# Damascus trimmings?



## duncsuss (Jan 6, 2015)

I have no idea if, in the process of shaping a blade, you might sometimes end up with a small strip of the metal leftover.

If any of you have any small trimmings -- a couple of inches long x quarter inch wide or thereabouts -- that you'd be willing to part with please contact me (here or in private conversation) and we can work something out.


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## therichinc (Jan 7, 2015)

What sizes are you wanting? We usually have some laying around until I throw it away haha.


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## duncsuss (Jan 7, 2015)

My aim is to make pen clips, so anything about 2" x 1/4" or larger. It doesn't have to be the same width along the entire length, something wider at one end than the other would let me make a clip with a ring (that I'd bend so I could attach it to the pen cap).

Pieces any size would be useful so I can figure out if I need to buy new tools to cut and shape the material and experiment a bit.

Thanks!


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## Cody Killgore (Jan 7, 2015)

Hey Duncan,
This is what I have laying around. The reason I have the bigger pieces there is they are not enough material once I put a pattern in them for a knife. However, I will likely forge-weld them together in the future to make it enough.
I think I'm the only one here who actually makes damascus. That said, what I would send you may not be as nice and pretty as what others would send. When you buy damascus, it's usually nice and cleaned up for you. I usually cut off exactly what I need from the raw bar for a knife before I clean off all the scale and hammer marks. So it would take a little work to get it cleaned up

I can forge one of the bigger pieces closer to your size if you'd like. They do not have a pattern in them though. They are just 120 straight layers. The smaller cutoffs will have a pattern forged in. I could also forge the smaller pieces out a bit longer to give you more material to work with.


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## duncsuss (Jan 7, 2015)

Please don't put any work into this -- I have no idea if it will go anyplace as an idea.

If you have a couple of bits that you have no further use for (i.e. wouldn't be worthwhile keeping them to forge-weld with other bits down the road) that would be great. They don't have to be clean -- I'm planning to grind them to shape (possibly using a dental lab turbine with carbide cutters) and maybe hammer a 90-degree bend at one end. I'd prefer bits with a pattern in them, but it's not essential.


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## therichinc (Jan 7, 2015)

I have some pieces that will work but most are between 120 thousandths - 145 thousandths Ill have to dig through the rubbage to see if I have any thicker pieces


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## duncsuss (Jan 7, 2015)

therichinc said:


> I have some pieces that will work but most are between 120 thousandths - 145 thousandths Ill have to dig through the rubbage to see if I have any thicker pieces



That sounds plenty thick enough -- the clips on the pens that I have with me are formed into a C shape to add some rigidity, but the metal is really thin.


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## therichinc (Jan 7, 2015)

Ok ill get some together and get a picture and send to you so you can decide if they will work


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## therichinc (Jan 7, 2015)

@duncsuss I need a address for you. Couldn't get a good phone pic so ill just send them.


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## duncsuss (Jan 7, 2015)

... sent you my address ...


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## Foot Patrol (Jan 7, 2015)

Cody Killgore said:


> I think I'm the only one here who actually makes damascus.



Cody do you have a power hammer to make your damascus. I have a forge that I can use for forge welding but I don't have a little giant. I have been toying with the idea to hand pound the billets out but use only a few layers.

Scott


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## Cody Killgore (Jan 7, 2015)

Foot Patrol said:


> Cody do you have a power hammer to make your damascus. I have a forge that I can use for forge welding but I don't have a little giant. I have been toying with the idea to hand pound the billets out but use only a few layers.
> 
> Scott



Well, I did just get a 100 lb. Little Giant. It's not in the shop just yet. Hopefully I'll get a concrete truck over in the next week or so to fill up my foundation hole. 

I use a hydraulic forging press for the damascus. IMO, it's the better tool for the job. 

I have made some by hand before. I got up to 14 layers and decided I needed to get some type of power tool to help me. You can do it but you can't really make money making damascus by hand. You might want to enlist a striker to sling a sledgehammer for you.


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## Foot Patrol (Jan 7, 2015)

Cody Killgore said:


> You might want to enlist a striker to sling a sledgehammer for you.



My wife say she is not slinging a sledgehammer. 

Have you ever made san mai by hand? Seems like you would only need 3 layers.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Cody Killgore (Jan 7, 2015)

Oh yeah. I've done a ton of San mai by hand. I was doing San mai well before I got the press. You should be able to do those no problem! 

It's really just when you start trying to hammer on a stack of steel that's over an inch thick is when things get a little tedious.


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## therichinc (Jan 8, 2015)

We have a 200Ton Air over hydraulic press here at the shop Scott...Also have a 50lb little giant in Houston in storage.


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## Cody Killgore (Jan 8, 2015)

therichinc said:


> We have a 200Ton Air over hydraulic press here at the shop Scott...Also have a 50lb little giant in Houston in storage.



That's a pretty powerful press. Does it move very fast?

What kind of a shop is this?


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## therichinc (Jan 8, 2015)

@Cody Killgore We are knife makers too. Its moderately fast. Really haven't used it too much yet. We are in the process of looking for a larger building. Need more shop space and more showroom area. We have a showroom where we display our knives as well as makers from all over texas and the US. We are pretty fortunate. We have some works of WD Pease, Ronnie Packard, Ruffin Johnson, Stanley Buzcek, Travis Payne, Tracey Larock, and some others as well.

back to the press once we get moved and situated we will have it all fired up and working. You are more then welcome to come use it sometime if your ever in town.


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## Cody Killgore (Jan 8, 2015)

therichinc said:


> @Cody Killgore We are knife makers too. Its moderately fast. Really haven't used it too much yet. We are in the process of looking for a larger building. Need more shop space and more showroom area. We have a showroom where we display our knives as well as makers from all over texas and the US. We are pretty fortunate. We have some works of WD Pease, Ronnie Packard, Ruffin Johnson, Stanley Buzcek, Travis Payne, Tracey Larock, and some others as well.
> 
> back to the press once we get moved and situated we will have it all fired up and working. You are more then welcome to come use it sometime if your ever in town.



That sounds pretty cool. I'd love to come visit sometime. Lufkin is only 3 hours or so from where I am.


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## therichinc (Jan 8, 2015)

your in ruston right? if so yea its about 2.5-3 hours depending on how you drive and which way you go.


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## Cody Killgore (Jan 8, 2015)

therichinc said:


> your in ruston right? if so yea its about 2.5-3 hours depending on how you drive and which way you go.



Yepp. I'm in Ruston.


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## duncsuss (Jan 10, 2015)

therichinc said:


> @duncsuss I need a address for you. Couldn't get a good phone pic so ill just send them.



They arrived today, these look perfect for me to find out if it's where I want to be heading.

Thanks a brazillion


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## therichinc (Jan 10, 2015)

@duncsuss No problem hope they work for you. Let me know if they do and ill start setting my bigger pieces aside for you.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | +Karma 1


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