r/Bladesmith

W2 STEEL, mild steel textured and leather sheath..such a joy to use.

Forging stainless damascus requires a different approach than, for example, carbon steel damascus. Stainless steel is notoriously strong and hard, almost indestructible. To make stainless damascus for my kitchen knives, I had to track down the right machine and technique just to get the material moving at all. My older 15 ton hydraulic press couldn't do it. This beautiful old screw press knows exactly how to handle that.

The video shows RWL34 and AEB-L stainless tool steel plates sealed inside a canister pressurized with nitrogen gas. The 60,000 kg generated by the 50-year-old spindle press then forces the plates into intimate contact, starting the diffusion bonding process. The material then spends half an hour in the propane forge at 1175 °C, only then do the forge welds truly form. After this, the billet is ready to be forged into a unique Van Zanten kitchen knife.

Finally started working on this one, and finished it 😁 Made from sf100 stainless steel, and engraved with a dremel, went for a more rougher look to fit the witchy vibe, no sharp corners on it and the handle is completly rounded of

Bought it recently because it was cool, but idk what kind of knife it is or what its mainly used for, i do alot of wood carving but idk if i should use this knife for that!

It isn’t perfect, but I learned a lot and am excited to start on the next one. Lots of defects in the blade that I’m pretty sure came from hitting it when it wasn’t hot enough, grinded out what I could. Steel is 5160. I managed to get a decently sharp edge on it between an angle grinder and mouse sander.