Technology for self-production of damask and Damascus steel. Steel: types, properties, scope of application How to make steel in minecraft industrial craft
Steel. Types and grades of steel. Their application.
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon with other elements, the carbon content in it is no more than 2.14%.
Most general characteristics -by chemical composition steel is distinguished:
carbon steel (Fe – iron, C – carbon, Mn – manganese, Si – silicon, S – sulfur, P – phosphorus). Based on carbon content, it is divided into low-carbon, medium-carbon and high-carbon. Carbon steel is designed for statically loaded tools.
By production method and impurity content steel varies:
ordinary quality steel(carbon less than 0.6%) - corresponds to GOST 14637, GOST 380-94. St0, St1, St2, St3, St4, St5, St6. The letters “St” indicate ordinary quality steel, the numbers indicate the marking number depending on the mechanical properties. It is the cheapest steel, but inferior in other qualities.
quality steel(carbon or alloy) - GOST 1577, carbon content is indicated in hundredths of % - 08, 10, 25, 40, the degree of deoxidation and the nature of solidification can additionally be indicated. High-quality carbon steel has high ductility and increased weldability.
Low-carbon high-quality structural steels are characterized by low strength and high ductility. Parts for cold stamping are made from sheet steel 08, 10, 08kp. Bolts, screws, nuts, axles, hooks, studs and other parts for non-essential purposes are made from steels 15 and 20.
Medium-carbon quality steels (st. 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55) are used after normalization and surface hardening for the manufacture of parts that have high strength and core toughness (axles, screws, bushings, etc.)
Steel 60 - steel 85 have high strength, wear resistance, and elastic properties. Crane wheels, rolling rolls, compressor valves, springs, leaf springs, etc. are made from them.
high quality - complex chemical composition with a reduced content of phosphorus and sulfur - according to GOST 19281.
Also steel is divided by application:
A) construction steel- carbon steel of ordinary quality. Has excellent weldability. The number indicates the conditional number of the steel composition according to GOST. The higher the reference number, the higher the carbon content, the higher the strength of the steel and the lower the ductility.
St0-3- for secondary structural elements and non-critical parts (flooring, railings, lining, washers)
St3 used for load-bearing and non-load-bearing elements of welded and non-welded structures and parts that operate at positive temperatures. GOST 380-88.
The quality standard provides for steel with an increased amount of manganese (St3Gsp/ps, St5Gsp/ps).
b) structural steel- GOST 1050
Carbon-based high-quality structural steels are used in mechanical engineering, for welded, bolted structures, for roofing work, for the manufacture of rails, railway wheels, shafts, gears and other parts of forklifts. The numbers in the marking indicate the carbon content in tenths of a percent.
St20- lightly loaded parts, such as rollers, copiers, stops,
St35- experiencing small stresses (axles, rods, levers, disks, traverses, shafts),
St45(st40X) - requiring increased strength (shafts, couplings, axles, racks)
Structural alloy steels are used for tractor tracks, the manufacture of springs, leaf springs, axles, shafts, automobile parts, turbine parts, etc.
V) tool steel- used for cutting tools, high-speed steel for cold and hot deformation of materials, for measuring instruments, for the production of hammers, chisels, chisels, cutters, drills, files, razors, rasps.
U7, U8A (the figure is tenths of a percent in terms of carbon content). Carbon steels are produced with high quality and high quality. The letter "A" stands for high quality carbon tool steel.
G) alloy steel- universal steel containing a special impurity. Silicon content more than 0.5%, manganese more than 1%. GOST 19281-89. If the content of the alloying element exceeds 1 - 1.5%, then it is indicated by a number after the corresponding letter.
low alloy steel- where alloying elements are up to 2.5% (09G2S, 10HSND, 18KhGT). Low-alloy steel can be used in conditions of the far north, from -70 degrees C. Low-alloy steel is distinguished by greater strength due to a higher yield strength, which is important for critical structures.
medium alloyed (2.5 -10%),
highly alloyed (from 10 to 50%)
Steel 09G2S used for steam boilers, apparatus and containers operating under pressure and temperatures from minus 70 to plus 450 degrees; it is used for critical sheet welded structures in chemical and petroleum engineering, and shipbuilding.
Steel 10HSND used for welded structures in chemical engineering, shaped profiles in construction and carriage building.
