What Makes This Damascus So Special?

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[@WillStelterbladesmith]

Go to our sponsor betterhelp.com/willstelter for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help. Thank you BetterHelp for sponsoring this episode

[@bertusbob]

PLEASE STOP PROMOTING Beterhelp!!! BetterHelp is a f*cking SCAM!! BetterHelp is sharing consumers health data, including sensitive information about mental health challenges, with third parties for marketing and ad targeting!!!!!! The FTC investigated these sh*theads, and found MAJOR FRAUD, and thousands of victims!!! Think about your fans it's not only about the money!!

[@bertusbob]

PLEASE STOP PROMOTING Beterhelp!!! BetterHelp is a f*cking SCAM!! BetterHelp is sharing consumers health data, including sensitive information about mental health challenges, with third parties for marketing and ad targeting!!!!!! The FTC investigated these sh*theads, and found MAJOR FRAUD, and thousands of victims!!! Think about your fans it's not only about the money!!

[@bertusbob]

PLEASE STOP PROMOTING Beterhelp!!! BetterHelp is a f*cking SCAM!! BetterHelp is sharing consumers health data, including sensitive information about mental health challenges, with third parties for marketing and ad targeting!!!!!! The FTC investigated these sh*theads, and found MAJOR FRAUD, and thousands of victims!!! Think about your fans it's not only about the money!!

[@bertusbob]

Betterhelp is a SCAM!!!🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@onbedoeldekut1515]

For a second there, I thought 'what makes this "Damascus" special' was that it would include ACTUAL Damascus steel/ore. But just like everyone else, YOU LIED (if you actually know anything about forging other than being taught/learning without researching deeper). You used bog-standard shop-bought steel. Forging two different types of steel together DOESN'T make it 'Damascus'. That just makes it 'pattern forged'. REAL Damascus steel comes from ONE mine near Damascus, and contains a very specific antimony content, which provides special characteristics that you can't get by just forging two different steels together. Please stop using terms that you've heard other liars using, you're destroying the history and efforts of those who came before you. All in the quest for clicks. It's embarrassing.

[@MrNiccholas]

Wow! This was one of the clearest and best videos explaining Damascus steel and how it's created! Absolutely wonderful job explaining what you were doing in a way that was very accessible to those who maybe new to blacksmithing!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Great job, Will! I’m glad that tip was helpful. Good luck with the MS knives. See you in June.

[@Merennulli]

Can't wait to see what you do with this, and I really can't wait to see what you do with your mastersmith blade.

[@TimJohnson-x1o]

1080 is very easy to work with indeed. IDK that I'd call it well performing much less "high performing." it's basically an old, out of date, obsolete carbon steel that has no upsides aside from ofc being very easy to hammer forge with traditional old methods. it has zero corrosion resistance, zero edge retention, and if you actually get it hard it doesn't have great toughness either. I'd always prefer a low alloy steel like 52100. Though for 99% of uses I'd prefer AEBL.

[@DaftFader]

This is probably the nicest patten welded steel design I've seen so far anywhere!

[@gregchandler900]

The absolute most critical important reason to get Demarcus is it just plain looks cool! 😎 yup essential

[@WorldBuider]

That's a great looking steel! Looking forward to the next video!

[@squalosus223]

The Teddy Roosevelt quote on the chalkboard goes hard asf💯

[@bsmnt23]

Is there any historical record of a given tradition of pattern weld used by certain blacksmiths? Like if a certain pattern was passed down from maser to apprentice or in a given region? Are some patterns better for certain applications, like a knife blade vs a hammer?

[@stompingpeak2043]

Alot of methods are for appearances only. Some are for strengthening steel or making it have more shock absorbance. Nowadays most Damascus is all about looks over function. Since our steels are soo good and creators usually don't align proper steel on edges in damascus blades

[@jimcorbett3764]

The pattern looks a little stoned, but it's still a cool pattern.

[@rossgraveley]

I would like to see you make a Japanese sword with this pattern on it great video

[@JS-ym8qi]

Cool😊

[@Dorcus45]

Will i love your work. I love the most that you share your faith and use your platform to promote christ! Keep it up man!

