Making A Damascus Knife From Nails

[@jeffreyhoops3611]

One of the reasons that you are doing so well at your craft is your willingness to experiment with new ideas. Keep up the great work and happy holidays to you and yours!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you. Happy holidays to you as well.

[@DarkFighter524]

I see your content on other peoples TikTok’s, sad, but hey you’re doing very well, looking to start up soon and been watching you and other bladesmiths. Thank you for being an inspiration to me haha

[@joerobilotta2199]

This is an awesome turnout. The orange makes the whole knife

[@georgecuyler7563]

My late dad(aka foster dad) said that if you forge the bevels you get a knife or ax that holds an edge longer. He also said that the proper way to forge a bowie knife is to bend your stock into a banana shape and forge your bevels from inside the banana shape. I've yet to find a video in which someone does this, most do stock removal. Which my dad said is the lazy way.

[@osirisatot19]

Looks great, and I love the orange accents. Now you should make a nail out of damascus knives.

[@AaronBosterMD]

I vote that you please record all your forging, including from stock steal bars.

[@JPsBladeworks]

I got you 🫡

[@Rosewayforge]

You could stream some of them

[@pointed3934]

That is a really clean pattern. Beautiful knife.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@kennethkrichick4236]

Dude the patterns. Pop!!great build. My wife would kiss you for that kitchen chopper!!

[@patg148]

This is my favorite knife you've made, it's gorgeous

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@pyrosmoak53]

Great job man that's a great looking knife. Love the pattern, and the handle looks awesome with the orange liner and pins.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks. I love the contrast of the orange give it.

[@angusmclaren6257]

That handle really sets off the damascus pattern. Nice!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Glad you like it

[@anthonybroom]

Any way you do it is great mate.👍👍👍

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks

[@tegaidayt]

Oh man! Nice lookin knife!!! Love the handle a lot! The orange matches what the billet was!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks. I like the orange as well

[@milesmurphy4329]

Awesome work

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@tisopefkerman7107]

the handle is beautiful. I want those colors on the aston martin i will never be able to own

[@JPsBladeworks]

Never say never

[@bodiejay2859]

Beautiful knife JP. I hope you have a great holiday. I hope you have a happy, healthy and safe new year. ~Kevin

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you Kevin. I appreciate it and happy holidays to you and yours as well.

[@TallBoy-0004]

I dig that orange. Sick blade, bro.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks. Glad you liked it.

[@magnoliaslim6802]

Heck yeah nice knife and I hope you get to feeling better!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you. Im improving little by little.

[@Nobe_Oddy]

that Damascus patterning is WILD!!! It kinda reminds me of camo, but not really... it's just so hard to give a description of... I love that on one side by the handle there are a bunch of straight lines (I guess a few nails laid down flat next to each other here) but that's liek the ONLY spot with a regular patterning, and they're running long-ways along the length of the knife, where everything else a mix of the blobs and squares... but there are so many straight lines on the sides of the blobs..... like they're blobs, but with straight sides LOL ALSO I just LOVE that handle!!! the way the layers created a tiger-stripe vibe, and then you used that orange!! PERFECT CHOICE!!! IDK if you did that on purpose but it was an AWESOME color to go with!!! ... The ONLY thing I would "change" would be to paint, with an exact matching orange, your JP logo on the blade.... Most paints would come off over time tho :( - BUT you could do some research into enamel paints so you could stamp your logo a little deep, and you fill it with the paint, but then you have to bake the blade to turn the enamel into the glass material that becomes permanently fused to the metal.... But I said you should research it because you might end up needed it get it not enough and for long enough that it would mess with heat treatment, and then you'd have to paint the enamel on at a certain point... like right before the oven bake/annealing step, and you'd have to use low temp enamel ..... if it exists....🤷‍♂ - but if you do start selling a line of blades, or just go into a higher production mode and start selling a lot online, this would be a great touch that goes that extra step that adds so much to the product but takes more knowledge than cost to add to the product, and it might be worth it if you can figure an easy way to incorporate it into your process.... AND you could make it an upcharge option for customers to get their own colors... people love customizing products (not necessarily like putting their name on it, because that's hard to re-sell if they need to) like colors handle patterns/types, etc ESPECIALLY if it's an 'expensive' product or gift :)

[@JPsBladeworks]

It was intentional. I just like the contrast of orange on lots of different colors. I also like to contrast it to a black handle with orange liners.