18ХГТ used for parts operating at high speeds at high blood pressure and shock loads.
d) special purpose steel- steel with special physical properties. It is used in the electrical industry and precision shipbuilding.
The weldability of steel is affected by the degree of its deoxidation. According to the degree of deoxidation steel is classified:
calm steel(st3sp) - completely deoxidized with a minimum content of slag and non-metallic impurities,
semi-quiet steel(st3ps) - quality characteristics are similar to mild steel,
boiling steel(08kp) - unoxidized steel with a high content of non-metallic impurities. GOST 1577.
Depending on the standardized characteristics, steel is divided into categories: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Categories indicate the chemical composition, mechanical properties tensile, impact strength)
Steel grades
Steel grade S245 - St3ps5
Steel grade S255 - St3sp5
Steel grade S235 - St3kp2
Steel grade S345 - 09G2S
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In life we constantly come across alloys, the most common of which is steel. Therefore, it is not surprising that someone would have a question about how steel is made?
Steel is one of the alloys of iron and carbon that is widely used in everyday life. The steel production process is multi-stage and consists of several stages: ore mining and beneficiation, sinter production, iron production and steel smelting.
Ore and sinter
Ore deposits allow the extraction of both rich and poor rocks. High-grade ore can be immediately used as industrial raw materials. In order to be able to smelt low-grade ore, it must be enriched, that is, its content must be increased. pure metal. To do this, the ore is crushed and, using various technologies, particles rich in metal compounds are separated. For example, for iron ores, magnetic separation is used - the impact of a magnetic field on the feedstock in order to separate particles rich in iron.
The result is a low-dispersion concentrate, which is sintered into larger pieces. The result of roasting iron ores is an agglomerate. Types of agglomerates are named after the main raw materials included in their composition. In our case, this is iron ore sinter. Now, in order to understand how steel is made, it is necessary to trace the further technological process.
Iron production.
Pig iron is smelted in blast furnaces, which operate on the countercurrent principle. Loading of sinter, coke and other charge material is carried out from above. From the bottom up, towards these materials, streams of hot gas rise from the combustion of coke. A series of chemical processes begins, resulting in the reduction of iron and its saturation with carbon. Temperature at the same time it remains in the region of 400-500 degrees Celsius. In the lower parts of the furnace, where the reduced iron is gradually lowered, the temperature increases to 900-950 degrees. A liquid alloy of iron and carbon is formed - cast iron. The main chemical characteristics of cast iron include: carbon content more than 2.14%, the mandatory presence of sulfur, silicon, phosphorus and manganese. Cast iron is characterized by increased fragility.
Steel smelting.
We have now reached the final stage of learning how steel is made. Chemically, steel differs from cast iron in having a lower carbon content; accordingly, the main task production process– reduce the content of carbon and other impurities in the main iron alloy. Open hearth furnaces, oxygen converters or electric furnaces are used to produce steel.
By various technologies The molten cast iron is purged with oxygen at very high temperatures. The reverse process occurs - oxidation of iron at the level of impurities included in the alloy. The resulting slag is subsequently removed. As a result of oxygen purging, the carbon content is reduced and the cast iron is converted into steel.
Alloying elements can be added to steel to change the properties of the material. Therefore, steel is considered an iron-carbon alloy with an iron content of at least 45%.
The above processes explained how steel is made, from what materials and using what technologies.
Currently, the art of metal forging is experiencing a period of revival. The skill of such gunsmiths as Leonid Arkhangelsky, Sergei Danilin, Andrei Koreshkov testifies to the fact that Russian weaponry and blade-making traditions remain unsurpassed to this day.
