My first WIP Mosaic damascus "Sujihiki"

HHH Knives

HHH Knives

Super Moderator
Hey Guys, I have been thinking about doing a WIP for some time, Just never seem to remember till, AFTER in half way through a project..

This one is a special project, and I actually remembered to take some photos! :) I also want to say Thanks to Mr. Bruce Bump.. as his WIP and tutorials have inspired us alot.. And as you already know, Bruce is DaMAN! :35:

Our goal is to make a Custom Sujihiki Kitchen knife. 285mm in length. With a tiled mosaic damascus blade. The pattern for the damscus is gona be what we call Mosaic explosion. This will be a couple of firsts for us, The blade style is diffrent then any that we have done so far, and tiling a billet is also new. But again thanks to Bruce for his posts. which give me just enough info and pictures to be dangerous!!!! It should all work out OK!

Ill post a paper drawing of the design soon. :) Im still working out the details of the design.

I will try and not get to long winded and show you guys every step, with tons of written descriptions! but if you have a question, feel free to ask. Ill do my best to answer.
I feel a pic is worth a thousand words and I will try and get good photos and lots of them for ya!

Here we go!

Yesterday, Jr and I started the billet. Heres some progress shots.
WIP003.jpg
1095, 15n20 steel we sand and clean all these pieces and weld them together with a stick welder. And add a handle.
WIP042-1.jpg

WIP026-1.jpg
Flux it up, stops oxidation from forming between the layers..
WIP047.jpg
Welding the stack.
WIP056.jpg

looking go so far! :)

Im gona post this and see if the pics show up..

God Bless
 
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WOOO HOOO! it worked, Im using Photo bucket to host these photos, and this is new for me.. I got lucky and seem to have figured it out the first time! :)

OK back to the WIP.. Now that the stack is a billet and welded up good.. All the welds ore cleaned off and we run a second weld cycle.. This is something Jr has been doing from the beginning, when he set all his weld with a hammer and anvil. Even though Im sure he gets it welded the first time.. He doest the second weld on every billet..

Again with the flux.. :)
WIP027.jpg

WIP045.jpg


From here he squared the billet and then draws it out into a bar.
WIP082.jpg

WIP060.jpg

what the end of the bar looks like B4 its drawn out.. By resquarion it, The pattern is reconfigured and we start forming the WWW pattern
WIP103.jpg

Now its drawn out to be cut and re stacked.
WIP109.jpg


Well Thats where we stopped yesterday..

If You have any questions or comments please post them here.. Ill try and get more photos today of our progress.. and keep up on this!

God Bless YA!
Randy
 
Thanks Bubba, I figured if I started throwing around some Japaneese words, It may get your attention! :) LOL Ok made myself laugh there. You know I dont know alot of the Jap. terms for these kitchen tools. But I do know what a good slicer should be.. and thats what were makin.
Ill try and get some more photos today as Jr develops the pattern on this billet..

God Bless YA!
Randy
 
Looks like you have it under control!

Man I really wish I had the equipment necessary to do some forging.
 
Thanks You Guys, I hope to be able to pull this WIP thing off! :)

Were thinking that to get the pattern on the blade the way I want, we will have to do a Tile weld to this billet after we get the pattern established.. This is something new for us. and Jr has only done it once so far.. But the billet he did was rock solid.. so were gona attempt it again on this one!

Jr is M.I.A. today. So the next installment will be tomorrow at the soonest!

Its a KNIFE LIFE!!! :)
 
Looking good so far Randy. The photobucket is a good tool for these Wips. Could you use the flash a little more so I can see the press dies? That hot steel is gorgeous though.
Looking forward to this pattern.
 
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Thanks Bruce, this is gona be a blast!

Bruce, I love the look of the HOT steel pics, But I will add some with flash. and try and mix it up where some of both shots.. :) I just really love the look of the hot shot pics! :) But I do understand you all want to see the dies and tools. So far this has all been done on a set of flat dies.

