# Damascus petty



## TB_London (Dec 23, 2011)

Id like to start this by saying thanks to Will Catcheside for letting me visit him and spend three days in his workshop forging and grinding and being helped through the whole process. Being told when, where and how to hit it was a great learning experience. Without his help I wouldn't have been able to even attempt this, so a big thank you. 

This is the third knife I've made and was a Christmas present for my sister, though I really wanted to keep it for myself lol. Was first time forging Damascus as well 

I missed out on taking pics during the forging was too busy trying to get everything done in time without messing up, but once back home I've taken some during the finishing that I thought I'd share in case anyone is interested.
It's a laminated blade with 52 layers of en42 and 75ni8 (i think) each side of a Japanese blue 2 (aonoki)steel core. Will took care of the heat treat with a target of 60ish HRC at which the steel is still very chip resistant and will hold an edge for a long time (sister is the best at sharpening though she is learning slowly).

Specs:
Length 130 mm
Height at heel 40mm
Thickness at heel 2.5 mm
Thickness at tip 1mm (she is afraid of really thin knives, and I get a little bit afraid when she uses them)
Thickness behind edge 0.03mm

Handle is a piece of Thuya burl, not sure of the correct term but half tang seems to describe the construction. Pins are 5mm stainless.

Here are the pics:

In the makeshift pint glass of ferric







Just out of the etch-swirly patterns 






Cleaned up a bit






Rough handle 






Starting to take shape






Finished handle
















Next to her previous favourite knife -global gs-3 which I managed to match the profile of quite eerily as I didn't take it with me to Will's





Now I need to get on and finish the honesuki I blade I made for myself


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## bcrano (Dec 23, 2011)

Great job. Looks really cool!


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## Lefty (Dec 23, 2011)

Awesome! Kinda like a pumped out Carter SFGZ RH. that, by the way is a compliment!


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## TB_London (Dec 24, 2011)

Lefty said:


> Awesome! Kinda like a pumped out Carter SFGZ RH. that, by the way is a compliment!



Cheers  . I have 2 SFGZ that I want to rehandle, so this was both 'inspired' by them and a practice run before I pull the handle off a SFGZ. The Thuya came out nicer than I was expecting too


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## WillC (Dec 24, 2011)

That turned out lovely Tom, my pleasure to have you in the workshop. You did very well indeed for you first damascus, the fact that it has a blue core was even more ambitious. I tempered them at 200 degrees, the cladding will be about 57hrc and the blue paper core will be more like 62hrc. I haven't had to sharpen mine yet from the first sharpening and its taken some abuse, I think you'll love yours when its done.
Happy Christmas to you.
Will:biggrin:


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## TB_London (Dec 24, 2011)

It sharpened up really nicely on the stones and was push cutting paper towel before I sent it off, looking forward to getting another finished so I can put it through its paces, was a bit of a rush to get this finished in time to get it in the post. Flew through a pile of veg before it went out of the door though. I'll probably make up a strop to send through to her in the new year for her to touch it up on in between when I go to visit.


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## Eamon Burke (Dec 24, 2011)

Wow, she's a beauty!


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## TB_London (Dec 25, 2011)

johndoughy said:


> Wow, she's a beauty!



Cheers, sister thought so too luckily, apparently it cut up all the veg for Christmas dinner and outperformed her Global- though I last sharpened that for her a month ago.
Earnt me a few brownie points with her 
Went over the blade with some Carnauba wax on a loose mop before I sent it off and apparently she didn't notice any reactivity, hopefully as it wears off she'll start to get some nice patina....


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