[@Disinterested1]

it's pattern welded not Damascus at a guess

[@TheHumaneHumitarianHuman]

Damascus is hardrock 🤘

[@steadfasttherenowned2460]

Love these videos. Leaving the other channel and going out on his own really opened the doors for Will's creativity. I don't even watch the other channel anymore. What will Will come up with next? I'm always excited to find out.

[@ricsleatherengraving8921]

Wish I could get to the video without having to watch up to 40 minutes of commercials before your video appears.

[@havenwindsor7524]

You could try skipping the commercials on this free content…..

[@MrAustrokiwi]

Damascus is a misnomer. A better term would be pattern welded steel. the original Damascus was wootz steel and was produced from Ore found in Jordan

[@NickG6623]

Christ is King. Amen

[@dwillia6351]

First

[@bobbiscub]

BOO, SCREW BETTER HELP! Bad on you Will!

[@AdamsWorlds]

Man that flower pattern Lucas made is stunning.

[@nunyabizness4354]

Will, it is great to watch you progress. Good luck and happy forging!

[@ChileExpatFamily]

thanks for the video Will. Thomas my 16 year old son and I are starting a blacksmiths group here in the South of Chile We have not been able to find any other Blacksmiths here in Chile. Jim in Chile

[@fitnessandfirearms7503]

I'm sure there's a weathered and experienced old man that could show you son a thing or 2 about blacksmithing

[@fitnessandfirearms7503]

But if not, KZbin teaches better than nothing at all

[@ChileExpatFamily]

@@fitnessandfirearms7503 Yes ME! I am 61 and I used to demonstrate back in South Carolina in the 1980s-2000s. I was a member of the Phillip Simmons Chapter of ABANA in SC. I also demonstrated at historical events in Upstate SC. SO maybe I can remember what I am doing. Ahahahah ahahaha . Jim

[@captaincampalot]

I’m curious how you and other smiths are able to conceptualize all these different Damascus patterns. How much of it is experimental and how much is reasoning based on visualizing what you ~expect~ the steel to do when you manipulate it?

[@Revonlieke]

easiest way would be to use a photoshop or another illustrative tool that helps you conceptualize it. since it can do alot of it automatically without much need for brain power.

[@TimJohnson-x1o]

unless you are inventing something new, then it's already been done before and you are just following a template. Devin Thomas is the king of Damascus. also Anyone that makes stainless Damascus is a certified bad ass.

[@DracoOmnia]

It often seems like witchcraft (or wizardry I guess) when someone well practiced in a field does something intuitive to them, or in this case can conceptualize the way the pattern will shift when doing different things to the metal. From observation I can see Will does a lot of sketching of the pattern, you can see his ideation of how he stacks and rotates the pattern in his sketch. I think a lot of it comes down to your knowledge of everything involved, what your good at (sketching vs computer aided design, etc) and experience. For example, simply being upside down in relation to a fastener often screws up with my "righty tighty, lefty loosey" mental ideation, and I sometimes struggle to determine the correct direction merely because my base perspective has changed. I have no doubt I would likewise struggle with nearly all these Damascus patterns because the methods and processes are a total mind bender. Having some training in CAD I would probably need to have an origin point everytime I sketched a pattern, and would have to indicate the origin every time I rotated or manipulated the pattern or I'd get lost 😂 not to mention the many times I would intend to do the pattern a specific way on paper but screw it up in reality 🤣

[@XBullitt16X]

promoting better help, a scam company, for shame.

[@et_9554]

wasn't there some scandals with betterhelp selling customer data?

[@ianalderson5133]

Love it. As a home blacksmith I really appreciate how you've "stayed true to home". Like you I got my start with my love for anvils. I still prefer a black coal forge over a propane or natural gas forge. any recommendations for a reasonable priced power hammer are appreciated

[@garrettshadbolt6443]

Dang Will could you go any faster? 😂 I’m fairly confused as to how that pattern was made but it sure turned out awesome!…that final weld seems very tough to get to work out right seems like you would be better off to just do a tall square stack

[@creekninja]

I’m confused… you took your masters test about a month ago…. What gives?????????