The articles published by master blacksmiths widely cover the question of the history of their art, the theoretical basis for making, say, cast damask steel, but I am sure that many read these articles in order to get an answer to the questions: “How is this done?” what to start with? and similar ones, but, at best, they stumble upon a statement of the fact of the complexity of such art and its accessibility only to the initiated. In this article I will try to cover the art of the blacksmith-gunsmith from scratch, for those who want to start practicing this fascinating activity, but do not know where to approach it. The article will be devoted mostly to complex technological composites. The fact is that I began to get acquainted with the art of forging with independent attempts to obtain Damascus steel, so first of all I am counting on readers who, as they say, “rave about Damascus.” I will touch on basic forging techniques very sparingly - firstly, this and so there is enough literature devoted to this; secondly, to learn how to simply forge, you can find a private forge and work as an apprentice for several months, but it’s difficult to become an apprentice to a renowned bladesmith who makes patterned composites. I hope that this article will somewhat compensate for this injustice. I will also not touch upon the problem of hardening in this article - competent hardening of steel, especially Damascus, is a limitless material, but basic information on hardening steels with different carbon contents can be gleaned from textbooks on metal science. I would like to immediately make a reservation that these materials are in no way a guide to the manufacture of edged weapons, which, let me remind you, is in accordance with Art. 223 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is a criminal offense. A plate of hand-forged Damascus, polished and etched, will bring you no less satisfaction at first than a knife or sword. I am going to talk about how to make the MATERIAL and I am not responsible for the further use of this material. If you do not have a license to manufacture weapons or if you cannot find work at an enterprise that has such a license, you can always find a way to do what you love without violating the norms of the Criminal Code and the Law of the Russian Federation “On Weapons.”
Arrangement of the forge
So let's get started. First of all, you need equipment. Some of it will need to be purchased, some can be made yourself. You should start by determining the territory where your blacksmith shop will be located. If you have a country plot of land - wonderful, even in the most primitive version of a forge - in the open air - forging from April to November is guaranteed to you. In addition, when forging in the open air, it is automatically solved important problem removal of gaseous products of fuel combustion, most of which are toxic. In order not to depend on the weather, a canopy on poles must be installed over the site of the future forge, the roof of which must be made of iron sheet, since the temperature even two meters above the mountain is sufficient for a rapid fire. If you do not have the opportunity to work in the lap of nature, then the forge can be equipped indoors. The main problems that arise in this case are exhaust hood and fire safety. In addition, using, for example, a garage as a forge requires much larger capital investments and is associated with greater organizational difficulties. Wherever you are located, flammable and flammable building materials and substances must not be used near the forge fire; the floor, ceiling and walls of the room must be metal or concrete, and a powerful exhaust hood must be located above the forge. Personally, I still prefer to work outdoors under a canopy, and in my experience, this is possible even in winter.
Required Blacksmith Tools
Having decided on a place for a workshop, it is necessary to solve the “basic issue of a blacksmith” - the issue with the tool. Sorry, buy blacksmith tool It's very difficult now. Items that you simply need to purchase include:
Mosaic Damascus
“Mosaic Damascus” is a steel in which sections with different types of patterns are welded together. The possibilities for imagination here are endless. I propose to make a damascus with the Sutton Hoo smoke pattern, after the name of a fossil Scandinavian sword.
Weld a package consisting of 7 layers of three steels - St3 (gives a white metallic color when etched), U8 (black color) and any spring steel ( grey colour). The alternation can be anything. The finished plate should be wide and thick enough so that 8 square-section rods with a thickness and width of approximately 7-8 mm can be cut from it. You may have to make several plates. The length of the rods should be about 30 cm. After this, mark 4 cm sections on each of the rods. Heating and clamping the rods in a vice, according to the marks obtained, twist half of the rods in one direction (say, clockwise), and half in the other. Twisting will occur in sections, so that twisted sections alternate with untwisted ones. Try to keep the twisted and untwisted areas on all rods in the same places. After this, hammer each rod again, restoring their square cross-section along the entire length.
Now take four rods - two, twisted in each direction. Lay them sideways on the workbench, making sure that the layers of metal in each bar are facing you. The twisted sections will touch and alternate. A rod twisted clockwise next to a rod twisted counterclockwise, and so on. You will end up with a package that resembles folded fingers. Place several thick nails across the bag on each side - they can be removed later - and electric weld, holding the bag together. Weld also the handle rod. Since the thickness of the package is small, fluxing can be done immediately before forge welding. Heat the bag until scarlet, sprinkle thickly with borax on both flat sides, and heat further. Welding is carried out at the highest possible, but excluding burnout, temperature, with very light blows of a hammer (to prevent delamination of the fan-shaped package). They are applied along the side surface of the package, and not along a wide plane. Mastering this art, called end welding, is not easy. First, it makes sense to practice on square steel bars, so as not to spoil the complex layered steel.