[@Lvl90Shadowknight]

JP nailed it

[@JPsBladeworks]

It be said if i couldnt with all those nails 😅

[@chrisfrederick3076]

Absolutely beautiful man

[@robertbourke7935]

Great work and I love the handle.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@charitybrown4274]

Nice Work!!👍

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@MarkSmith-lf6sx]

Nice blade. Love the pattern.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks. Glad you liked it.

[@geraldstamour1312]

Dope AF results, @JPsBladeworks! Now it needs an equally dope sheath to complete the package!!

[@CliffordDaniels-g4e]

Awesome job buddy 👍

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks, I appreciate it!

[@stevel6895]

Wow! Just beautiful!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@AaronBosterMD]

GREAT KNIFE!! 🔥

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@michaelritter2180]

Nice work. Happy holidays

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks. Happy holidays to you as well

[@bobbiscub]

Bro you always have the CLEANEST billets coming out of a canister. Love the blade and the pattern. Have a happy holidays!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks. Its all thanks to that spray paint. Happy holidays to you as well.

[@MillerWB87]

I really like that pattern!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Me too

[@scuzzjumper]

I like that pattern!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you me too

[@andrewworley8946]

That's sweet, as said, handle is v. nice!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@RVsbladesnthangs]

Looks good my man

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks! I appreciate it.

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

Yes Please record Your work! Great Stuff! Thanks for sharing! Very good voice over and all

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you. Glad you enjoy it

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

@@JPsBladeworks I love it ❤️ merry Christmas to you

[@edennis6446]

Beautiful knife

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@gabereal3225]

Good job. Make some Damascus ninja stars that'll be dope

[@izzatu]

That is a beautiful blade

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@Oops07au]

would love to see you make the knives you mentioned

[@JPsBladeworks]

I plan to start forging them this week so it will be out in the next few weeks

[@Obsidian1022]

Film everything dude!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Everything 🤔

[@Obsidian1022]

@JPsBladeworks aaaaaaaaand here come the poop videos! 🤣

[@JPsBladeworks]

@@Obsidian1022 🤣

[@DONJUILIO]

Do a clad with the round steel....Sounds great to me 😇😇

[@JPsBladeworks]

Clad with round steel? Not sure what you mean by that

[@caseywood9781]

You can make your own spalted woods. Lighter colored woods work best. Not just Maple, but Birch, Beech, and White Ash work well. Red Oak yes, but not White Oak. Nothing with natural resistance to decay. Basically get some light colored hardwood firewood and leave it outside and exposed. Check it's end grain every month or so for the telltale black lines and then bring it inside to slow the decay

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thats cool. I didnt know how wood becomes spalted

[@caseywood9781]

@JPsBladeworks it's what happens to wood before it decays. Those are fungal lines. You want a light colored hardwood that tastes good to microbes. Tannins for instance do not taste good. As it starts to break down it becomes "punky" (soft), and is best to be avoided. You can stabilize it with resin and a vacuum chamber. If you know anyone with a pile of firewood, you outta see if you can look through it

[@NathanVanGilder]

Hey JP, you asked for recommendations on what you could make knives out of a few videos ago. My suggestion is... Call around to guitar shops, or guitar builders and see if you can get scrap Fret Wire. IT might take a while to get enough to fill a decent size canister to make a small knife. But most of the older fret wire has a bit of nickel in them. Could be interesting.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Ill look into it. Maybe i can find one that wants to collab or i could just buy some if it isnt too expensive 🤔

[@EK--ry3lr]

Get to feeling better!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@JerryHenderson72]

Very knife work

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks

[@Bevel_and_Bark]

Just got my first forge, you told me to go for it so I did. 😂 Any tips?

[@kyanderson4128]

Ever thing about forging a cold chisel into a chopper? Seems like a cheap source of tool steel and it’s right there at the hardware store

[@JPsBladeworks]

Never crossed my mind

[@waylincaraway5013]

Awesome work man. Do you reuse the coffee or make a new batch every time. It might get darker if you use a new batch.

