Rant: My first try at a Damascus billet ended with a weird crack pattern

I stacked up eight layers of 1084 and 15N20, fluxed it good, and welded it in my propane forge. Got it to a bright yellow heat and hammered it down. After etching, the pattern looked cool but there was a thin crack running right down the middle of the twist. I think my welds were solid but I might have cooled it too fast. Anyone know the best way to cool a billet after you finish forging it?

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2 Comments

kaimiller4mo ago

A crack right down the middle? Sounds like your billet got stage fright on the first show. Maybe let it cool down in the forge next time, not out in the open air.

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nina_ramirez4mo ago

Actually cooling it in the forge is a great way to ruin the temper. That rapid cooldown in open air is what sets the structure, man. A crack down the middle points to a flaw in the weld, not the quench. If the bond was solid, air cooling wouldn't split it. You gotta blame the prep work, not the final step.

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