ball bearing Damascus Question

[Ken H>]

Hello ya'll. I've watched this video of making Damascus using small ball bearings and I don't fully understand it all. Notice he doesn't fill the empty spaces with powdered metal and when he removes the can after forging the balls the weld doesn't look very good at all - some of the balls are falling away. He welds with hammer and draws the billet out. After etching the balls show clearly the lines between each weld - since this all all the same metal using ball bearings, most likely 52100, does this look like it would be a really strong weld?

I know I don't have the knowledge and experience to say and would like comments from some of ya'll folks

Ken H>

 

[DevinT]

That’s probably not the best way to make damascus steel. The pattern comes from the bearings having different levels of carbon and alloy. Repeated heating and forging by hand will cause decarb on the outside of the steel balls. You can see the webbing created by the decarb. The guy has talent but does some weird stuff.

Hoss

 

[Ken H>]

Thanks for the response. I guess dummy me was thinking a batch of bearings like that would be really close to the same level of carbon 'n alloy in all the bearings. Yep, I can see the webbing you're talking about due to decarb, that's what gives the pattern. Would that decarb be a strong weld? Decarb is loss of carbon, and I guess the weld would still be strong with loss of carbon?

Perhaps in Ukraine he doesn't have access to nice 1084/1095 powder to fill all the gaps?

 

[Wyo Coyote]

Is it just me or does it look like his flux may have powdered steel in it? If so, is it doing any good?

 

[DevinT]

The flux looks more like it has wood ash mixed in, but I’m watching his vid from my phone. You can see it flying up after he applies it to the hot steel.

Hoss

 

[12345678910]

Thanks for the response. I guess dummy me was thinking a batch of bearings like that would be really close to the same level of carbon 'n alloy in all the bearings. Yep, I can see the webbing you're talking about due to decarb, that's what gives the pattern. Would that decarb be a strong weld? Decarb is loss of carbon, and I guess the weld would still be strong with loss of carbon?

Perhaps in Ukraine he doesn't have access to nice 1084/1095 powder to fill all the gaps?

AT 13 seconds in, it seems that he does have powder, he just doesn't use it

 

[Ken H>]

AT 13 seconds in, it seems that he does have powder, he just doesn't use it

I thought that was powdered charcoal. Almost looks to black looking for powdered metal? Not sure - I'm really interested in the strength of the welds between all the balls with the decarb showing the pattern.

 

[12345678910]

I thought that was powdered charcoal. Almost looks to black looking for powdered metal? Not sure - I'm really interested in the strength of the welds between all the balls with the decarb showing the pattern.

Maybe.
Lots of things don't make sense.
Why add hot peppers, that's just aninclusion, or carbon artifact added.

Why drill a hole in a sealed container - to prevent the ends from blowing out ?

If he would use thicker container and especially end caps and leave out the carbon it would gas off less, and stay together better

It's a lot of work for a pretty simple uninspired pattern.

 

[Ken H>]

I have read some folks swear by putting a small vent hole in the canister, while other folks swear by sealing 100%. I suspect the need for a hole depends on how much air is trapped inside the canister after welding. In his case there would be lots of air trapped inside between all the ball bearings and would need a place to go, hence the need for a small vent hole. I've never done a canister but my thinking would be to be sure it's 100% sealed with NO air space by using powdered metal to completely fill all empty spaces. I've been doing a lot of reading 'n thinking on canister and plan to try a couple before long. I've got the really fine (like talc) 1084 powder to use.

I think the peppers was more of a "fun" thing

 

[DevinT]

I thought that was powdered charcoal. Almost looks to black looking for powdered metal? Not sure - I'm really interested in the strength of the welds between all the balls with the decarb showing the pattern.

Decarb has nothing to do with the strength of the weld. High carbon steels weld easier but strength of weld has to do with how clean the weld is.

Hoss

 

[Ken H>]

Thanks Hoss - So, we'd expect that weld to be as strong as any welded Damascus. Perhaps he left the powdered metal out knowing he would have decarb that would cause the pattern to show up better? If so, VERY smart thinking.