[@JPsBladeworks]

I make a new batch. If i leave it out it starts to mold within a few days.

[@waylincaraway5013]

@JPsBladeworks ok cool. I was thinking that same thing as soon as I sent the message.

[@robertstevison1448]

Awesome craftsmanship brother how much would that knife be with sheath

[@APs.Custom.knives]

I'd love to watch you forging some blades. Nice build, any idea what the hardness came out to.

[@JPsBladeworks]

I didnt check. I would assume 59ish. Maybe i should wack some stuff with it?

[@APs.Custom.knives]

@JPsBladeworks lol nah I was just curious my friend no need to ruin a beautiful knife. I was curious about the nails hardenability, those were cool

[@sammyeldon6318]

There is an image of Kenny from south park, with the orange accents, that appropriate

[@blakecrossing]

Not sure if this is possible but can you collect all the forge scale from your previous projects and try to make a knife out of it.

[@JPsBladeworks]

I dont think so. The forge scale is basically just an iron oxide. I dont think that can be reused to make a knife.

[@eskimo1000]

It would be so cool if you'll ever make a damascus butcher knife 🤞

[@JPsBladeworks]

Im not opposed to it

[@rhodie33]

Love the vids.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks

[@Docstantinople]

Yes, of course make videos.

[@JPsBladeworks]

🫡

[@Rayraywheelz]

I'll watch hand forging for sure

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks

[@tracylyons6868]

2 things could try cut off from Damascus u have put all in canister and see what pattern comes out of it and do canister out of Damascus and put stuff inside see what pattern comes out as

[@twolf8222]

You make a nice knife and great work like always And when you explain is also good But can't you do like a butterfly knife sometimes?

[@JPsBladeworks]

Ive never tried before but im not opposed to it.

[@joshenglishbee658]

Kinda reminds me of a bolo kukri hybrid nice

[@JPsBladeworks]

It ended up a bit smaller than what i had wanted but my starting billet was also a bit smaller so it makes sense

[@manuelrubio1957]

I can not find your web page man. I want one knife made of you. Great job you do! Thanks.

[@bayuteguhabdullah4955]

@ panretutu

[@bayuteguhabdullah4955]

Dia pembuat pisau terbaik

[@JPsBladeworks]

Its in the discription of the video

[@chrisb5986]

Use a narrow belt for concave curves.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Got it 👍

[@dagnard5707]

did you check the HRC of the nails? as far as you making videos, "if you make it we will watch" lol. like the sand shark. i made something similar and it makes hand sanding easier and faster. as far as making your own stabilized handle scales, it is a good side hustle and very lucrative as well. how long do you normally coffee etch. i like soaking mine for 6 to 12 hours. the darker the better IMO. great video and knife , brother

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you. I didnt check the Hrc but thats a good thought. I have left over and i got some testing files. You peeked my curiosity. As far as the etching process i just check on it periodically unless i do it late at night then it gets a good 6 to 8 hrs. Once im happy with the darkness i clean and oil it. Also i think if i get some sales soon the sandshark will pay for its self. If not then it will in a few months from the time i save per video. Which is 2 or 3 hrs of handsanding.

[@robbois2326]

I would love to see your practicing blades, if done by hand

[@JPsBladeworks]

I will do it by hand, but the heavy work will still be with the press since im going to start off with over 1 in round stock

[@oolabinside]

The pattern is not my fav, but an amazing job!!!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks

[@Nic_key_B]

Can you explain how to make the coffee etch dip you make please?

[@JPsBladeworks]

I will cover it on my next damascus video.

[@Nic_key_B]

@ legend thanks

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

the more coffee powder the better, and the best is the nestle stuff... and some heat...(like 50 C)

[@Tinatortoise]

Beautiful, as always. Is it really coffee, drinking coffee? If it does that to mental just think of your insides! xxx

[@JPsBladeworks]

Yea. Its the cheap medium roast walmart brand instant coffee. The one with the red lid.

[@Tinatortoise]

@JPsBladeworks Crumbs! Don't think we have Walmart over here, x

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

@@Tinatortoise any instant coffee!

[@JPsBladeworks]

@Tinatortoise any instant coffee works. Its hust what i use because i have it near by and its relatively cheap. Ive used nestle as well and i get the same results.

