Forging A Big Bowie Knife From Canister Damascus!! How to Make Ball Bearing Pattern, Knifemaking

Forging a big Bowie knife with a snake skin pattern, using ball bearings in a canister.
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#snakeskinbowie #canisterdamascus #texasbowieknife

[@ta2dmacabre]

FINALLY!!!! As a knife maker and machinist for over 35 years, I watch everyone’s video on knife making and the heat treating methods they use. Hundreds of videos and YOU were the ONLY one I seen continuously moving the blade during quenching to prevent vapor lock on the blade... GREAT job... blade looks AWESOME. Job well done

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks! Yes, immediate and continuous agitation in the quench is key!

[@ta2dmacabre]

ABSOLUTELY!!!!! I’ve seen too many just stick the knife into the quench oil and just let it sit there.... Again, GREAT job!!!

[@riaannel3053]

Dude, you almost gave me a heart attack at 04:39 with the sound of a car's wheels screeching. I thought someone lost control and was coming for my front wall !! I love your channel !! Very interesting work you do

[@FireCreekForge]

Haha, oops! Thanks for watching!

[@Gunthusiest]

Me too!😭😂

[@rosstait2073]

My kid and I love watching your videos! They are so instructive and fascinating to watch. You have helped this man bond with his 6 year old. Awesome job!

[@FireCreekForge]

That's awesome, thank you sir

[@rosstait2073]

@@FireCreekForge we really like when you do mosaic Damascus.

[@MrKago1]

not sure why, but hammering off the slag is the most satisfying part of stick welding. and chipping it off to reveal a stack of perfectly spaced dimes, chef's kiss.

[@Thorrnn]

that blade looks awesome!!

[@arch5281]

Looking gorgeous

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Looks good! If you want more of a scale pattern, don't add the powdered steel, just use the ball bearings. Or just wet the bearings and "powder" them with steel before you put them in the can but don't fill it with powder. Then when you press them they form together. It makes a nice pattern. Also the 52100 needs to be worked really hot or you get cracking like you had when pressing the billet. Looks like you got them all ground out though. Nice job and great blade!

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks! I soaked the can for about 15+ minutes so I think I had enough heat but maybe the corners cooled off enough, not sure if it's that or something else. Fortunately it was just surface imperfections..

[@jblueforge3131]

Geat video they are getting better and the blade look great

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks!

[@mattiasbackman6272]

I like to watch your videos. You allways try to comments what you do and i pick up alot of usefull things in my own work derived from you. Thank you

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks for watching!

[@icerazar713]

This was cool to watch. Your explanation as you prepared your canister answered a few questions I've always had about how and why it's done the way it is. Nice work. Thank you.

[@FireCreekForge]

Good deal, thanks for watching!

[@GlennTillema]

Same, I see a lot of blacksmiths use this method and they don't explain at all why they're doing it. Nice to see it laid out here!

[@HeavyForge]

Right on!! That blade looks awesome!! I ditched mild steel tubing a long time ago and started using stainless tubing. I just did a Viking axe from a 3x3x5” can.🔥⚒💪🏻

[@FireCreekForge]

Cool! Is that SS tubing expensive? I haven't looked into it, but that sounds like a good idea

[@HeavyForge]

@@FireCreekForge the sheet like you used is a little cheaper I believe. But ss tubing is readily available where I live. But yeah the billet will literally fall right out of the tubing.

[@huntintrailmetals9343]

Really nice pattern

[@FireCreekForge]

Thank you!

[@Redstagwsmnp]

Love a big blade

[@boznorris527]

Fair play mate out of all the people I follow on KZbin who make knives you're the best one by far!! Your explanation throughout the whole process is next level 💪🤙 I thoroughly enjoy watching your videos, keep up the amazing work 😁🤙

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks a bunch!

[@somethingit8107]

That blade is jaw dropping, you did a great job on it.

[@FireCreekForge]

Thank you!

[@heethen112]

I have seen people use news paper and regular paper to a great success

[@adamkeith3625]

I want to see the rest of this. The blade has a unique pattern. Looks great.