[@Sarah-fy3qf]

It's a two stage test. The practical can you cut the rope etc test and a separate can you make something pretty test

[@creekninja]

@@Sarah-fy3qf ahh, I kind of had a feeling. Thank you

[@andregiger3822]

Very interesting video, thanks a lot. With so many different ways to create a pattern, I wonder, if it would be possible to "write" something into the steel, as there only so many different lines and curves making up all of the letters in the alphabet... For example, if you want to write or ULFBERHT you would need 4 curves (for the U,B and R), 11 short lines and 8 long lines (or 27 short lines).

[@robertr4193]

Looking good will just a bit too fancy for my tastes but it is nice.

[@JustinCooper-u3f]

Secondary thought you should make an ulu I’m from Alaska originally and it would be super cool

[@ryansauder7701]

Amazing pattern work! I have two questions if you dont mind: You mentioned not having enough steel, what was the raw steel weight vs final billet weight? Second, have you every thought of using something like a tig torch to selectively melt and alloy the two steels together into a 3rd color with an intermediate nickle content? Would it make some sort of cool river effect, or just look like you forgot to grind some weld bead? Thanks.

[@MASI_forging]

Another great video 😉😉

[@Josef_R]

I see lots of people making patterns. But I don't see many people making specific patterns. Meaning that they squish steel till there's whatever pattern that makes. It's a lot more work and skill to achieve a specific pattern.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Neither tons, no pounds are a measurement for pressure, but of weight. Pressure is defined as force applied on a surface area, so your 25 tons must press down on a given, preferrably small as possible area, no more than a few square centimeters, to make an impact (pun intended).

[@brentfowler2317]

Man I can't wait to see the video of you actually making the folding knife, and see how you turn those awesome billets into folding knives! Great video my friend. Keep up the great work! I'm sure you're sleeping on the couch right now. Nah, but that comment about not getting video, because you where taking a nap. While he surface ground those billets. Just gave me a great laugh.. Anyhow, I digress thanks again for the content. Be safe, and God bless.

[@RayTheMickey]

How many thousands per pass on that belt/surface grinder?

[@trevelynbrown4444]

Check out a Essentia Craftsman Both guys have some great power hammers . Great videos as well on the hammers . He has a collection of anvils also

[@LittleGreyWolfForge]

am i the only one who thinks damascus is kinda overrated? - edit- why is his handwriting so good? -other edit- why is marty so cute?

[@Darkclaw00]

1080 is the one with the nickel? I thoght it was 15N20.

[@robert.brokaw3829]

Try and learn - keep up the good work. Stay safe.

[@DaftRebel]

this was the best explanition of Better Help I've ever seen. Thanks!

[@lolstuffenjoy9880]

i mean thats the point of damascus

[@dougadams9419]

PATTERN WELDED STEEL! Not Damascus, it doesn't exist anymore.

[@WillStelterbladesmith]

Watch the video I have on true Damascus 👍🏻

[@IHamDogg]

The effects of depression during winter are referred to as Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and MANY MANY people tend to feel depressed during this time of the year because yer internal clock starts to offset thanks to the lack of sunlight. It's perfectly normal to feel sad/depressed during these times but you should ALWAYS talk to a mental health professional. (I tend to unload on strangers on Video games) Talking helps. and if you suffer from any sort of depression you should always go with therapy, I have Severe so I'm currently looking into MindBloom Ketamine therapy but just talking. helps. more than you think. more than you know.

[@bertusbob]

Winter depression (little outdoor exposure to sunshine), is often caused by a lack of vitamine D..The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors.. But between October and early March we do not make enough vitamin D from sunlight. Read more about vitamin D and sunlight... Recently, vitamin D has been reported in the scientific and lay press as an important factor that may have significant health benefits in the prevention and the treatment of many chronic illnesses. Most individuals in this country have insufficient levels of vitamin D. This is also true for persons with depression as well as other mental disorders.

[@TreeCutterDoug]

Hello friends!

[@torerickson5165]

I’ve watched the whole thing already I swear

[@JanasV]

Don't trust betterhelp!!!

