How to make titanium Damascus??

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Shea550

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I'm no expert at blacksmithing but my friend gave me three slugs of titanium
That were used on aircraft. There about 4"x5"x3" and weigh almost nothing, if it were steel it would be around 4 pounds a slug. Now I make custom knives and eventually I want tomake a titanium Damascus knife out of something like s30v steel and titanium but I'm not sure how to do it, and even when I know probably won't for awhile, and I figure it's made the same as regular Damascus, just titanium, the only problem is that titanium gets red hot at 1650 degrees and catches fire somewhere around 2000 degrees. Does anyone know how to make it?? Or is this just hopeless?
 
Well, that's just great, maybe I'll attempt to make a composite of it with steel and titanium, that's not patented
 
Shea550 said:
Well, that's just great, maybe I'll attempt to make a composite of it with steel and titanium, that's not patented
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I think you're still ok to make the stuff, just not to sell it (might be wrong). Definitely try not to accidently melt your face off though, that looks like a tricky process.
 
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Shea550 said:
I'm no expert at blacksmithing but my friend gave me three slugs of titanium
That were used on aircraft. There about 4"x5"x3" and weigh almost nothing, if it were steel it would be around 4 pounds a slug. Now I make custom knives and eventually I want tomake a titanium Damascus knife out of something like s30v steel and titanium but I'm not sure how to do it, and even when I know probably won't for awhile, and I figure it's made the same as regular Damascus, just titanium, the only problem is that titanium gets red hot at 1650 degrees and catches fire somewhere around 2000 degrees. Does anyone know how to make it?? Or is this just hopeless?
Click to expand...

As Far As I Know, the only method that will work to bond Ti to stainless is explosive bonding. Ummm....Good luck with that in a home workshop.

[youtube]QDNX6PcKr7I[/youtube]
 
EricV said:
Much more specifically:Metal lamination method and structure
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I read that patent before -- they're describing a mokume (solid-state fusion) process where you clamp alternating layers of 6Al-4V and commercially pure titanium in a mokume torque plate, and heat it up to 1000°F in an inert atmosphere (to keep the titanium from igniting).

I would imagine that you could wrap the torque plate in stainless foil, and do without the inert atmosphere.
 
Reading the patent, they using an inert gas supplied through a port. If you could find another way to provide inert gas, (like wood chips or kerosene) the patent appears not to be infringed. YMMV Jess
 
I've seen diffusion bonding applied to titanium before timascus, if you get the book "Mokume" by Steve Midgett, there are pics of some australian pieces, bowls and such, involving ti laminates. Cool stuff.
 
There was a knife company in the 90's that did san mai with ti outer and 1095 core. Cant remember the companies name right now but they had problems with rust infiltration in the weld zone. It was done with explosion welding. Have not seen the ti and ss. If you call one of the patent holders you might be able to get permission for own use projects so long as you are not selling the material.
 
I know it's an old post but Rod Thomas had a piece of Steel/Titanium damascus he had forged with him at the Blade Show 2014.
 
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