As a result, you should have two monolithic plates. Each consists of four sections of bars twisted in opposite directions. By itself, such steel is not very strong, so it should be welded onto the base. The base can be either damask or simple (in this case the best option– a plate made from a tempered and forged spring). It should be the same size as the resulting mosaic plates. The base is collected in a bag with the resulting plates and welded together. The result is a finished piece of steel, the surface of which has a beautiful pattern, similar to smoke from a candle. A product made from such damascus should be forged very carefully, trying to achieve the most approximate shape through forging. When turning with a grinder or on a wheel, the pattern may deteriorate. Proceed with grinding work only when the shape of the future product is indicated in almost all details. Make sure that the metal deforms evenly when forging, so that the core and outer patterned plates do not move relative to each other.
Making mosaic, or any other damask, is fascinating. For the sake of pleasure from the unique beauty and properties of steel, it is worth looking for your own path, and not being afraid to start over again and again. Good luck to you in your endeavors, and may Volund, the ancient patron of Scandinavian blacksmiths, help you!
The desire to make Damascus steel with your own hands must have a certain rationale behind it. The appearance of such material is explained quite simply. For several millennia, progress depended on the level of development of weapons technology. To have a light and durable weapon, suitable materials were sought. You can swing a heavy sword, intimidating the enemy. Having a convenient sword of light weight, it is easier to hit an enemy clad in armor.
Even large knights (bogatyrs), dressed in armor, often could not oppose anything to nimble opponents armed with light swords, swords and broadswords. Strong and sharp steel found flaws in the protection, penetrated into the joints of the armor, inflicting fatal wounds. The special strength made it possible to produce convenient weapons with low weight.
Bulat and Damascus
Drawing of Damascus steel on a metal cut:
The term Damascus steel appeared relatively recently. A similar name for forged products began to appear in various sources in the middle of the 19th century. Before this, the name “Gurda” was more often used, as the creations of blacksmiths from the Caucasus and Mesopotamia were called. There they began to forge products from a mixture of alloys, achieving an unusual pattern on the surface of the blades.
Damask steel, as historical research shows, came from India. History museums have preserved samples of weapons that used alloy steel castings. Most often they contain chromium, the concentration of which can reach up to 14%.
However, damask steel production is designed only for individual production. Therefore, the technology is quite expensive. The master spends a lot of time to make a specific sample. If there is a conversation about mass production, then do not count on complex technology.
Only the Zlatoust arms factory (the only large enterprise) produces damask blades. Damascus steel products are produced upon special order. Prices for goods are high, but there is a stable demand for products not only within Russia, but also abroad.
Studying production technology and creating industrial technologies metallurgist Pavel Petrovich Anosov worked on it. The results of his work are present in all textbooks on metal science and blacksmithing.
Modern damask steel in products - a replica of the HP-40 knife in a modern design, made to order:
During the Great Patriotic War The plant produced army knives and sabers for cavalry. Quite a lot of weapons have since been sold on various Internet resources. Modern blacksmiths produce remakes (this is the name for products that are made in the image and likeness of ancient samples). Several hundred workshops offer copies that are difficult to distinguish from the original.
Scout knife NR-40, made in 1942 - more than 7 million copies were produced:
Judging by the number of offers and prices, we can conclude that individual goods are in stable demand. The production of products from damask steel and Damascus steel can be quite interesting and profitable business.
Modern knife HP-40, made according to samples from the period of the Great Patriotic War:
Experts see the difference between damask steel and Damascus steel in the raw materials:
- Damask steel is an alloy that contains a significant amount of alloying elements; during subsequent forging processing, platinum is connected using the forge welding method, which gives the product a complex of new properties.
- Damascus is a mechanical connection of metal blanks that differ in their properties. Forging up to several dozen layers is performed.
Use of high-quality steel in products
It's not just weapons that need durable materials. Structural materials with special properties are used in a wide variety of industries.
Forged products work in cars, on railway transport, in agricultural machines, on spaceships. Only very simplified technology is used. Forging is used to achieve fine grain in the structure of the metal. Possible cavities that are present in the castings are eliminated.
An example of a modern blade with a pronounced pattern:
There are pros and cons for Damascus steel.
Positive characteristics
- High strength of the product, withstands loads applied in different directions (compressive, tensile, bending and other types of loads).
- Wear resistance of the cutting edge, holds its edge for a long time.
- Has an unusual appearance, it is impossible to repeat the design on a similar object, makes it recognizable.
