Damascus Blank Advise

opaul

opaul

Well-Known Member
I picked up this piece of ladder Damascus when I was at the blacksmithing school this past weekend. Its 1/4" thick, 1.5 inches wide and 8" long. I'm planning on forging a knife blade from it. I've never used Damascus so I need some advise.
I'd like to cut it in half and forge a knife blade. So I'll be working with a piece 1.5" wide by 1/4 thick and 4" long. About what size of that piece be allocated for the blade and how much for the tang (which I'd like to keep a full tang). I'm open to a hidden tang but have not made a hidden tang knife yet.
Any advise, and techniques would be most appreciated.
Tx,
P
 
Following this! I'm still working on the Random Alabama Demascus blade I have that was put on hold because of my surgery. I have to heat treat and do all the finish work still.
 
My first piece of advice, if I were you.....I'd get some experience making a hidden tang or two with some mono steel and save the Damascus for later. If you want to do something with that bar, I'd split it in half the long way, so you'd have two pieces that were 8" x 3/4" x 1/4". I think you'd have an easier time moving the steel that way.

You'd have enough steel there to do a camp/utility knife and a hunter in a matched set with a little steel left for fittings that way.
 
J. Doyle said:
My first piece of advice, if I were you.....I'd get some experience making a hidden tang or two with some mono steel and save the Damascus for later. If you want to do something with that bar, I'd split it in half the long way, so you'd have two pieces that were 8" x 3/4" x 1/4". I think you'd have an easier time moving the steel that way.

You'd have enough steel there to do a camp/utility knife and a hunter in a matched set with a little steel left for fittings that way.
Click to expand...

AHAA! What a great piece of advise........the thought of splitting it long ways had not crossed my mind! That is why great minds (in my case not so great minds) do think DIFFERENTLY :)
 
Yeah, to go along with what John said. You don't want to have to draw out any length to the blade. That will stretch out your ladder pattern. So cutting it longways would work best
 
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