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Bronze Cable Damascus Tutorial

There have been many requests for information on how I make bronze cable Damascus.

I have been reluctant in the past to share too much information on the subject strictly because of how sick the process can make you.  Anytime you melt brass (or anything with zinc) you run the risk of poisoning yourself by fume inhalation.  I can not emphasize enough how much precaution is needed to play with this stuff.

DO NOT IGNORE THIS WARNING
BRASS FUMES CAN KILL YOU!!

   These fumes are caused by the heating of metal.  As the metal turns liquid, the de-zincification (fumes) drastically decreases.  For this reason, I made a special furnace that simply keeps a pot of brass liquid, thus working with virtually no fumes as the brass is already liquid.

Step 1:  Clean the cable.  (Be extremely careful during this step in the process.  You will be working will flammable liquids.  All caution should be taken to do this in a well-ventilated area away from heat and flame.)

   Soak in kerosene for a couple of days to soften goo inside.  Next brush cable with a wire brush and solvent (or gasoline).  Boil in soapy water to degrease and remove the solvent/kerosene fumes.  Rinse in hot water and blow dry.  Bake to remove all water immediately.

Step 2:  Weld ends of cable.

  I tig weld (you can torch weld, stick weld or wire weld too) the ends of the cable solid.  Small pieces get a handle welded on also.

Step 3:  Prepare a water mix for quench cleaning.

   Water mix is prepared by adding one box of 20 Mule TeamŽ Borax to a 5 gallon bucket of water (I use a metal bucket).  Heat and stir.

Step 4: Quench Cleaning

   Heat cable in forge to a dull cherry color and quench in water/flux (borax) mix until bubbling stops.  I repeat this step 2 or 3 times for a couple of reasons.  As the metal rapidly cools, it forms a scale that pops off in the water.  This scale takes all the trash out that is leftover inside the cable after cleaning.  It also sucks the flux up into the internal pockets of the cable making it easier to stick together in the welding phases.    After the third heat and quench, I know flux is inside as deep as I can get it.

Step 5: Twisting the billet.

Heat to bright orange (almost yellow) and twist.  Keep heating, twisting and fluxing until you can get the cable no tighter.  Bring billet up to yellow and work the burps out.  Tap the cable with hammer up and down the billet to work the burps out, all the time twisting in one direction.  This reduces the diameter slightly and tightens the inside.  Once you have worked all the burps out, repeat the twisting process.

Step 6: Shaping the billet.

After the second twist, shape the billet leaving it a little fat.  Heat and clean with a wire brush.  The billet should be ready for dipping in the brass pot.

Step 7:  Now the brass.

   This is the neat part.  My brass is now a liquid metal (approx. 1650 - 1750 degrees) sitting ready in a pot.  When the billet is HOTTER than the brass, dip it in the liquid brass until it stops bubbling.  The softer metal is sucked up inside the billet, similar to "tinning" the end of a wire before soldering.  When the bubbling stops, remove the billet and let it cool a few degrees until it is slightly cooler than the liquid brass.  Dip it again.  This puts a heavy coating on the outside like a candy shell.  Immediately press it "ever so slightly" to flatten the face and push loose "plastic" brass inside and out the top.

Step 8:  Grinding and Annealing

   Let billets cool and grind to thickness of about 3/8".  Anneal (soften) billets in oven at 1550 degrees for an hour.  Turn off the oven and let cool slowly inside.

Step 9:  Using the billet.

    Next day split the billets for bolsters or drill and slot for guards.  Cut and grind to shape.  Fit and polish.

Step 10:  Remove and blue with torch or in oven at 485 degrees for 2 hours.

Bonus - Hear people say "Oh!" when they look at it.

Feel free to e-mail with any questions you may have or post to my Tool Time Forum on the Custom Knife Directory.

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