2018 Mallet/Hammer Swap *Damascus Steel*

These came out great, Dave. What is your etching process for the damascus? Ferric chloride? Again, I'm impressed with your ability to punch a centered hole so nicely in big stock. Do you mark the center on the round first with a cold punch? Are those flats formed during the punch, or are you flattening the round first?

Amazing mallets! Im pretty sure you got the best reactions on your mallet.
I want to see more of the process. Maybe write a blog about it?

Show off! Just kidding, beautiful hammers Dave.

Your pictures show your work off much better than mine did. I recall seeing the twisted steel on the swap thread and wondered what it would be. Well now I'm the proud recipient of your excellent craftsmanship.

BTW - Do I need to treat them with any surface protectant?

Very nice work, Dave. Course being in Arizona, it's not like you had to do much more than set the steel out in the sun until it got runny, right? ;-)

Amazing mallets! Im pretty sure you got the best reactions on your mallet.
I want to see more of the process. Maybe write a blog about it?

- palaswood

Click to expand...

I don't know Joseph, big dogs cocobolo got a big reaction. I know I thought that wood turned out awesome.

Maybe I'll blog about it if there's interest but it's a woodworking site so I'm not sure it would fit in well.

Your pictures show your work off much better than mine did. I recall seeing the twisted steel on the swap thread and wondered what it would be. Well now I m the proud recipient of your excellent craftsmanship.

BTW - Do I need to treat them with any surface protectant?

- EarlS

Click to expand...

Thank you Earl!

That isn't stainless steel Earl so some way or oil as needed would be good.

Thanks Dave and Rick I appreciate your comments.

These came out great, Dave. What is your etching process for the damascus? Ferric chloride? Again, I m impressed with your ability to punch a centered hole so nicely in big stock. Do you mark the center on the round first with a cold punch? Are those flats formed during the punch, or are you flattening the round first?

- bobasaurus

Click to expand...

I use ferric chloride Allen. With this little hammer I think I've figured out what I'll run with going forward. My knife I made earlier could definitely get a new cleaner etch. Here's the process I followed:

Sand to 1200, etch for 20 minutes in 50/50 solution.

Sand to 2000, etch for 3 minutes

Sand lightly with 2500 until you get the desired "pop".

As for the hammers….I've made a bunch of the big ones now and I've tried so many ways to do the round steel since I can't seem to find square bar stock in 1045 or 4140. It's a dance man. I don't cold punch anymore since it's a pain on round stock. Once it's hot I pull it out and put a ruler up to it and punch in the middle length wise to get them even. From there I put it right back in and tap very light flats in it when it comes out. Once I know it's good I just slam the hammer as hard as I can each time. By the time my eye punch is 1/4" in I have slightly bigger flats and a hole to register in. Then I just hit it a few time and turn it 180 after a few whacks. I go about 3/4 of the way through then I flip it over and go from the other side doing the same thing. On my own it takes me about two hours for the eye in a hammer that size. If my kid is around I can get him to hold it and I can really whack it. I can cut 45 minutes off. After that I shape the rest of the hammer.

The shape I came up with is just different then the other I see. I wanted my own "style". So my newer hammers look like that now.

Anymore questions feel free man.

the 2 lb is a very nice but the Damascus is one top notch very nice little Wacker …. WOW .. GREAT JOB :<))

Super job Dave! That's one that will last forever. That damascus is just awesome!

Wicked nice, Dave.

Forging looks like a rabbit hole I could easily go down. Not enough time in the day, however, so I'll have to resist.

I would definitely bang those hammers. Fo sho.

Thank you guys!

I have a long way to go JayT. It's a fun ride though!

Beautiful work there,Dave.

Dave, these are awesome, man. Your end products are always nothing short of marvelous.

Very beautimous.

Dave great work buddy! For what I believe you said was your first attempt at forging a hammer, you pulled it off excellently, twice. Great job!

Thanks everyone!

Bill, I have made several hammers at this point. Really new to the damascus stuff though.

Man those are ugly little things. You really phoned it in on this one dude. Put a little effort into it next time. I mean how hard can it be to beat a piece of round steel flat and twist up a bunch of little pieces into a single piece with a sexy friggin' pattern like that?

;-P

Awesome work brother. These things are stunning. I want them both. BADLY.