermal cycling process?


The thermal cycling process is part of the annealing process. So this means it is done before hardening and tempering.
The thermal cycling process changes depending for what type of steel that you used for the knife. Below are the steps for 5160.

The steps

1. Bring to a bright orange, allow to air cool on an insulating surface such as fire brick or kaowool or vermiculite. This is important for knives so that they don't warp in the cooling process.
2. Bring to medium orange, the cool as above.
3. Bring to bright red and slow cool covered in vermiculate, kaowool etc. You may want to heat a bar and leave under it for added thermal mass. Allow to cool over night or until room temperature
4. After cool it is annealled and ready for the hardening process. Now at this point I do my primary grinding. Shaping the knife but not putting an edge on. I do this after hardening and tempering.
5. Hardening - depending on the steel and the quench media require air, oil, water etc.
   I heat the knife to an even medium red temperature and check to see if it is non magnetic. If not I will go a bit hotter. If it is non magnetic I will test until the magnet just pulls, then quench completely in the quench solution. At this point the whole blade will be quite hard and brittle. Don't drop it!
6. Next is the first tempering. I place in a small oven at 425 degrees F and bake it for 1 hour. Best if you have a digital thermometer to check this temperature accurately.
7. Last step of the tempering process. After the hour in the oven the knife will be evenly tempered to edge hardness all the way through the blade. The best blades have a softer back. So I now take a shallow pan of water (about 1/2 an inch deep) and place the edge down and heat the back of the blade with a torch and you should see the colors move to the edge but stop at the water level. Blue on the back and dark straw on the edge.
8. Last step. Final grinding and polishing always keeping the blade cool so that you don't mess up the temper already acheived. I usually do one or two passes on the sander then dip in water.

I hope this helps.
David Robertson
Ontario Artist Blacksmith

How To Identify Different Steel Types For The Blacksmith Shop?

How To Identify Different Steel Types in The Blacksmith Shop?

Your website and newsletters are very interesting to me a person learning the art of blacksmithing.

On the issue of topics you could cover in your newsletters what about workshop techniques for identifying steel types!

Thanks for the idea of identifying steel types.
This is known as the spark test. Many of the blacksmith books cover it in detail but it would be a good idea to cover it in news letter. I will add it to the list. I am a little concerned that my video camera would not pick up the true nature of the sparks. I will have to try it and see what quality of image I get.

Essentially as there is an increase in carbon content the complexity of the explosion of the sparks increases. When different alloys are added the amount, color and length of the sparks change. Use a set of known examples to test an unknown to. This will get you pretty close in determining an unknown steel.

A good reference book that I use often is The New Edge of The Anvil by Jack Andrews (See picture)
It has a good section on using the spark test to identify different steels as well as a number of basic techniques and good background reference information. Check it out if you get the chance.

Thanks again.
David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith

Damacus Etching Solutions

What Acid Solutions to use for Etching My Damascus Steel?

I have just finally received my fieldsmithy and anvil and can really start out with my own projects. I wish to focus on blades, from knives to swords, and especially patternwelded. Now I have found a lot of information on patternwelding, but have to practice on it ofcourse. But I can't find anything clear about the acid used for etching to get the pattern out.

I am planning to use iron plates and carbon steel stacked and welded together for the patternweld, and after a lot of research I have found out that on basis of the material used the etching solution is different. So basically my big question would be, what would I use for the iron+carbon steel stack, and what would I need for low carbon + medium/high carbon steel stack when it comes to etching.


There are many etching solutions and all will work to a certain degree.
I have used
Sulfuric acid (battery acid)
Nitric acid
Ferric Chloride
Vinegar

Sulfuric I have been using lately as it is easy to get and quite cost effective. Find a local automotive supplier to get it in bulk.
Nitric has a very aggressive bite and you may only leave the piece in for a few minutes.
Ferric Chloride has a slow etch but easy to control.
Vinegar is almost a discoloration although by heating it you will get a bit of an etch.

With all Acids take proper precautions.
Face Shield
Rubber Apron and Gloves
Ventilation
Neutralizing Agent
Eye Wash
Fresh Water for Rinsing or Flushing
Proper disposal of used Acid solution

Some of the acids can be mixed to achieve different looks. You should experiment to develop your own recipes.
Remember to always ad acid to water for diluting not the other way around.

This book has some useful information on etching for pattern development



Here is another link to Other Useful books With Etching Info
I hope this helps.

David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith

My Website: www.artistblacksmith.com
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Blacksmith-When To Remove Scale From Work Piece?

What is the best time to remove excess scale from your blacksmithing work?

Is there an advantage to descaling a hot work piece with a wire brush as opposed to just giving the hot work piece a couple of light raps with the hammer thus saving valuable heat? Is hammering the work piece on the anvil that has loose pieces of scale on it detrimental to the work piece?

Sweeping The Anvil Between Heats With Your Glove

You should get into the habit of sweeping your anvil surface between  each heat so you are always working on a clean surface. The scale left  on the anvil will pit the the bottom of the bar. This is most noticeable  on the back of thing pieces of steel such as leaves. It creates a  coarse rough texture.

 Wire Brushing Hot
 A bit different. There are times that you want to quickly wire brush  while your bar is hot. Eg. of this would be last couple of finishing  heats on things that require an optimum surface such as knives.
 The scale comes off well until about bright red then it sticks to the steel.

