A.W.
There are some things you can do to 'play" around with these off castings. I'm no expert, but I plan on using the scraps, shavings and grit from making my knives to make a conglomeration damascus. With the aid of some good flux I think (key word there) I can add my scrap stuff to a hot piece of steel and forge weld it into the steel. It might make a decent pattern, it might not. BUT, that is the fun of experimenting with this stuff, if you know it's iron, or mild steel. It could be used for the spine of a blade and better quality knife steel could be forged in for the edge, similar to what the Japanese do for the Katanas. I think, using your imagination is the key, but what I strongly recommend, is once you do make a blade from it, test it to failure. Meaning use it cutting, prying, chopping, anything you can think of to abuse it to death. If it holds up to all of that, put it in a vise and with proper safety equipment and a cheater bar bend it 90 degrees. If it still holds up after that you might have something that could be a decent blade. Be objective, in all of your testing and document your tests. Video is a good idea, as well as recording your data on paper, such as, "it made xxxx amount of cardbord cuts before tearing or snagging". The bottom line is have fun with it, use your creativity, learn all you can about making damascus. Before you get all excited, do know that making damascus by hand and hammer is not for the faint of heart, it is A LOT of hard WORK! Not to mention getting good forge welds by hand is tough, but it can be done. I recommend a book by Dr. Jim Hrisoulas, " The Complete Blade Smith", he has done some amazing work and does a lot of it by hand. Have fun, Rex