Making a $5000 Mosaic Damascus Cleaver
Jesse Hu・2 minutes read
A detailed process of creating a mosaic Damascus Chinese cleaver, involving various forging techniques and meticulous attention to detail, resulting in a high-quality blade with a unique pattern and finish. The use of specific tools, welding methods, and finishing techniques, including hand-sanding and darkening the blade, to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing cleaver with a durable handle.
Insights
- Bars cut into 6in pieces instead of 4in for more steel, crucial for creating mosaic Damascus Chinese Cleaver.
- Mosaic Damascus requires multiple Forge welds, meticulous planning, and detailed execution to achieve the desired pattern and quality, showcasing the complexity and skill involved in bladesmithing.
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Recent questions
How is mosaic Damascus steel made?
Through multiple Forge welds and detailed planning.
What is the purpose of using flux in bladesmithing?
To prevent oxidation and repair broken Forge welds.
How is the hardness of a blade measured?
Using the Rockwell Hardness Scale.
What is the significance of hand-sanding a blade?
To achieve a smooth and polished finish.
How is the handle of a cleaver shaped?
Thicker to accommodate the cleaver's size.
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Summary
00:00
"Bladesmithing with Surf Shark VPN Sponsor"
- Video sponsored by Surf Shark VPN
- Building a mosaic Damascus Chinese Cleaver
- Bars cut into 6in pieces instead of 4in for more steel
- Mosaic Damascus requires multiple Forge welds
- Detailed pattern planned out on iPad
- First Forge weld crucial to avoid flaws
- Various processes in the bladesmithing community
- Surf Shark VPN explained for internet protection
- Using homemade squaring die to drag pattern closer to center
- Studying electrical engineering at the University of Michigan
15:28
Forging and welding techniques for blades.
- Pieces of sheet steel are cleaned with a d 80 grip belt on a grinder to prepare for welding.
- Tiles are tacked close together and then welded around the entire Billet to prevent oxygen from entering.
- The Billet is not dipped in quen oil but serves as a backup to prevent oxygen from entering.
- After welding, the Billet is soaked in the Forge for a long time to set the forge welds.
- Every bit of weld is ground off the Billet to ensure no mild steel remains in the Edge.
- A technique learned from Salem Stob is used to create Forge welded bolsters from Mosaic tiles.
- To widen the blade, a crosspin hammer is used instead of a Press for efficiency.
- Flux is used to prevent oxidation and repair broken Forge welds, but it can damage the Forge.
- Bolsters are tacked on and then Forge welded with flux before being dipped in oil for the quench.
- The blade is ground to its final shape, ensuring no mild steel remains for a successful quench.
33:14
Handcrafted cleaver with intricate Damascus pattern
- The blade was sanded to a 400 grit machine finish, taking up to 9 hours due to its size of 3.5 inches wide and 8.5 inches long.
- The blade had a hardness of around 62 to 63 HRC and was hand-sanded at 150, 400, and 600 grit finishes.
- A leather piece was attached to the hand-sanding stick to provide more give to the sandpaper.
- The transition between the blade and the front of the bolster was emphasized for added depth to the piece.
- The spine of the mosaic Damascus piece needed a high polish for a cool pattern effect.
- The blade was darkened with Perma Blue after the Makers Mark was etched into it.
- The handle was shaped thicker due to the cleaver's size, and the wood was ground without getting wet to maintain its density.
