Tim, thanks for giving it a try. I don't regard it as a total failure. The result is interesting.
It did spark an idea tho.....The first thought was Mokume Gane. Welding together dissimilar metals much like pattern welded Damascus. So, now the thought occurs...what if a number of very thin layers of different colored metals, brass, stainless steel, nickel content steel, copper etc were stacked, heated and forged together into a piece of flat stock. Then cut to scale shape and run thru your laser?
Just an idea