- High cost of implementation.
A special type of Damascus steel made from wire rope:
The listed advantages often attract craftsmen to engage in production using the technology of repeated forging of workpieces. For each new batch of goods, its own forging methods and sequence can be used.
Flaws
Main disadvantage– high labor costs for the production of the product. It is necessary to resort to repeated heating of the workpiece.
High carbon steel is susceptible to corrosion. To the question: “Does it rust?” We can answer unequivocally that without proper care, rust quickly destroys the product.
Even at home, it is advisable to regularly care for items made of Damascus steel. They are wiped with vegetable or mineral oils, and then the excess is removed with a dry cloth. Original weapons are processed at least once a year. Then it lasts for a long time.
Damascus steel fin, modern product:
Equipping a workshop for the production of products
In the workshop of a home craftsman who wants to start making products from Damascus steel, you need to have:
- Welding machine - with its help, plates of materials of different strengths are welded into a single block, which can be processed together.
- Forge - it heats blanks from finished items to high temperatures (more than 800 ⁰C).
- An anvil is needed for forging. Forge welding is performed using the deformation method; the shape of the part changes at different stages of processing.
- A set of hammers and mallets helps you strike with different strengths. When working together, the leading blacksmith uses a light hammer to show the assistant where to strike with a heavy hammer.
- A vice is used to hold workpieces at different stages of work.
- A drill press is needed to drill holes.
- The sharpening machine is used more often than others; it gives shape and sharpness to products.
- Grinder is a variant of a sharpening machine, distinctive feature consists of using a tape with an abrasive coating, glued into a ring. Using a grinder, smooth slopes are formed at a given angle.
- Machine for making slopes. High-quality sharpening to razor sharpness is possible only with a special device that allows you to move along a strictly defined trajectory.
- Grinder with a set of cutting and cleaning discs. A simple tool helps you do the most different types actions.
Sharpening a blade on a grinder:
In addition to the basic set of machines and devices, many craftsmen additionally use woodworking equipment. It helps to make handles from durable wood. Small lathes help create complex fittings that decorate finished items.
Homemade miniature grinder, grinding slopes:
Workshops that produce high-quality knives have rollers. Heated workpieces are rolled onto them to obtain a plate of a certain thickness. Do-it-yourself Damascus steel is obtained after repeated forging and rolling through rollers.
The presence of a crank hammer helps to forge the workpiece with a series of numerous blows. Pneumatic or Hydraulic Press used for volumetric compression of metal. One movement gives the desired geometry.
Some craftsmen have dies and punches that allow plastic deformation to give a standard shape, for example, pressing a fuller on a blade (used to add rigidity while simultaneously reducing weight).
Blanks for the production of damask steel
Making damask steel is not difficult; steels and alloys with predetermined properties are used for its production. Finished products and special ingots are used. Blacksmith shops use scrap metal or parts purchased from trading network. The table shows the materials that are most often used to make forged items.
Step-by-step technology for making damask steel from bearings
Products from finished ingots or billets are produced in the following sequence.
The inner ring of the bearing is made of ShKh-15 alloy. It is sawed with a grinder cutting disc and sent to the forge for heating. The desired heating temperature is 900…950 ⁰С.
The workpiece is held on the anvil with blacksmith tongs. By beating off the bulges with a hammer, a strip is formed from the ring.
Remove depressions from the strip.
On the grinder they give the required form.
The workpiece is held in place using a special mandrel. A constant angle allows you to create identical slopes on both sides.
The final shape of the product is obtained by turning.
GOI paste and an auxiliary velvet roller help polish the surface.
After polishing, a finished blade is obtained. All that remains is to make the handle, bolster and sheath. Then the product can be considered finished.
Blanks for the production of Damascus
Any craftsman can make Damascus steel at home; alloy kits are used for this. They contain soft and hard inclusions. By combining them with each other, they achieve blades with pronounced structural patterns.
The following combinations are used, shown in the table. Some workshops offer their own options. The proposed schemes give the best performance.
When starting production in your own workshop, it’s easy to find out how much the finished product costs. Many online shopping sites list prices. As you gain experience and improve the quality of the product, you can increase the price of your products.
Video: how to make Damascus steel?
Step-by-step instructions for making a knife from a cable and a file strip
Damascus steel and products made from it are more difficult to manufacture. But finished sample will have a more attractive appearance. Below is the sequence of blade manufacturing.
