Thread: Cable damascus?

Originally Posted by JDM61

Mike, IIRC, I was told about using kerosene and other "hydrocarbon fluids" as "flux" .... ... you can disturb the very thing carbon coating.

You've had some good teachers.

Okay, given the idea of the thin carbon layer, how does it work in your mind? Leaving any thing behind in the weld boundary will potentially mean an inclusion flaw or delamination. Then why do it? The idea appears sensible, it has face validity, but how does it really work according to your experience and understanding. The carbon has a purpose if it is required for the process. Where does it fit into the high temperature steel chemistry that makes it worth doing?

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Paco...planning for the future?

Yes, Right now though I am playing with another piece of 1095. On The first one I ground it down too thin before the heat treat and when it hit the oil it twisted. First success on how NOT to grind!!

Originally Posted by paco

Yes, Right now though I am playing with another piece of 1095. On The first one I ground it down too thin before the heat treat and when it hit the oil it twisted. First success on how NOT to grind!!

You will not run out of things to learn how not to do
I know I haven't.

Mike, I think that the argument is better to leave carbon than borax "glass". At least that is how I have heard it explained. My success rate with initial welds has been close to 100% since switching, but a fair part of that may be due to actually learning how not to screw up things like i did early on. LOL. Where it really shined was with the tiled end grain mosaic bars. But as you know, we are a superstitious lot at times, so I'm not going to mess with even meager success with the initial welds. With that said, at least one guy that I know, Russ Andrews, said in a pos in the last couple of days that he went from borax to kerosene a number of years ago, but recently went to true dry welding and said he never looked back after that last switch. Dry welding, even in a can, is a bit complicated for me at this point as i do not have a good or for now even functional welder with which to make a can or weld up the seams without leaving a lot of nasty weld wire. When my rich uncle gets out of the poorhouse and I can score a TIG machine, then I may take that next step.I have seen a couple of guys use one of those to weld up stacks, etc and that seems like something that would be vary handy. Of course, that means yet another learning curve, but then again, everything we do requires that.

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

You've had some good teachers.

Okay, given the idea of the thin carbon layer, how does it work in your mind? Leaving any thing behind in the weld boundary will potentially mean an inclusion flaw or delamination. Then why do it? The idea appears sensible, it has face validity, but how does it really work according to your experience and understanding. The carbon has a purpose if it is required for the process. Where does it fit into the high temperature steel chemistry that makes it worth doing?

Originally Posted by JDM61

Mike, I think that the argument is better to leave carbon than borax "glass". At least that is how I have heard it explained. My success rate with initial welds has been close to 100% since switching, but a fair part of that may be due to actually learning how not to screw up things like i did early on. LOL. Where it really shined was with the tiled end grain mosaic bars. But as you know, we are a superstitious lot at times, so I'm not going to mess with even meager success with the initial welds. With that said, at least one guy that I know, Russ Andrews, said in a pos in the last couple of days that he went from borax to kerosene a number of years ago, but recently went to true dry welding and said he never looked back after that last switch. Dry welding, even in a can, is a bit complicated for me at this point as i do not have a good or for now even functional welder with which to make a can or weld up the seams without leaving a lot of nasty weld wire. When my rich uncle gets out of the poorhouse and I can score a TIG machine, then I may take that next step.I have seen a couple of guys use one of those to weld up stacks, etc and that seems like something that would be vary handy. Of course, that means yet another learning curve, but then again, everything we do requires that.

Why is leaving carbon less risky than glass?

I have always wanted to weld cable, but all the cable I have found of nice size around here has been filled with grease. I'll find some sometime and give it a whirl. I have a shaker of mule team borax that should do the trick...

Carbon good, silica bad? Thats about as much as I can figure. LOL

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Why is leaving carbon less risky than glass?

Originally Posted by shooter74743

I have always wanted to weld cable, but all the cable I have found of nice size around here has been filled with grease. I'll find some sometime and give it a whirl. I have a shaker of mule team borax that should do the trick...

Most of it is greasy. You burn that out in the forge before you go up to welding temperature.

Guys, this is a very good thread. Thanks for all the thoughtful comments.

Now for a basic question if I may....

One of our guys, JBalls, may have access to some military grade aircraft arresting cable. The diameter is 1 .5 " with a 1/4" hemp core. He will try to get the military specs for more info.

So, what length should we cut it to allow for welding and clamping/twisting.

Ya, I know the hemp core may be a problem but maybe it will simply burn out then we have to twist it to take up the slack. Not to mention that a 1"+ diameter piece of steel will flatten out to a very long/wide piece of steel.