[@calistakorb7821]

Beautiful knife

[@richardwhite4277]

watching Oct. 2022 / man you have learn a lot since this old video !! have seen some of your recent videos

[@johnniedement4358]

My gosh what a gorgeous hunk of steel,awesome shop you have there too my friend!

[@FireCreekForge]

Thank, and thanks for watching!

[@andrewdehne8932]

Derivative is now in my vocabulary. Thanks lol.

[@johncarver2527]

nice looking "overlay" pattern, very nice finish.

[@cals1775]

That pattern came out really nice! I did not expect it to be that good looking at the start of the video but it looks great!

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks, I wasn't sure how it would turn out!

[@tullydj2]

Stellar craftsmanship!

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks for watching!

[@jakebendel5238]

nice final product.

[@i8d0m8a2]

Good video brother keep em coming!

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks for watching!

[@GlennQueener]

beautiful work

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks!

[@bryanduchane2371]

Cool piece

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks!

[@KimP0612]

Is this stainless steel foil the same type you’d use to heat treat? Knife came out amazing, by the way.

[@FireCreekForge]

Yep it is. Thanks!

[@Smootus]

Man oh man, that is going to be a beautiful knife when you get finished with it! Good video! Thanks for posting this video!

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks for watching!

[@kennycampbelljr5896]

@@FireCreekForge That's a big and sexy blade.

[@andrejohnson6731]

Nice one! The quench scene was perfect asmr 👍🏻

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks for watching!

[@ryanharris7265]

Have you tried the white out method to help separate the steel from the outside?

[@FireCreekForge]

Yes but I like using white spray paint now

[@Fire_And_Iron]

Great pattern...

[@FireCreekForge]

Thank you!

[@Drowronin]

Another blacksmith I watch, Shurap, adds spices to the mix before sealing the top. Literal spices, like pepper.

[@erikcourtney1834]

I love the stainless foil method. Great looking blade.

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks! I didn't get a super tight wrap so had some powder leak out and weld to the can a little bit, but nothing too bad.

[@thomasarussellsr]

Awesome looking pattern. I definitely want to see the finished blade.

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks!! I'm excited to get it finished

[@JohnJohnson-bg2oo]

Awesome pattern on that one!!

[@FireCreekForge]

Thank you!

[@Robert-cw4uo]

You do a great job.

[@FransBauermaffiateamalexsoze]

Your video's are amazing 👍

[@collector7993]

Gidday mate, have you thought about warming your powdered steel in a pot to see if it flows better when putting it in the can.

[@nateand3]

Man that is wicked cool. Took every free minute i had since earlier this afternoon to watch it, but I enjoyed it. It's gunna be an amazing and beautiful tool....sadly, probably not mine. I'm going cry myself to sleep

[@nateand3]

Lol I'm kidding about the crying part....far as you know 🤔

[@FireCreekForge]

Haha I won't tell anyone

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks man

[@JiveDadson]

Now that lead white is strictly controlled, white paint is usually made with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide. The latter tends to de-laminate, which might be a good thing for this application. Sunscreen and toothpaste often contain those pigments too.

[@charlescox290]

5:39 I've seen other smiths that do canister clean their materials in ferric cloride or something before use. Have you tried that yet?

[@FireCreekForge]

@@charlescox290 no that would cause oxide on the surface

[@swm122758]

Do you think that mixing the two sphere sizes would have mucked up the final product?

[@FireCreekForge]

I'm sure you could mix and match bearing sizes

[@warrengibbons4853]

Stunning

[@wrightfamily5625]

Check out Big Dog Forge, he uses a stainless tube with mild steel caps . They seem to weld together securely. It might be something to try.

[@FireCreekForge]

Sounds like a good idea

[@fighterx4133]

Could tig weld it using 309 L wire. Its made specifically to weld mild steel to stainless.

[@FireCreekForge]

@@fighterx4133 good to know

[@wolfparty4234]

Good lord!! I swear your beard is getting bigger and bigger between every video...!!🤣🤣 Great job on the build maaan!!! Can’t wait for the 4.5 ish hammer!! Thanks man!!!