[@Tinatortoise]

@@JPsBladeworks I am just amazed that coffee will stain metal x

[@sizzle119]

Amazing work!! (And love your narration). You’ve said before you work full time and aim to put out a knife a week in your spare time. Just curious, about how many hours did this one take? (knowing it is relatively simple compared to some of your others!)

[@JPsBladeworks]

Depending on the piece at least 18ish hours not including the 2 to 4 hrs i temper the knife. Also on something like this i save time by not handsanding to a very high grit. On some of the actual high end pieces like the feather or mosaic i spend lots of time on the handsanding. On this one i spent like 2ish or 3hrs.

[@ghose0809]

Have you made a blade out of apex? Worn out Phillips, torx, etc... might look good.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Whats apex?

[@ghose0809]

​@JPsBladeworks the screwdriver tips for drills. Phillips head, torx tip, etc on one end and 1/4" hex on the other. They have different lengths and tips so it might look interesting. I didn't know how to make it plural.... lol

[@JPsBladeworks]

@ghose0809 oh okay. I tried with drill buts but had no luck. I wonder if the bits are made from the same stuff

[@ghose0809]

Not sure. I think the apex is tool steel, drill bits maybe high speed steel?

[@JosePerez-ff6lb]

Try tapcons next

[@JPsBladeworks]

😐

[@АнтонСорокин-й6ч]

Классный ножик, который режит только бумагу.

[@candajacobs2003]

Record it bruh...you do great work, show it off! PS I wanna buy one of the knives you "Don't Wanna Sell".... You know, the ones that you say have a blemish😁

[@JPsBladeworks]

I have one of those. I still havent fix 😅 its time consuming and once im done with it its hard to find the time to fix it vs working on the next video.

[@candajacobs2003]

Is there a way for me to buy a blemished blade that is still usable. I'd love to buy an unblemished blade, but I don't think I could afford it.😁

[@candajacobs2003]

How do I go about seeing and owning it? ​@@JPsBladeworks

[@candajacobs2003]

@@JPsBladeworks I can only afford about $50 or so, is that enough for one of you BadAss knives? Please let me know, I'm excited ;o) Chris

[@JPsBladeworks]

@@candajacobs2003 link to my store is in the description of my video but I dont have anything in that price range. I have more i havent uploaded but nothing I make will be in that price range. sorry.

[@paraweir]

Great work. I wish, one day, someone would create an all round blade. Let's use a hypothetical situation; say someone approached you and said they have a machine that could send one blade back in time to the "stone age" and an ancient ancestor of ours would fine it! This blade needs to function for ALL uses. It needs to hunt, defend, attack, butcher and eat/cut. Would it be dual edged or single edged? What steel would it be? Would it need a handle or would that be integrated? It needs to last as they won't be able to fix ANYTHING! Should it be a dual use spear, shott sword and knife? What would you create and why. Remember that these "stone age" people would look on this as if it came from the God's. How would they sharpen it and look after it? What would you create shape, look and use wise... and why?

[@danielcastiglione5328]

You did a good job on this one, but I won’t like it. But why not try and find out. Good work.

[@JPsBladeworks]

😂

[@acerotinta6692]

me encanta el mango, el patrón del damasco... pero y esa rebajada cerca del recazo no es para nada funcional. muy buen video

[@JPsBladeworks]

Depends on what you define as functional

[@TallBoy-0004]

I'd watch.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thanks

[@EDUARDO-GUERR-526]

Nodachi

[@LyndoneBelle]

Sick Bro! Keep it up!

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you

[@lifeonroad4412]

Nice blade. A little more recurve and you would have nailed it.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Yea its been a while but im sure with a little practice i can get the shape right

[@jerryjohnson4618]

🤘👍👍

[@JPsBladeworks]

🫡

[@torind2000]

record it all :)

[@JPsBladeworks]

Will do

[@IWatchedWhat]

Interesting pattern, I like how it looks like Kenny from Southpark in that one spot near the handle.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Ill have to go look at it 👀

[@zayedsecond]

Nice work but what’s your name?

[@JPsBladeworks]

JP

[@rowengarvin4833]

The only thing I don't agree with in this video is using whiteout doing cannister Damascus

[@JPsBladeworks]

Not white out. It was spray paint but tomatoes tomatos. Whats wrong with it?