[@ScottieBMan]

Amazing pattern

[@saginawdan]

For the algorithms 😊

[@movingchips]

SLAP COUNT = 5

[@Revonlieke]

Do you ever do patterns just completely randomly? What I mean is often damascus is done in a specific way, even if it's just a twisted bar or something. It feels like it's already calculated how the pattern will look like even before starting. I'm not a blacksmith, but if I was that would probably be where I would find a lot of joy, just manipulating the damascus billet in really weird ways and seeing the end result. Even if it often would look bad.

[@DracoOmnia]

A pattern like this takes days to put together, and you saw how much steel he started with and how much he ended with, right? There's many, many cut out (in the video) cuts, heat cycles, sanding, welding, cut, forge, etc. It is an expensive endeavor to simply let randomness take it's chance. If you are a hobbyist then you could do that but it's Wills livelihood, so in all likelihood he keeps the vast majority of his experiments on paper. You can kind of "pretend" to make a pattern entirely on paper if your understanding of the different ways to manipulate the pattern is good enough you might nearly be right. And if you are really good you can try it and find where you were wrong, an expert might get it right more than they get it wrong. 😅

[@Revonlieke]

@@DracoOmnia There are other channels that do random patterns out of a random assortment of metals like nails or hooks just to see what the pattenr ends up like. As a viewer I find it infintely more interesting to see something totally random come out of damascus than something that is pre-determined. While it will sell better as a knife if it's actually done that way, I do think there can be value in chaos as well. As long as you make sure the pattern is on the right side of the the blade in the end, it would be neat to see someone just try to randomize the pattern with really weird ways of manipulating the billet. maybe it doesn't come out nice, maybe it does, people will most likely buy the knife regardless and there's revenue in the video as well. Don't think Will's livelyhood s dependant on what the damascus on his blades looks like. But if he doesn't find enjoyment in doing random damascus, then that's fair. But as a viewer it would be neat to see some weird billet manipulation other than "twist" or "ladderpattern" or "mosaic".

[@DracoOmnia]

@@Revonlieke I think most of those guys doing that are mostly just seeing if they can even get it to work, any pattern they can find or get to show up after making a blade out of chainsaw chains is just gravy on top of managing to make a blade at all from scrap material. And sure there's some entertainment value there for sure, it's fun to see the wins and fails. However, and I feel this is pretty safe to say confidently, Will is an artist. And not some avant garde "throw literal shit at wall, call it art and charge a million dollars" type, but methodical, testing the limits of his knowledge, skill and abilities. It's methodical and that can be tedious but the results speak for themselves, his knives command what would otherwise be absolutely outrageous prices... Except the craftsmanship and esthetic make the price totally valid (to some people, at least). I get where you are coming from and Will does do some experimentation, but in general I prefer to see the inner machinations of his process and how they get to these outrageous, seemingly impossible patterns. I mean, you do see how wild that pattern is? How it looks like woven, twisted wire? It's mad, if you had to reverse engineer that pattern you could never do it, and that's bad ass

[@1Raymon]

Looks amazing

[@laptopuser3323]

Gday mate

[@rathernot25]

Where is the truck Will?

[@supperwelder]

Both patterns looked super cool can't wait to see the mastersmith blade❤❤

[@gavinsalzberg2331]

I agree.

[@jessen00001]

Great stuff 🎉 Thanks

[@ClenioBuilder]

👏👏👏👏🤜🤛

[@jimcrawford9767]

👍

[@OfficialTeej]

I thought you were already a master Smith when you went down to clean that shop? Or was that a test run?

[@commonsense7754]

Journeyman tests.

[@Sarah-fy3qf]

It's a 2 part test. The practical test, with the rope cutting etc and the can you make something pretty test.

[@matthewmarting3623]

I would love to see you do a video on the original Damascus with someone who worked with Al Pendray.

[@WillStelterbladesmith]

Already done it- Steve Schwarzer, video was a couple years ago

[@matthewmarting3623]

Ya know, knowing you, your passion to the craft and your work ethic, my baseline assumption should have been that you had already. Never change Will

[@zanestigler3729]

I've always wondered why you use MIG beads instead of an autogenous TIG weld for tacking the billet together. Doesn't that add foreign material that would etch differently than the 1080 and 15N20?

