ladder pattern question

[springer82]

I've started another billet. I have never made a ladder pattern before. Making chef knife. It will be about .09 thick at the spine when finished. Made from 1080 & 15N20. Somewhere in the 300 layer area. I will be grinding the groves in by hand. Sure wish I had a knee mill. I know to go about 1/3 the thickness with the groves. What I need to know is how thick to make the billet. It would be nice if I didn't wipe out the pattern. Any help would be great.

Bob

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

Stock Removal type patterns (ladder, pool-n-eye, or any other pattern where material is removed in order to create the pattern) are very sensitive to the thickness before removing stock/creating the pattern. The general rule is that you want the material 3X or slightly more thick than the desired finished thickness. The trick with these type of patterns is that they need to be forged as closely to finished as possible, and ground as little as possible. Too much grinding will erase the pattern you've worked so hard to achieve.

 

[springer82]

I was afraid there was a good chance to wipe out the pattern. I'll give it a shot. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Three times the thickness is the info I was looking for. Thank you Ed.