Blanks are prepared from several sections of cable. They are welded using stainless steel rods. The cable is a hard metal, and stainless steel is a soft, ductile material.
Before starting work, washing is carried out. Used in diesel fuel. It is advisable to wash away any existing organic inclusions.
IN muffle furnace primary firing is carried out.
Borax helps get rid of scale. At high temperatures, the slag will not be retained inside the workpiece.
First cleansing forging. Light blows. It is necessary to mechanically shake out possible impurities, then shells will not form.
Forging with a light hammer allows you to give it a rectangular shape. First, the surface layer is compacted.
Forging with a heavy hammer is carried out to compact everything internal space. The goal of this operation is to obtain a monolithic product.
Automatically create a stripe the right size. Now the workpiece according to its parameters turns into a plate.
After automatic forging, the desired pattern appears on the workpiece.
If you are not satisfied with the appearance, you can reforge it. Skilled craftsmen often reforge the plate several times and then twist the workpiece. Then the original stars are formed.
The future cutting edge is welded. For it, a file strip is used, in which U10 steel is used. The hardness on the edge is HRC 60…63. The rest of the blade will remain plastic.
The handle is forged on a heavy 120 t press.
The blade takes the desired shape. Heating over 900 ⁰C makes the metal very ductile.
The handle is forged.
The finished forging already has a rather attractive appearance. It is necessary to grind down the slopes so that cutting edges are formed.
The slopes are ground down. The blade is ready for further work. The most labor-intensive part of the work is done.
The pattern on the blade shows that the product is made of Damascus steel.
Blade options. None of them will ever happen again. Each will have a structure unique to itself. Using acid, a deeper pattern is achieved.
More possible variant. If you change the thickness of the cable and stainless steel at the welding stage of future elements, you can get new types of Damascus each time.
Using other materials, you can create other types of blades.
The modern shade of Damascus steel is different from the original Damascus of the past. Historically, Damascus was considered crucible. It had a very high carbon content and had a distinctive surface due to its crystalline structure.
Damascus steel got its name because the Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land acquired new blades from this superior steel (superior to medieval European steel) in the city of Damascus. However, the modern version of steel has little in common with the past and looks more like acid-etched steel.
Damascus, shown here, is one of the more modern options. Damascus made of cable is perhaps one of the most simple ways forged Damascus with a complex pattern. Unlike other methods, this method does not require folding and essentially has a ready-made shape.
Step 1: Safety Precautions
The most important thing is safety. The manufacturing process involves forging, grinding and immersing the metal in chemicals, so it is important to use the proper equipment to ensure safety.
For the forge welding phase (forge welding), many people who do any forging work know the basic safety gear: gloves, apron, closed boots, etc. However, the conditions are not always met. Everyone knows eye protection is important, but for this type of work you need a special kind of protection. The above and only photo in this section is of neodymium glasses. The reason for this is that such glasses are simply necessary for such work.
Experts often neglect this protection, but do not repeat after them. The heat required for forge welding creates radiation that can cause vision loss over the long term. Neodymium glass, however, blocks most of the radiation and keeps your eyes safe. Please note: Neodymium glasses are not the same as welding helmets or sunglasses. By using them in forge welding, your pupils will dilate and your eyes will receive even more radiation.
Step 2: Making the blanks
Before you start working with the cable, you need to prepare. Before it gets into the fire, you need to cut off the part you need, as in the first photo. I cut 3 pieces of 30 cm cable with a diameter of 2.5 cm using a cutting saw. You can cut the cable in any other way, just make sure that the cable you use is made of steel without the use of plastic and that the steel is not galvanized, as the heat reacting with the coating will release gases that can lead to severe poisoning and even of death. Keep this in mind when looking for a cable.
In addition, if this is your first time trying to make this kind of product, perhaps you shouldn’t immediately take such a thick cable, but take, for example, one with a diameter of 1 - 1.5 cm. You won’t get a large and thick product, but you will have good practice before more complex projects.
After cutting, be sure to tighten the cable ends with steel wire. This is done so that the weaving does not unravel during the first stages of work. Be sure to use a simple steel wire, because other wires that are coated or made of a different material may melt or react due to heat and ruin the entire product.