[@FireCreekForge]

Haha, thanks. Yep I've gotta make a punch for the press and then give it a go

[@wolfparty4234]

@@FireCreekForge thanks maaan!! I love how the blade came out

[@leemitchell3020]

What if you're tube was a hardnable steel and maybe smaller diameter and stacked in a pattern so after squished you can cut tile's for a mosaic pattern?

[@FireCreekForge]

Worth a try I'm sure!

[@mcpheonixx]

That pattern turned out gorgeous! I'd like to see something like that in San Mai with a O1 core or something similar.

[@rxmclaren7]

new sub...love watching blacksmithing...it is always interesting to take a material that is seen as immovable and mold it to your will...great job...cant wait to see more!

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks for being here!

[@guywilson2394]

Cool I hope I see it's for sale before others lol cause of love to have it

[@gregnewfoundland7926]

Beautiful

[@ВадимКузнецов-э5б]

... какой красивый рисунок получается из шариков у тебя псэпшские руки и сюшмакуртническая голова, ты плюртник правильно- хороший мастер!!!

[@peyotepete4903]

Good job!

[@russellayton6408]

Very cool pattern!

[@familyfenceco.2246]

Man that was just crazy to look at I love it !!!! What’s a blade like that cost ? Roughly, any one ?

[@jeremys959]

I'd be curious to see how you'd do on Forged In Fire

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks, I was on Season 6 Episode 8

[@jeremys959]

@@FireCreekForge haven't seen that season yet, I will have to check it out

[@trith72]

@@FireCreekForge Just went back and watched the episode, you kicked ass. Awesome work man!

[@FireCreekForge]

@@trith72 thanks!

[@donaldduck9493]

I'm not a smith, but one thing i see a lot of videos of where people make mistakes is, i didn't see you clean your ball bearings. sometimes they have a rust inhibitor that can cause to delaminations in the weld. did you clean off the bearings off camera?

[@FireCreekForge]

I see. These were clean and dry, everything went together fine. Good to know, different suppliers likely may ship on hem in different condition

[@billydunne8240]

Hey mate, as an old school Boilermaker (Ozzy not pommy) you could save yourself some grief with the capping if you just made the caps a couple of mills (say 40-50 thou) smaller than the widest section of your canister. Then you can get a nice neat (quick) corner-to-corner weld.

[@billwoehl3051]

For something like fish scales, maybe washers or disks splayed like playing cards.

[@sean537691]

I'm new here and glad I found this. So satisfying to watch. I'm curious and maybe there is a reason. Could you mix the 2 different size ball bearings? I think that would be cool

[@Jamie-pn2xj]

Awesome!

[@williedevine697]

Very nice 👌

[@николайсвирский-ъ3в]

Health to you from the Donbass, I recommend you to watch the channel shurap

[@FireCreekForge]

Thank you, yes I have watched some of his videos

[@huntintrailmetals9343]

I use white out and it works perfectly fine too

[@FireCreekForge]

Cool, yeah I just had the stainless foil scraps already so I used that this time

[@nicholaseedy3244]

Cannot wait to see what you do with the handle and guard to match such a great pattern. The hole you drilled allows air to escape?

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks! Yep that's right

[@Robblackburn87]

It allows air and gas to escape that way it doesn't explode

[@lucasjohnson3495]

can u do a vid. where it's just making damascus with random pieses of steel u find around the shop. and u can only use same thing once!!

[@TheMotownPhilly]

Cool knife. What was the nickel content of the powdered steel?

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks! 4% nickel content I think

[@aprilcory3815]

Gorgeous!!!

[@nuxworxknives2957]

You can also just cut a 45 on two opposing corners and it comes off a lot easier.

[@jonesn3863]

Turn down good look forward to seeing more cans

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks, I'm excited to make some more cans

[@drunkdogartwork4016]

i would love to see this again but try giving the billet a twist

[@anglerseawolf9919]

Are those chrome G25 bearings? I thought they were, but was surprised they etched dark.

[@FireCreekForge]

yep. The small amount of chromium doesn't make a difference

[@leemitchell3020]

If you made your own tubing with alternating 1095, 5n20 etc eliminating stripping the can off? Would it help with production? Would the time savings offset the cost of materials?

[@TheMotownPhilly]

When you heat treated didnyoubtreat itbfor 52100 or the powder steel?

