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Canister Mokume

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Posts: 7
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I'm beginning to attempt making Mokume. I have tried a few stacked billets. However, I can't seem to find any information on canister Mokume. I have bar stock of copper, brass, nickel silver, and lots of varied pieces that I have collected over time. If I use a square steel pipe like what is used for canister Damascus, would it be possible to do the same for Mokume? I understand that I would probably need powder to fill in the voids. If it is possible, would copper or nickel silver powder be the best option? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 
Posted : 11/03/2021 10:39 pm
Joshua States
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I don't think I have even seen or heard of anyone doing this.

First question I have is do you have a source for the powdered metals?

The second question I have is, are you planning on trying this simply because you have a bunch of non-ferrous scrap that you just can't throw away?

I have a similar personality defect and I save all of my scrap copper, nickel-silver, brass, etc. but I re-melt it down into new ingots (and sometimes I mix them into another alloy) so I can reuse them. Hey, I'm cheap and I like to experiment with different materials. I also have some basic casting molds and a Delft clay set up so I can cast small plates or sand cast complete fittings.

In any case, I am intrigued by the concept of "canister Mokume".

Joshua States

www.dosgatosforge.com

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg

https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71

Also on Instagram and Facebook as J.States Bladesmith

“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”

 
Posted : 12/03/2021 6:37 pm
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Jantz seems to have brass, copper, and nickel silver in powder form,and states they would be a good choice for mokume. I have no problem melting them down into an ingot form. I was just thinking it might make an interesting random pattern. And I thought it might be easier than making mokume in between some steel plates because of the oxidation and worrying about ending up with a puddle.

 
Posted : 15/03/2021 1:00 am
Joshua States
Posts: 1157
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Have you tried making it in the traditional manner yet?

Joshua States

www.dosgatosforge.com

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg

https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71

Also on Instagram and Facebook as J.States Bladesmith

“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”

 
Posted : 15/03/2021 9:18 am
Posts: 7
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Yes,I'm currently trying to get it nailed down. I'm on my 4th attempt to try and get it to successfully forge weld. I tried it first with brass and nickel silver the first 3 times without much success. I was told that brass is a lot more difficult than copper. The problem i has was that it would seem to be successful, until I went to draw it out, then it would come apart. I'm now trying to do it with copper, I believe that I need to go a little bit hotter. I'm one of those people who would rather learn to make it than buy it. Nearly all my friends just buy the mokume.

 
Posted : 15/03/2021 4:49 pm
Joshua States
Posts: 1157
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Brass comes in many different grades, and most of them have a very low melting point compared to copper or nickel-silver. So brass in the mokume can be very finicky. You want to do most of your forging fairly cold, like still at black heat. It doesn't give you much time to work it. Nickel silver, on the other hand, you would heat to red, quench to anneal and work totally cold, once it has been fully welded and is stable. Both copper and nickel silver work harden so this is a dance between too much and too little. I have also worked nickel-silver mokume at a black heat. Nickel silver is very touchy and will red short easily. It takes a few times to get it to weld well.

I just revived My old How-to on Mokume making. It's in the WIP and Tutorials section. See if there is any info there that helps.

Do you have either books on the subject? There is one by Steve Midgett and another by Ian Ferguson.

Joshua States

www.dosgatosforge.com

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg

https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71

Also on Instagram and Facebook as J.States Bladesmith

“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”

 
Posted : 15/03/2021 9:10 pm
Posts: 7
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Topic starter
 

Ok,I'll try that and check out your how-to. Thank you. I do not have any books on mokume. I'll have to try to get some.

 
Posted : 15/03/2021 10:00 pm
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I have been reading the book, I finally got word that the shop i want to rent will be available to me starting next weekend. It's a decent sized shop, 24X26. Which is way bigger than the walkout basement at home and the outside area. Which is difficult when the weather doesn't cooperate. So, hopefully I'll be back to trying again in a few weeks.

 
Posted : 27/03/2021 3:14 pm
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