Stainless Damascus

[thughes]

I have a question about stainless Damascus. I've seen some jewelry items made from stainless Damascus which were beautiful. I realize at least some of the problems with Damascus, the different hardness of layers etc., but it is cheap enough to get a little and play around with it. The first Jantz supply has a 1/8 thick billet in 302 stainless with a D2 core. Is 302 bad stuff?

Thanks
Todd

 

[DKanger]

I would be less concerned with the stainless and more with the D2. It is the nastiest, most contrary metal I ever worked with. I made a knife blade from it. Couldn't cut it with a hack saw. Grinding wheel wouldn't phase it. I had to drill a series of adjacent holes around my pattern, break the excess off and then draw file it to shape.

 

[thughes]

Well, that answers that. Thanks for the info.

 

[silverchip]

Stay away from any heat treatable type if you just want it for "Jewelery". There is no need for it to be hard as @$@!#. Larry Fuegen makes jewelery using pure nickel and mild steel damascus. He gave me a small piece of it to play with.You can forge it file it bend it solder to it polish it drill it set stones in it, well you get the picture. It will wear nicely even if you wear it while swimming at the beach and it might get a bit of surface oxidation on it , you just rub it off with a bit of 4/0 steel wool, coat it with Ren. wax and back to new again.

 

[thughes]

Thanks Dave,
I ran across an outfit called DamasteelCanada that says have a grade of Damascus that's very soft and intended for "jewelry" use. I've seen inlays into Damascus that were really cool looking. Thought I might try it, it's cheap enough.

Thanks
Todd

 

[Marrinan]

Todd, Have you seen the knives Jim Small engraved Damascus bolsters on. Link to his web site: http://www.jimsmallengraving.com/Stout_B08_02_email_op_608x434.jpg Fred

 

[Dale Hatfield]

http://www.ssdamascus.com/Products.html Dama steel in the USA

 

[thughes]

Thanks ya'll for the info.

Todd