[@noeosorio5370]

Muy buen trabajo

[@o0Dread0o]

great vid! also, man your anvil is really quiet.. Any videos on how you got the sound to be so dampened?

[@FireCreekForge]

I have it spiked down solid (RR spikes) to a big stump of wood, then I put a set of tire chains around the base. It also has great rebound from being mounted solidly to that extra mass of the stump, I think.

[@alanmartinez45]

hey man! nice videos! about ball bearings in a canister..... keep the metal really hot.... they develop cracks otherwise... i've used big bearings for some knives and they tend to crack when underheated.... i do not know why.... maybe stresses from manufacturing? maybe those are the cracks you saw when drawing it out after taking of the canister... keep it up man!

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks!

[@wavelengthdesigns]

I am actually looking for a damascus bowie from a knife maker or blacksmith. What would be an approximate price on something like this?

[@FireCreekForge]

About $1500

[@cartermack9535]

Hi hi I'm Carter how did Georgia and I've watched a few videos on doing canister Damascus and I've seen the ones with the white out and a few using the foil paper and it seems like to me the people that have the greatest success are the ones that you either the stainless steel canisters and foil paper that you are using and I would like to know where do you buy the stainless steel foile that you are using

[@FireCreekForge]

I get the high temp stainless foil from Jantz Supply online

[@cartermack9535]

@@FireCreekForge Thank you very munch and Happy holidays to you and your family

[@msblades5382]

That is a very nice pattern i wonder how hard it would be to do by hand.. I think if you kept the temp up higher when you were foirging on the press it would have not cracked like that. was prob cooling at a faster rate creating seperation at the extremitys of the stock.. Cheers Martin

[@FireCreekForge]

This would be a challenge to do by hand, but possible I suppose. I tend to thing the cracks were evidence of slight voids in the can, as I kept it near a welding heat on all forging passes in the can.

[@outbackladas]

Nice pattern, should be an impressive knife when finished. Regards from down under.

[@FireCreekForge]

Thank you, thanks for watching

[@natebowman7593]

I wonder what was up with all those inclusions in his canister weld, was it the alloys in the steel? Did he not allow it to soak long enough at a forge weld temperature? Beautiful blade though.

[@FireCreekForge]

I don't really know, I think perhaps the corners didn't get enough pressure during the weld since the can had rounded corners and my dies have sharp corners, leaving a small void between the dies and the can at the top and bottom corners.

[@jeffreyredinger1153]

I'm new to forging but would it not help with the forge welding of the bearings to each other, if you clean the bearings first before putting them in the can?

[@FireCreekForge]

These ones are clean, as they are new.

[@jeffreyredinger1153]

@@FireCreekForge i thought they might be, but wasn't sure & it looked like it forge welded really good. That scale pattern looks beautiful

[@FireCreekForge]

@@jeffreyredinger1153 thank you!

[@MrSoloun]

That pattern looks kewl, will be interesting how you work that with the guard and handle to continue the theme or not :)

[@baronclime6423]

Curious. Did the steel powder act as a fluxing material? I would have figured adding some borax or something to flux would have been in order. Cool knife though. It's going to be a beauty when finished.

[@FireCreekForge]

Flux is only used in an open atmosphere forge weld, in this case the steel was protected from oxygen inside the can so no oxidation/scale

[@keithsexton1034]

Is that powdered metal that thing again what you're putting in there?

[@VictorJarap]

Esta fantástico

[@danielbeaver8215]

Ahhh the pains of welding with an AC buzz box. 😂

[@lentonwienand762]

why do you coat the outer container with flux if it's to be 'dumped'?

[@andyroo8592]

You probably needed more heat for your initial forge weld...get that thing to a yellow heat and literally smoking hot when welding, and don't bother trying to close cold shuts unless you're at a welding heat or you'll just end up with inclusions. Looks like you had it just hot enough to get it welded but you would have had less to grind off and more good steel if you had it hotter for your weld. You can also paint the inside of your canister with liquid paper or a paint containing titanium oxide instead of lining it with stainless foil. Cool pattern and nice shape on the blade too.

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks! I soaked the can for 15+ minutes, not sure why that happened..