[@armandvanzyl6325]

FINALY!!!! i cant wait to see you make that folder you were talking about.

[@jameslovelace8828]

With your shop’s aesthetics you should get into the forging ASMR side of KZbin. You’re a skilled talker but I’d love to see a asmr type video. Just an idea

[@johnoconnor4941]

I love your stuff Will and since I first saw you, through your collab with Alec, and I've followed and subbed from there. I ain't going anywhere anytime soon and eagerly await your Master Knife Maker exam. Bon chance, good luck and bona fortuna....

[@voodoojuju1519]

What is your depth of cut when you're surfacing grinding the billets

[@omerZauber]

This reminds me of candy making videos. Will you start making Damascus of animals and text soon?

[@JustinCooper-u3f]

I’m so glad I subbed to your channel man you are an amazing smith I’m just getting started myself and I love watching the projects and just absolutely amazing intricate things you can make metal do I can’t wait to see what else you have for us keep up the outstanding work you do

[@adventureawaits6923]

Your channel is dopesaucesupreme, wonder what you'll be workin on ten years from now. Keep on keepin on!

[@maxiwaniec7185]

I love your metallurgy videos. I am fascinated on how you make these patterns.

[@danc6167]

I've seen another smith use adjustible pipe ties to hold their billets together for forge welding. Have you tried that? Does that work?

[@0num4]

Glad to see you're doing well. Keep on learning, keep on pushing what you think are your limits!

[@joelblair8339]

I love watching your content, just would like to see it more often.😅

[@suncu91]

Do you use polymer clay mosaics for inspiration? They have tons of different patterns and tricks and I am sure that it would look breathtaking if it's possible to do them in actual steel.

[@TheRedWon]

You do a great job explaining things throughout the video. I can follow along even though I know next to nothing about this stuff

[@sullenpuffin]

Stunning! I feel like those 90 degree flips amplify the effect of any irregularities in the pattern though.

[@The_Slavstralian]

Definitly well on your way to becoming the Pommy Kyle Royer.

[@bigguix]

very well explained and informative

[@bobothewood9628]

Just out of curiosity, have you ever done Damascus with 3 or more different steel to for more of a gradient pattern?

[@minibigs5259]

Great explanations in this video.

[@UnexpectedInquisition]

Try to make real wootz steel instead of pattern weld. Would be neat

[@WillswoodworkingYEG]

knowledge is half the battle

[@BraxxJuventa]

Thanks for filming Will. 😁👍🏼

[@Jiminycroquet]

I live for the way Will says "ha'dy" at the start of every video

[@DrMatt96]

very cool watching the process

[@wesleyl1443]

This was a ridiculously good video

[@jeffreydauterman]

Great stuff man!!!🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🫰

[@irorules]

would love to know the total weight of raw steel used versus what you have as usable stock

[@paullmight42]

oooo a folder...

[@donmaga6806]

Will, I need one of your knives.🎉

[@markrico1917]

You have a gift, Will.

[@elementjoe]

Very cool patterns!

[@kzarnold3678]

Nicely done 👍

[@AndyFromBeaverton]

Mr. Rogers to me everything is special.

[@AndyFromBeaverton]

0:54 Doesn't Will know that 4K is far superior to 1080?

[@Darth-Egg]

Love seeing Will, a successful KZbinr and craftsman be so open about his relationship with Christ. It really warms my heart to hear somebody proudly say that Christ is King.

[@racertrainz]

when you make damascus is there a way to to get more than two colors? (dark and light)

[@geneticdisorder1900]

Use the force Will Use the force Light, dark, invisible. Only different shades of silver gray to black.

[@commonsense7754]

Yes. Introduce other metals such as copper

[@mattygames1369]

I doubt you were aware when you.took the sponsorship but i hope in the future you wont work with better help..

[@havenwindsor7524]

Do your research and stop believing everything you hear and judging with naivety.

[@bertusbob]

@@havenwindsor7524 BetterHelp is sharing consumers health data, including sensitive information about mental health challenges, with third parties for marketing and ad targeting!!!!!! The FTC investigated these sh*theads, and found MAJOR FRAUD, and thousands of victims!!!