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Thread: Damascus steel

  1. #21
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
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    The explanation of the number of folds is appreciated. I've never understood the numbers on that before reading your post.
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  2. #22
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Blue View Post

    I'm curious why 64 is an important number?
    Well, Mike, it's like this: your governor just had his 64th birthday and caught up with me. And there you have it.


  3. #23
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Thumbs up

    Oh, and this Vikings and the Damascus thing: it's about time we got credit where credit is due; this lutefisk thing will only last so long.


  4. #24
    Customized Birnando's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce View Post
    this lutefisk thing will only last so long.

    Ah, lutefisk, that never gets old Sir
    Bjoernar
    Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me over all these years....


  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Blue View Post
    Just to help me understand your reference system. I think you're talking about the number of layers rather than folds. But there is a difference. It may be technical, but it does explain the process better.

    ln terms of the Japanese methods of processing tamahagane into a usable lump of steel for swords or tools or razors.

    Now where the hard and soft stuff might play a role is when a Japanese smith or Norwegian builds a blade that has a simple three layer construction. The outside two slabs do not need to be hard when done but the good steel core does. ... That construction is meant to improve the toughness of the blade when the hard steel core would crack. But no one should be using their knife or sword as a pry bar regardless.
    It is the number of layers, not the number of folds that I've seen referenced. Thanks for the explanation as I'd never thought of it through properly.

    I remember having a conversation with a knifemaker about tamahagane once. He went to Japan to study their traditional methods. His conversation with his mentor went something like this.
    Westerner *Picks up tamahagane* "Why are you keeping the slag?"
    Japanese Mentor "No, that's what we'll be using to make knives with"
    W *Thinking there is a translation error* "So this is the leftover slag?"
    JM "No this is what we use to make the knives"
    W "You actually use this stuff to make your knives from?"
    JM "Knives made traditionally we do."

    As for your last point, I think some Viking beserker in the olden days would be quite interested in getting a blade that wouldn't snap as he crowbarred it out of someone else's skull.

  6. #26
    This is not my actual head. HNSB's Avatar
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    Using the method Mike mentioned, 64 folds would result in 36,893,488,147,419,103,232 layers of steel.

    Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.

  7. #27
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    It could have just as easily been the Beatles "When I'm 64..." It's amazing how quickly the numbers add up.

    That's a good story about the tamahagane. One I've witnessed several times in slightly different circumstances. A picture can be worth a lot. Here's a good link: YouTube - Making Steel from Dirt


    Since then, there have been a lot of folks making their own attempts at this. There are no real secrets if you know where to look.

    Ahem, for some reason the rest of Scandinavia readily forgets that the Original Vikings were Danes. Credit where due.

    Ya'll are welcome to have my lutefisk. I'll eat raw fish before I eat it spoilt. Now where's the wasabi?
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  • #28
    The original Skolor and Gentileman. gugi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HNSB View Post
    Using the method Mike mentioned, 64 folds would result in 36,893,488,147,419,103,232 layers of steel.
    Yeah who needs LHC when you can layer the elementary particles that make up the matter by just pounding the steel

    With 1cm thick billet (or 1" if you prefer) 25 folds give you a homogenous steel - the power of the exponent

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