# Looking to buy damascus rod for wedding bands



## Potato42 (Sep 19, 2019)

So... I've met an amazing woman and I'm ready to put a ring on it. (cue the DON'T DO IT TATER!) I'd like to make a couple of rings, but I am having trouble sourcing quality stainless Damascus rod. I already reached out to Hoss, and he said he'd look and see what he had for me. If that doesn't work out, does anyone know where else I can get stainless Damascus rod? I only need a couple of inches worth. I found a shop online called Vegas Forge that does Damascus - anyone heard of them?

I'm looking for something on hand since I hope to leave for Brazil in less than 2 months, and I want the rings finished by then.


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## McMan (Sep 19, 2019)

Congrats!
Del Ealy?
http://ealyknives.com/custom-damascus/


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## BT11 (Sep 19, 2019)

Vegas forge make nice steel. Your other option is Damasteel. They make stainless damascus round bar in a few patterns in austenitic (unhardenable) and martensiitic (hardenable) stock.


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## BT11 (Sep 19, 2019)

For rings you really only need the austenitic (unhardenable) stock.
If you are in the USA (?) then these guys sell it by the inch
https://amxinc.com/t/damasteel


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## Potato42 (Sep 19, 2019)

Thanks for the links gentlemen! Ealy's website isn't responding for me at the moment, but I'll try again later. I'd seen the damasteel but I didn't know they made round bars too. Good to have that option! I'm still hoping to hear something good back from Hoss, that dude is the king of Damascus!


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## McMan (Sep 19, 2019)

Potato42 said:


> Ealy's website isn't responding for me at the moment, but I'll try again later.


Give it a go now. I re-entered the link.


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## WildBoar (Sep 19, 2019)

Try calling Del vs going through web site. Damasteel is machine made -- don't you want some soul in your rings? 

Randy Haas is another option.

BTW, Del has made wedding bands in the past, as well.


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## tgfencer (Sep 19, 2019)

Potato42 said:


> Thanks for the links gentlemen! Ealy's website isn't responding for me at the moment, but I'll try again later. I'd seen the damasteel but I didn't know they made round bars too. Good to have that option! I'm still hoping to hear something good back from Hoss, that dude is the kind of Damascus!



My wedding ring is Damasteel. Stainless damascus is definitely the way to go. I talked to Hoss about getting a piece from him, and he's usually quite prompt in replying, but the Damasteel ended up being easiest for me. Not sure about the sizes of round stock, but if you have too much you can always have a ring or earrings made for your fiance/wife as well, or other loved ones.


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## Potato42 (Sep 19, 2019)

McMan said:


> Give it a go now. I re-entered the link.



I think his security cert is out of date or something. One browser wont navigate there and another gives a warning. Anyway I got to it and shot him a message. He's a good dude.



WildBoar said:


> Try calling Del vs going through web site. Damasteel is machine made -- don't you want some soul in your rings?
> 
> Randy Haas is another option.
> 
> BTW, Del has made wedding bands in the past, as well.



Of course I want *SOUL* in my rings  Mostly I just like dealing with guys I know or are recommended to me. I reached out to Del and Randy. They're both good dudes and they might remember me.



tgfencer said:


> My wedding ring is Damasteel. Stainless damascus is definitely the way to go. I talked to Hoss about getting a piece from him, and he's usually quite prompt in replying, but the Damasteel ended up being easiest for me. Not sure about the sizes of round stock, but if you have too much you can always have a ring or earrings made for your fiance/wife as well, or other loved ones.



I'm not at all worried about too much stock. I just want to start with the best Damascus, and it needs to be stainless. I've yet to see a single engagement ring crafted with Damascus anything like I have imagined, so I want to try it. I'll line it in silver and it will hold the stone in a silver semi-bezel. I'll probably let a jeweler do the stone setting part.


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## GoodMagic (Sep 19, 2019)

Another option: Mokume gane. Mokume is pattern welded metal, similar to what we call Damascus steel. Can be made with silver, gold, brass, copper etc. Philip Baldwin is a well known mokume artist. I've also seen stuff by James Binion. For rings I would definitely go with non-reactive metal as skin will discolor and metal will oxidize from salts/oils in skin.


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## RDalman (Sep 19, 2019)

Readup on galvanic corrosion, look at the galvanic corrosion table. esp for mokume gane. And I would also have checked up on silver lining damascus. I think you should go with damasteel if you want the best. I have never seen a flaw in that stuff.


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## inferno (Sep 19, 2019)

WildBoar said:


> Damasteel is machine made.



I wonder how much "machine made" it is really.


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## parbaked (Sep 19, 2019)

inferno said:


> I wonder how much "machine made" it is really.



This doesn't show the manufacturing process, but there are some nice rings and other products made from their stock.


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## RDalman (Sep 19, 2019)

inferno said:


> I wonder how much "machine made" it is really.



They´re not very open with their complete process, but there´s definately manhandling forging involved. With rollers and powerhammers. Many of their patterns are done through making "waffles" and grinding/milling off down to flats. It´s the same way most the smaller operators do imo. How much is by eye control forgewelding setting it apart to be machine made I won´t judge really, forgewelding stainless is "icky" to me anyway so I rather focus on getting quality product if I am to use it. The smaller operators probably also use pretty fancy mills/auto or semiauto flatgrinding machines.


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## BT11 (Sep 19, 2019)

Potato42 said:


> I think his security cert is out of date or something. One browser wont navigate there and another gives a warning. Anyway I got to it and shot him a message. He's a good dude.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



If you jump on the Damasteel Instagram page you will see it is not machine made. They have their processes down pat so they can replicate the same pattern over and over. Their product is top shelf


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## inferno (Sep 19, 2019)

i guess the waffles are cnc'ed (i can program several cnc languages and its still handiwork here, you always chase time for instance) to get the patterns but i'd bet pretty much everything else is manual labor. also the welding have to be done in a vacuum. since it ss to ss. 

i would guess its mostly manual work here they just use bigger machines to get some real output from the process. 

but yeah they could also be just putting different powders in a box in layers and stamping it in a hydraulic press and then off to do the welding oven (maybe HIP/sinter), then over to whatever process they use as the last to customer (probably sphero anneal). 

I think of damasteel as handmade but they can make the same thing over and over. but i might be wrong though.


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