Everyone who makes their own Damascus steel has their own list of steps or secrets that seem to make the process faster and easier. I encourage you to use trial and error to arrive at own plan, optimal for you personally.
I start by soaking my cold metal in WD40 until it's completely saturated and then covering the whole thing with regular borax before putting the piece in the fire. Both borax and WD40 are needed to prevent oxidation that could make forge welding impossible.
Borax generally does not stick to metal if it is hot or wet, and WD40 will not burn in a forge, so I wet the metal with WD40 first and then sprinkle it with borax, which is the best option for me.
Step 3: Forge Welding
After placing the product in the oven, heat it until it turns bright orange or yellow. Once it reaches the appropriate temperature, let it sit for another minute or so to allow all the metal to absorb the heat and heat evenly.
The cable must be twisted before the shots can be made. It is filled with empty space, which is bad for forge welding. Secure one end of the cable in a vice or similar and use whatever handy tool you find suitable (I used pliers) to twist the sections in the direction the cable is already twisted.
This step may require several reheats. Continue twisting the cable until it stops curling. Make sure the cable does not bend as this will make the whole process much more difficult.
Each time, before putting the cable into the fire, you need to sprinkle it with borax until the metal becomes homogeneous. To ensure that the borax sticks to the metal, pour it in at a time when the product is bright red. Important point: When borax melts, it becomes corrosive and can damage the inside of your forge, so make sure the bricks in your forge are fireproof.
Additionally, hot borax on your skin can be quite painful and may leave scars, so be sure to wear appropriate gear. The last part of forge welding is the weld itself. When the item is hot, you can start hitting it. The idea is to first knock it out into a square block shape. When you hit, you have to watch the cable turn. Personally, I prefer to start in the middle and work my way to the ends.
Impacts will cause the fibers to separate from each other, so it is necessary to reduce the distance from the first impact to the next as much as possible. You will understand that the product has become homogeneous by the changed sound that will be produced when struck. Initially, it will be duller, but as soon as the metal becomes homogeneous, the sound will become bright and ringing. Once it becomes homogeneous, you can begin to shape it into the desired shape.
Step 4: Molding
When planning your project, be sure to remember that the end result will be much smaller in size than the original cable. Also keep in mind that the cable ends may unravel and not be welded. Don't worry, just find where it starts weld and trim the end. Due to the nature of the cable and the number of gaps and protrusions in it, you are bound to encounter holes and holes unless you use an air hammer or a forging press.
The point is to crumple the cable, see what you're dealing with and go from there. I decided to make pendants in the shape of a teardrop shield from my piece. The finer the grit you use in your final sanding, the better the design will be visible. Since I wanted a very deep etching, I didn't need to sand too smooth. 120 grit sandpaper is sufficient before etching.
Step 5: Final stage and defense
Damascus steel should look like one solid piece of metal. To get the pattern, you need to etch the steel with acid. There are several options for using acids, but personally I use ferric chloride. If you want a very superficial etching, such as an image on a surface, you only need to dip the metal in acid for about 20 minutes.
I wanted a very deep etching that you could feel, so I immersed my piece for 7 hours. Once you have finished etching, you must clean the metal and neutralize the acid. One of the easiest ways to do this is to simply spray glass cleaner onto the engraved piece after it has been rinsed with water. Be sure to wear gloves and eye protection for all of this. If you want to add some color to the item, like the two latest photos, just heat it up a little after etching until the desired color is achieved.
Once the etching is complete, the final step is to protect the metal. Steel is strong, but unfortunately, it tends to rust. If the piece you are using needs to be practical, like a knife, you can apply wax to its surface.
If the piece is more decorative, you can apply a clear coat. It all depends on preference. Personally, I decided to try nail polish. I usually use clear polyurethane, but this time I decided to try something new. Once the piece is varnished, all that's left is to enjoy the look.
Step 6: One Last Point
The piece I made does not require any hardening or heat treatment because it is a decorative piece. If you decide to make a blade out of cable, you need to keep in mind that when hardened, the steel tends to deform in the direction the cable twists. If you want a practical material, make it thicker, otherwise you may start with a knife and end up with a corkscrew.
Step 7: Addition
Here are some more links to pendants. To achieve a very deep etching, they were all etched for almost 24 hours. They were all heated to different temperatures to develop different colors. Finally they were coated with polyurethane to prevent rust.
