Finally finished a billet I've worked five days on over the past 6 weeks.

Started out with some nails and a couple other relics from San Jacinto.


After soaking them in vinegar for a few days, then brushing off the rust, I built a canoe to put them in. The flat sides are 1/4” 1084, and the short sides are mild. Inside the can, I put some of the nails and some 1095 powder.


From that point it’s just a lot of weld, draw, restack, weld. This is the San Jacinto nails billet stacked at 19 layers.


Final billet set up to weld.
301, nickel, 1232, nickel, 301. Weld it up, and I’ve got 1836. I did incorporate four layers of nickel sheet in the cladding. Ought to make some nice bright lines on the top half of the blade.



You can see where I used layout fluid and marked the lines where I wanted to mill grooves for pattern development.



Here’s the grooves.



Reveal!
Quick check of pattern at 120 off the grinder.





Still have at least four full days work on this one before final completion, maybe a few more. Goal is to be done by mid summer.

That's a great start. Can't wait to see the finished product

interesting pattern, nice historical value as well brother.

i don't know how you find time to get all your projects done!!haha That looks awesome!!

Quarantine If we're not going anywhere evenings and weekends, the shop is in the back yard...

Although the market's all funny with the virus, I'm working hard trying to get Damascus projects going before it gets to the hot time of the year.

looking cool Jason

That is a great looking pattern.

Thanks for posting this....very cool!

Beautiful!

That looks AWESOME!

Four full days worth of work? Is that a true statement? If so, I could price something high enough to be worth four full days work...

I usually quote my "days" as roughly 6 hours. I'm a hobby guy with a day job. Particularly when the forge is running, I'm doing two billets at once, so I can work on one while the other heats. I'm a counted 30 hours into this project so far, and I estimate another 20-30 hours. Sometimes I'll get in a 10 hour day, but not that often.

keep pictures coming

wow that looks cool as man ! you are a very talented man , I'm also bias as i have knife you made for me .have a great day .

Outstanding pattern and contrast, nice craftsmanship in that blade.

Today's fun addition... I've been offered some wood from a live oak tree down by Gonzales known as the "Sam Houston Oak." Sam and the Texian army camped there by the tree on March 13, 1836 on the first night of the Runaway Scrape. Y'all didn't think I'd go with a micarta handle for this one, did you, lol?

very cool looking, can't wait to see the finished product.

very nice. thanx for the picture take along.

Awesome. Forrest