 In general I forge with out wire brushing but with sweeping the anvil between each heat.
 If I take a finishing heat I may give it a good wire brushing from dull  orange down to black heat to remove the loose scale. Once cold I will  use a wire wheel on a grinder or wire cup on an angle grinder to further clean the  steel.

  I hope this helps.
David Robertson
Ontario Artist Blacksmith

Steel Designations and Bellows Back Flash

How to prevent bellows Flash back and basis of steel designation.

Hello David

Thank you very much for the valuable information you have provided me so far, I am always looking forward to your next subject

I do have a few questions, although I heard that when using bellows, the bellows may be destroyed due to gases forming on the inside If the bellows were hung higher than the forge, would this prevent this from happening?

2. what would be the best metal to use, cold rolled steel or hot rolled steel and what is the meaning of 1030 or other number associated to the steel?

Thank you for helping the newbie’s like me, it is much appreciated

Good questions.
Bellows
The bellows should be set up with a check valve inside so it can not draw gasses back in from the forge. The check valve originally was just a flap of leather on the exhaust that closes when the bellows is opened. This means all the air is sucked in through the inlet ports and none of the fuel gases from the fire which could be exciting indeed. Hanging the bellows higher than the forge will have little effect in preventing the problem.

Metal to use
The number designation refers to the type of steel and its alloy content.
The 1000 series means that it is just iron and carbon in the mix.
1018 or 1020 are both used for cold rolled and hot rolled. It is the same type of steel but as the name implies one is worked cold and the other hot. Cold rolled has tighter tollerances in size and requires more energy to make and costs a lot more. Hot rolled has more variation in sizing and has less stress put into the steel so it will bend easier. Once either are put into the forge they will work the same as there is no difference in the carbon content.

So back to the number designation. 1020 means a simple iron carbon mix with 20 points of carbon or .2% carbon. 1060 would have 60 points of carbon or .6% carbon.

5160 which is car or truck leaf or coil spring material is a different series. The 5000 series contains chrome. So 5160 has about 1% chrome and .6% carbon. Other series will have different major alloying components. Google knife making, and alloy steels, and metallurgy for information on each different steel series and their uses and properties.

Mostly for blacksmithing I will use hot rolled for general art work or 5160 if I am making cutting tools or hand punches. Other specific tools and punches I will use better suited materials such as S7 or H13 (yes there are letter designations as well).

Hope this helps
David Robertson
Ontario Artist Blacksmith

How To Make Different Damascus Patterns in Pattern Welding

Damascus Steel Patterns

Sorry to bother you so late at night (over here anyway)

But I was wondering what patterns you can pattern weld I have seen your ladder pattern and other patterns on the internet and was wondering if you could give me a few tips.

That you for your time.

There are hundreds of patterns and variations to work on.
Most are based on layering steel, then either modifying the surface such as the ladder pattern (cutting material away) then flattening and grinding to expose the pattern.
Or
flat layers that are twisted, then shaped, and ground to expose the pattern.
Both of these techniques can become very complicated depending on the layer count and the manipulation.
There is a third technique
Called Mosaic Damascus
This can be done with powdered metal or machined "pixels" put together to create a "picture" in the steel. It is a bit of a different process using a hydraulic press for the fusion weld to maintain the structure of the picture.

The best thing to do is get 2 colors of modeling clay and layer them together like a damascus billet and then twist and manipulate them. Then use a knife to cut some of the outside material away to expose the pattern (sames as grinding on the steel). Experiment with this but keep notes as you go so when you find a pattern that you like you can reproduce it in steel. This is a fast low cost way to experiment with these techniques.

A couple of very good books on the subject are
Damascus: Forging Techniques
or
The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way To Perfection

You may want to check out some the knifemaking forums for some other details.
I hope this helps.

David Robertson
Artist Blacksmith
www.artistblacksmith.com

Blacksmithing Removing Scale, Tinted Glasses, Upsetting

Blacksmithing How to Remove Scale, Tinted Glasses, Upsetting

I have a few questions for now.

If you use hot rolled steel how do you remove the scale on the parts that is not heated for forging? Do you use a wire wheel, and acid bath or sand the area?

Do you wear special tinted or filtered glasses when you do blacksmithing and have to stare at the fire alot.

I want to flare out a 3/4 square bar so that it will form a pyramid type base. If I heat it should I slam it on to a thick steel plate to flare it out. Is that the best way to do it?

Removing Scale
There are couple of options, they mostly depend on what coating you are putting on it.
Wire wheel for clear coating.
Sandblasting for paint.
Acid etch for galvanizing but this is done at the galvanizer.

Mostly it depends how you want the finished piece to look. Complex shapes may not get completely cleaned of for clear coat and painting.

Tinted glasses
Yes I wear rose dydimium glasses. This is the old filter style originally designed for glass blowers. There are other filters that are better recommended for blacksmithing such as AUR-99 from www.auralens.net. I have not used this lens so can't really comment on it. The exposure to UV and IR are generally minimal in blacksmithing, but it does become important with lots of forge welding as the temperatures are so much higher.

Upsetting 3/4 inch square bar
Depends on the length. short can be done on the anvil or clamped in the vise and a light hammer used.
Long bar yes heavy steel plate on the floor and it is sort of bounced on it.
It must be at yellow heat. You should also taper the edges (basically knocking the corners off the end of the bar) this lets the force go deeper into the center of the bar instead of being dispersed at the end. Upsettting is tricky to do well. Practice first and easier to do on a larger bar than a smaller one.

I hope this helps
David Robertson
Ontario Artist Blacksmith