It looks like there will be a couple days B4 I post any new progress, Randy Jr.. is helping family move this week. and has been gone the last couple days.

Well get back to this fun stuff as soon as possible! :)

Randy
 
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Whats more important, a work in progress on a mosaic billet or moving the family? I say move them into a tent until the billet is done. :)
 
LMAO!! Ya know Bruce, I told him he really needs to get his priority's in order.. But you know how these 20 year old kids are.. He didnt listen.
 
Ok guys, Jr's ears must of been ringing, Because he came by last night and we worked on this for a few hours. So, Jr's BACK!! and working on the billet.. :)
Bruce, I made sure to get some flash pics for ya!

Next step in the process is to grind and remove the scale from the bar.
WIP2007.jpg


After the billet is cleaned up its cut into 4 pieces and then stacked up and spot welded. You can stat to se the pattern developing at this point. Its not all that exciting yet.. But will be before its all over!
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Back into the forge. and heated up to welding temp. Then pressed to make one block.. and the spot welds removed.
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Jr always does 2 weld heats.. so its re fluxed and brought back up to temp and pressed again. Then he draws the billet out to about 20 inches long. keeping it square..
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WIP2222.jpg

WIP2230.jpg


Hes making good progress and was on a roll. But it was after midnight so we shut her down for the night.

Looks like one more session of forging and we will be ready to cut this up for the tile weld. :)

Thats it for now.. Thanks guys for looking and I hope this is turning out OK.. I dont want to leave out any steps.. :)

God Bless!
 
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OK its been a good week and working on this WIP with Jr has been fun. Most days on my my side of the shop and hes on his.. so I dont get to see everything he does as hes making some of these billets for me! The process is a bit repetitive. Yet the end results are amazing pieces of steel!

Today he has gotten the billet just about ready to cut slices off for the tile weld! :) Here are some pics of the progress. The bar was ground clean of scale and cut into 4 pieces these were 4way welded together. into a BLOCK O STEEL! :)
WIP3004.jpg
WIP3005.jpg
WIP3031.jpg
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The spot welds are ground off and its put through a second weld cycle. The the bar is re squared, or Biased at a 45, Similar to the first weld. Then drawn out square to about 18 inches long a 1 inch square.

WIP3039.jpg
WIP3044.jpg


End view after the re squaring.
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WIP3073.jpg


After a few heat and press cycles.
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The scale was removed and this was cut into 4 pieces. and then 4 way welded again.

I gota get dinner then I will post the rest of the photos.

Randy
 
Yumm, Supper was GOOD! Home made Pizza always hits the spot! Back to the forging! Were almost done! :) This is the last step of forging the bar B4 cutting it for the tile weld.

Ok, so the bar was cleaned up and cut into 4 pieces.
WIP4004.jpg

Tac welded on both ends
WIP4009.jpg

Reheated to welding temp.. and quickly pressed on both sides. This step was done twice.
WIP4014.jpg
WIP4016.jpg
WIP4018.jpg

WIP4023.jpg


Now Jr draws it out to about 1 1/4 square, and whatever leignth it work out to be.
WIP4027.jpg


Here is is! One fine piece of damascus.. Now to just get the pattern thats on the end of the billet to the face.. :) But thats gona have to wait for a few. All that forging last night, and the fresh Pizza made me tired.. I hope you all are enjoying the photos as much as I have taking and posting them.
WIP4030.jpg


God Bless YA!
Randy
 
This is a very kewl WIP! Thanks for posting it. I really enjoyed watching the process!
 
Hey Randy thats pretty awesome. A couple of years ago i told Randy that he didnt need to go and get famous. I guess its to late for that. The Haas boys are amazing! Nice WIP.
 
This is turning into a really classy billet of damascus. I havent seen any other dies than the flat ones? Is he welding the 4 way in squaring dies or flat dies? Amazing control of the pattern Jr is demonstrating. This "live" action isnt for the faint of heart. More More
 
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