[@rowengarvin4833]

@@JPsBladeworks can doesn't come away as cleanly

[@JPsBladeworks]

@rowengarvin4833 if that can removal wasnt clean enough then i dont know what to tell you 🤷‍♂️

[@rowengarvin4833]

@@JPsBladeworks I have tried both using whiteout and not and just found it easier to not use whiteout on the can

[@bayuteguhabdullah4955]

Maaf knapa setelah jadi pisau tidak di coba pada benda keras

[@JPsBladeworks]

Why scratch it if im not going to keep it?

[@malpensado22]

First

[@JPsBladeworks]

Second

[@normbarrows2]

If it's not made from damask iron ore sand from the eastern med, it's not real Damask Steel. Why does everybody call it Damascus? The pattern alone doesn't make it real Damask. The pattern is simply an easily recognizable by-product of the process of making blades from that ore. Apparently, the sand has special impurities that make a superior steel alloy - and create the "Damascus blade" pattern. The alloy was superior to traditional steel of the time - leading to the "legend" of "Damascus Steel". There is a recurring theme in the history of sword engineering of superior alloys that combine the ability to hold an edge (hardness) and lack of brittleness - Samurai swords, Ulthbert swords, and Damask Steel swords are 3 examples. These are typically achieved by a combination of softer and harder steels.

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

yeah thanks.. nobody into this knows that. Thanks professor. Pattern welded or surface fused metal is boring to write ...maybe... or we just say iot so often to trigger those "know it alls"...metalurgist and historian? Double PhD, rrrriiiight? merry christmas troll... just enjoy this craftmanship or stfu

[@mtnbkr8480]

Instead of just throwing crap in a can and taking whatever you get, how about trying to do something creative? Oh yeah. Sorry. Happy holidays to you and yours.

[@Mhorton32]

Your definition of creative seems awfully narrow feller.

[@mtnbkr8480]

@Mhorton32 And yours seems overly broad.

[@scottydntno]

There's nothing wrong with talking and telling people what you're doing, but GOT DANG you talk too much 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@JPsBladeworks]

I aim to please. Doesnt mean im going to hit the mark 🤣 you either enjoy it or not 🤷‍♂️

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

turn of the soud... just enjoy and stopp b!tching and moaning

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

@@JPsBladeworks you doing fine... please dont listen to those bitchin and moanin trolls

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

Manganese is the important compound to get it black (like O2 or even better 90MnCrV8/1.2842). If there is only carbon it stays grey...

[@JPsBladeworks]

So the more manganese the darker?

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

@@JPsBladeworks with the help of ChatGPT and 3 question this is what came out.... I knew I couldn't reproduce it well enough, what my self taught blade smith told me, and what I have read so far ... thats why I used chatgpt... there is more but not as relevant: Quote: "Manganese is a reactive element that readily forms oxides and other compounds. When the steel contains more manganese, there are more manganese atoms available on the surface to react with the acid.Manganese influences the microstructure and surface characteristics of steel, which can also affect how the coffee interacts with the material. Higher manganese content can lead to a more reactive surface, enhancing the etching effect. This darkening effect is not uniform and can depend on additional factors such as the heat treatment of the steel, its microstructure, and the presence of other alloying elements. high-carbon steel’s greyish appearance is due to its microstructure, the inert nature of carbon in the etching process, and the lack of elements that form dark oxides.Nickel is highly resistant to corrosion and oxidation.Ferric acid primarily targets reactive elements like iron, manganese, or carbon compounds.Coffee leaves behind organic residues, including pigments and other compounds, which can adhere to the etched manganese surface. These residues can further contribute to the darkened appearance.The exact outcome depends on the manganese alloy composition, coffee acidity, exposure time, and environmental factors like temperature and humidity." End quote

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

@@JPsBladeworks did You read? (Sorry don't want to be an ass, but I'm interested if you have read it...)

[@mutantgoat4964]

Really clean kukri. 🤌 the pattern is very neat, and the handle is a good combination. Watched the whole video.

[@JPsBladeworks]

Thank you I appreciate it

[@mutantgoat4964]

@JPsBladeworks anytime! Forging is something I'm interested in, but I don't have the funds or my own house to start yet!