Pattern Welding

[Draven]

howdy folks

It's been a while since I've posted here, things have been odd recently, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things...

Anybody tried pattern welding a blade?
I've done (minor) research on the subject and the process doesn't sound too complicated (even if labour intensive) though I expect I must have missed something
I always thought that it was a similar process to Damascus, but apparantly I'm very mistaken!
I'd love to see some pics of Pattern Welded blades and hear about how well they hold up...

Hope y'all had a lovely christmas

 

[Goose]

There is loads of info about pattern welding and damascus on British Blades, you will find one or two bushcrafters on there too!

 

[demographic]

First things first, I freely admit that I only know what I have read in jim Hrisoulas's books (I have The Complete Bladesmith and The master Bladesmith) but as far as I read, Damascus steel was a generic term for patern welded steel that was traded through Damascus.

I might have remembered it wrong but I thought that as Damascus was a main trading city the patern welded steel that came from there was said to be "from Damascus"

Hence the name.

I found those two books very interesting anyway.
Its even possible to make patern welded steel from some lift cables.

Edit, THIS thread has some rather nice patern welded axe heads in it

 

[Draven]

those axeheads are incredible

From what I've been able to tell from Wikipedia (not sure if that's a good resource or not really) Damascus refers to a specific type of steel alloy as well as the process by which the blade is made, whereas Pattern Welding just refers to a specific process...

It seems that originally, Pattern Welding was used to mix together high carbon (cast iron with a carbon content of about 2%) with low carbon (wrought iron with a content of about 0.15%) to get something in the middle... from what I can tell, it could be done by heating up and twisting two rods, one wrought and one cast, hammering them flat and repeating the process. Haven't a scooby whether it's accurate or not though...

If anyone could provide additional knowhow or corrections, they'd be much appreciated!

I'll take a look over at British Blades and if I remember when I have money, I'll try to pick up that book
cheers folks!

 

[chrisanson]

howdy folks

It's been a while since I've posted here, things have been odd recently, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things...

Anybody tried pattern welding a blade?
I've done (minor) research on the subject and the process doesn't sound too complicated (even if labour intensive) though I expect I must have missed something
I always thought that it was a similar process to Damascus, but apparantly I'm very mistaken!
I'd love to see some pics of Pattern Welded blades and hear about how well they hold up...

Hope y'all had a lovely christmas

i have tryed and tryed. i sortof think i am geting some where but then i am not happy with the out come
chris

 

[Xunil]

Pattern welding these days is a generic term for making laminated or 'Damascus' steel.

Most makers use two hardenable steels, and the better end result is where both metals are close enough in composition to both be hardened during heat treatment.

If you use a mild steel with high carbon you can't predict where the layers will cross out at the edge, so during use you effectively end up with a sawtooth effect where the unhardened mild steel craps out before the hardened layers.

I like 1095 with 01. Both are excellent blade steels and the heat treating range is close enough that all the layers are hardened properly, making a knife where the layers all perform wel at the edge.

Here's a couple of mine:

A good pattern welded blade performs very well - about as well as any properly heat treated single steel knife. They can be a bit tougher and, in some cases, offer greater edge retention. In general though they compare equally to single steel blades in performance, although the edge can feel very aggressive during use.

A badly made Damascus knife is as bad as any other blade...

 

[nickg]

Acording to David Edge who is the chief conservator in the Wallace Collection and a world renowned authority on the subject there is no definative difference between pattern welded and damascus steel in the common usage of the expressions today. He does assert that in ancient and medieval times damascus steel was more likely to be what we now call Wooz or watered steel. This was a middle eastern technique (hence damascus) which was perfected in India, by which the temperature of the steel alloy was controlled to such an extent that it caused very localized chemical changes in the alloys of the metal which was otherwise quite homogemous, producing an extremly delicately patterned steel which was often used in the finest quality blades. There is in India a decorative column in a palace that is made entirely from wooz steel and is the largest example in the world. the technique for producing wooz steel was never successfully brought to western europe and such examples that were imported to be reworked were inevitably destroyed during reforging. Pattern welding by contrast was quickly adopted from earliest times as a means by which the variable quality of early saxon iron may be improved and decorated for the better (richer??) class of warrior.
If you want to see some absolutely blinding examples of pattern welded and wooz blades visit the Wallace Collection in London, in Manchester Square, just north of Oxford St, they have some stunning examples from the middle east and europe. (Its also free to enter and has some fabulous decorative arts, furniture, armour etc so SWMBO & the Rugrats will enjoy it as well)

Cheers
Nick