Twisted Damascus

[Benjy]

I am really starting to like the twisted Damascus pattern!

 

[Sean Jones]

Nice!

 

[Von Gruff]

So do you do a dry fit up of the handle so you can finish shape it then disassemble to do the etch??

 

[Chris Railey]

That is very nice.

 

[opaul]

Looking good Benjy!

 

[Benjy]

So do you do a dry fit up of the handle so you can finish shape it then disassemble to do the etch??

I etch the blade first, then epoxy and pin the scales on then shape the scales.

 

[KenH]

Benjy, on the last pattern, how many layers and how many twists? All the photos look really NICE! You mention etching the blade, then finishing the scales - does that remove the pattern from the tang edge? If so, how do you get the etched pattern back on tang? Q-tip?

 

[Von Gruff]

I etch the blade first, then epoxy and pin the scales on then shape the scales.

So there is a transition from the bright sanded tang area to the still dark etched spine

 

[Benjy]

Benjy, on the last pattern, how many layers and how many twists? All the photos look really NICE! You mention etching the blade, then finishing the scales - does that remove the pattern from the tang edge? If so, how do you get the etched pattern back on tang? Q-tip?

So there is a transition from the bright sanded tang area to the still dark etched spine

That was 11 layers, I forged the bar out to 11 or 12 inches and 1 1/8" square, I then forged all 4 corners of the bar in so I ended up with a 1 1/8" octagon or round bar. I then twisted it 2 1/2 times.

I do not re-etch the the tang, the etch kind of clutters the look of the vine carving so I clean off the top of the blade all the way out to the point

 

[Chris Railey]

I do not re-etch the the tang, the etch kind of clutters the look of the vine carving so I clean off the top of the blade all the way out to the point

That is an interesting Idea I have not seen that done with Damascus. The twist is really cool though. I guess I need to try that next. I should be able to pull that off by hand.

 

[springer82]

The blades turned out very nice. I like the file work!

 

[Benjy]

how do you get the etched pattern back on tang? Q-tip?

Here is one i am working on now, it is out of the same billet as the first knife in this post. Notice how the file work is camouflaged by the etching. That is why i do not re-etch the tang.

 

[KenH]

I agree on not etching the file work - I've seen where folks have put black epoxy fill in the file work to make it stand out.

That billet above is really nice. While I like the low count damascus with 2-1/2 twists in first post, but this one is really nice also. How many layers? How did you do that pattern? It's NICE

 

[Benjy]

I agree on not etching the file work - I've seen where folks have put black epoxy fill in the file work to make it stand out.

That billet above is really nice. While I like the low count damascus with 2-1/2 twists in first post, but this one is really nice also. How many layers? How did you do that pattern? It's NICE

This one is 33 layers, forged to 12" and twisted 10 times. It will have white liners and i will color my epoxy black so it fills in the file work.
I have video on Instagram if you do that kind of stuff

 

[Benjy]

Hmm, i bet it would look cool to dye the epoxy white to fill in the file work and then re-etch the tang...

 

[Chris Railey]

That is sweet!!!

 

[opaul]

Great work Benjy!