doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Making modern Damascus steel

I thought you might enjoy this. I think this is being done in China based on what I assume is Chinese writing but I certainly don't know for sure.

https://youtube.com/shorts/A4p_Ln_WRng?si=fY6ti4ZGZJqofF6t

It is important to understand the difference in pattern welded blades (which is the process shown), and pattern welded barrels.

Both start with a 'lopin' - thin layers of iron and steel.
The way the 'lopin' is 'stacked' determines the ultimate pattern.
What will become Star or Etoile'



The 'lopin' is then rolled or pounded under high heat and pressure to form the 'rod'.

The primary difference is that blades are pounded then folded, and pounded, then folded, over and over. The blade may be twisted, ground or other segments laminated into the blade to create patterns.
The rods of barrels are twisted, hammer welded together to form the ribband, which is then helically welded around a mandril.

Alec Steele's youtubes

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWx61XgoQmqdpyY3Sv5NDdjWQl-R40mcg

The start of the video pretty much does show a 'lopin' being twisted into a 'rod'. The twisting machine is often a modified plumber's pipe threader. The process may have similarities in that, even on a knife blade, the pattern weld needs to be ground into to reveal the pattern.

Nice demonstration of pattern welded blade fabrication. The twisting starts at 3 min.