[@andyroo8592]

@@FireCreekForge Sounds a bit full on but for cans they need a lot of time, the bulk of that steel looked good, it probably only needed another 5 minutes.

[@Ashbahc]

8:03 i like this part, idk why

[@paulrobertson7980]

I watched Jason knight do this, he sandblasted the can inside and out then got some spray paint with titanium in it and the can came right off

[@FireCreekForge]

Yeah I've seen that

[@paulrobertson7980]

@@FireCreekForge you're method worked great too

[@FireCreekForge]

@@paulrobertson7980 I had some me powder steel leakage from the ss wrap the way I did it, the paint method wouldn't have that problem so it’s probably better...

[@Shin_Lona]

I've recently became interested in metallurgy, not necessarily in forging myself, just to get a better understanding of the processes involved. You hit it with the grinder again after you drew it out on the power hammer... Would it have been possible to reheat and work the metal more? I'm just curious as to the reason why it was removed. - Due to the outside having impurities? - Practicality (Not worth the work)? - Or was it to preserve the pattern? Perhaps some combination of those factors. Anyway, it seems to have turned out rather well. Cheers.

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks! In this case grinding out the surface cracks is really the only way to get the piece to a desirable condition. Getting those cracks to close up with forge welding is technically possible, but not worth the trouble.

[@Shin_Lona]

@@FireCreekForge Gotcha. That's kind of what I was thinking. Thanks for the info.

[@stigmajosh]

Does anyone use a high carbon steel can to do this to not worry about the mild steel? Do they/can they even make a high carbon can?

[@dmmdmm5435]

Could you share the specs on your hydraulic press. I want to make one as fast as yours. Motor HP & rpm.Pump rpm, flow & pressure. Along with ram piston diameter will do it. Thanks !

[@FireCreekForge]

You bet, here's the link to a video I did on it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qabNe6J9atWJoJY

[@njbaquatics4827]

In my experience if you just go ahead and work the billet with the jacket still on. The whole thing comes together a lot better far less inclusions. And the jacket comes away naturally admittedly I do use white out not the method you used but can’t see it being any different. Also when I put the cap on the canister I chuck it in the press before welding. That one thing alone has made a world of difference to the quality of the final product

[@rafibenavi4772]

Eliyahu, nice work...Out of curiosity, what are the 2 types of steel used? You never mentioned it specifically...Btw, how's things brother??

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks! 52100 bearings with 1080 powdered steel. Things are good, plugging away as usual!

[@rafibenavi4772]

@@FireCreekForge ...Wow! Wasn't expecting you to get back at this hour😏...52100 ball bearings was a great choice...The powder I would have gone with would've been CPMD2...And though the bigger bearings took up more space, I think the smaller ones would've kept you from getting all those shunts and would've blended better...Nice idea with the Stainless Foil, that was smart...Looking forward to seeing it finished Hoss...Shalom! 🖖

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks! I still want to make a blade with the smaller bearings

[@rafibenavi4772]

@@FireCreekForge ...👍 Great! See how it works with CPMD2...The blade will be harder and more abrasion resistant along with greater rust resistance...It'll also be sharper...You may have to heat it a little longer with a couple of more heats and the steel may need to be a little hotter when you quench it, along with a little hotter tempering cycles...It'll be damn near indestructible if you do it right, which I'm sure you will...Now, if you make it with a Seal Pup design with Thunderstorm Kevlar Scales, I'm SURE I know someone who'll buy it immediately!! 😉 Lol...How does that sound Eliyahu??!!

[@FireCreekForge]

@@rafibenavi4772 what in the world.? Can you actually get d2 powder?

[@MrMarsBlades]

wow, nice

[@FireCreekForge]

Thank you!

[@MrMarsBlades]

@@FireCreekForge did you make that press?

[@FireCreekForge]

@@MrMarsBlades yep!

[@MrMarsBlades]

@@FireCreekForge I notice a lot of these builds have an awkward handle to raise up and down whilst holding the workpiece, why don't you have a foot pedal?

[@FireCreekForge]

@@MrMarsBlades haven't gotten around to building one yet..

[@joshyingling]

Nice work sir. That thing looks lizard like. Maybe dragon skin.

[@FireCreekForge]

Definitely reptilian, I hope..!