Wotcha me owd ducks

[Rojaz]

Been lurking a while and find myself coming here disturbingly often for advice and tips. I am a retired professional now hobbyist metalsmith. I can make pretty much anything but have been focused for a few years on making knives. I can knock together anything from a Bowie to a kitchen knife but my passion is UK legal 'slipjoint' folding knives.

I'm here really because I often also make some 'man jewellery' from offcuts of damascus stainless steel from the knife making side which has led me to try working with silver. Man, after stainless steel that stuff is soft! I removed about £5 worth with the first lick of my big file! I also need to get my sizing down to 'dainty' and get the big nozzle off my blowtorch!

Anyhoo, I'll be around for a while bothering you occasionally for the silver and dainty tips but thought I'd just give you a taster of what I have 'knocked up' in the past and could perhaps 'loosely' be termed jewellery! Be gentle with me!
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[ps_bond]

Is that Mark?

[Rojaz]

Is that Mark?

Tis mate - one and the same - Hello!

[CJ57]

Hello and welcome Mark. That's some beautiful metalwork, love the flow the patterning gives!

[ps_bond]

Tis mate - one and the same - Hello!

Evening! The fish hook gave it away :D

[Rojaz]

Evening! The fish hook gave it away :D

Haha, I just put the connection together with your good self too Peter. Mokume advice!!

[solitarysmagick]

Welcome Mark.. some lovely pendants there! I often make things with my partners offcuts (he's also a knifemaker and funnily enough another mark :) ).. excellent way to recycle otherwise scrap material :)

Rachael x

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[enigma]

Lovely work! how is the patterning created?

[lorraineflee]

Hi and welcome. I love the pendants!

[Rojaz]

Hi and welcome. I love the pendants!

Thanks. The material is Damasteel stainless steel damascus. Its alternate layers of two types of modern stainless steels which are forged together. When they are shaped and etched, one of the two layers is eaten away and darkened leaving the pattern you see - depending on the mordant combination used. The material is usually used to make high quality knives and guns. Here is a pic of a similar bit used in one of my knife blades...
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Loveley thing about this material is the layers go all the way through as opposed to being surface etched. Means it looks good from any angle...
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[caroleallen]

Beautiful work.

[Sarahb72]

Hi there Mark. The patterning on your pendants is gorgeous. I can't stop staring at them.

[LydiaNiz]

Love that patterning! (And hello!)

[Rojaz]

The patterning on your pendants is gorgeous. I can't stop staring at them.

Thanks. The challenge for us imaginitive types is to pick out the images within the patterns. Been told there is a clown and a 'ghoul' within the Mjolnir pendant. Have another look....
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and the ghoul side..
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[solitarysmagick]

Haha I can see those :)

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[Tabby66]

So can I!!!

I love damascus steel, my brother was a farrier and loved playing about with some blacksmithing for some 20 years (before his back gave out :( ), he absolutely loved the stuff!!!

[camalidesign]

Cool stuff! :)

[susieq]

Thanks. The challenge for us imaginitive types is to pick out the images within the patterns. Been told there is a clown and a 'ghoul' within the Mjolnir pendant. Have another look....


Me too. Beautiful work Mark. Looking forward to seeing more.

[Patstone]

Hello Mark, I make silver jewellery mainly for women but love knives, I know its strange for a woman to like knives, but even as a kid I collected penknives, even now if I go to a craft fair I am drawn by the knives on show, and I must say yours are spectacular.

[Rojaz]

I make silver jewellery mainly for women but love knives
That's cool - thanks for the compliment. Here's a few of my folders to give you a flavour of style I normally make....
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[ps_bond]

I assume those are all slipjoint? They look very nicely made.

I did get a bit fed up with the persistent gimmicks trending in knife making - had to be the most exotic materials, the newest steels and so on; it started to feel like it was all being done at the expense of the actual craftsmanship. Those seem to buck that trend.

[Patstone]

They are lovely, and so well made. Items to covet !!!!!!!

[Rojaz]

I assume those are all slipjoint?

Yes Peter - all slipjoint and UK legal carry. I like to think mine would be carried and used rather than sat in a drawer. This is my most used, but I can't say that I enjoy making kitchen knives......
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[Hans Meevis]

Excellent work.

[MeadMoon]

Hi Mark, welcome! I am another femalt who likes knives and yours are spectacular. Love those patterns.

[medusa]

Thanks. The material is Damasteel stainless steel damascus. Its alternate layers of two types of modern stainless steels which are forged together. When they are shaped and etched, one of the two layers is eaten away and darkened leaving the pattern you see - depending on the mordant combination used. The material is usually used to make high quality knives and guns. Here is a pic of a similar bit used in one of my knife blades...
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oooh! that's pretty sexy! Are the penknives the same? Do you make the damascus yourself?

[Rojaz]

Do you make the damascus yourself?
Thanks!. Unfortunately not. This stuff is pretty specialised and made by a company in Sweden....
http://www.damasteel.se/

[medusa]

you mean you don't spend forever folding and forging? pfffft!

Just kidding, still lovely and in answer to my first question? Do you use this stuff on the pen/slip knives?

[Rojaz]

Do you use this stuff on the pen/slip knives?

Not yet - some planned.