Jump to content

Pocket Change Mokume, Spring 2014 Edition


Christopher Price

Recommended Posts

Seems like these come up every 3 or 4 months. I recently had a request for one of these pendants, and so I made two just for the sake of variety and insurance against failure, because I usually try something new every time.

 

First up, the more ambitious attempt - a twisted bar of 5 dimes. First fused, then forged out to a blunt square nail shape, I hot-twisted it gently, and when shears started, I gently hammered it square and got it hot enough to re-fuse the joints. Can't do that with Damascus steel, and it saved me twice in the process. While I was hoping to see stars, what I ended up with was just as good - they look like long dunes to me, seen from space.

 

DSCF0885-XL.jpg

 

 

 

For the second one, I kept it simple, just a flat laminate, but went to the drill press and tried to hit it with a raindrop pattern. It's not as stark as the steel I treat this way, but it still made an interesting pattern I think, and almost looks like hidden faces peeking out - I see eyes and some noses, with my whimsical eye.

 

DSCF0888-XL.jpg

 

 

 

Thanks for looking!

Edited by Christopher Price

The Tidewater Forge

Christopher Price, Bladesmith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool!

To become old and wise... You first have to survive being young and foolish! ;) Ikisu.blogsot.com. Email; milesikisu@gmail.com mobile: +27784653651

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Too cool! I was never brave enough to play with the patterns because of all the shearing and seam splitting :rolleyes: Great execution, I especially love the first one. Sort of looks like the metal has scars that were filled with the nickel.

 

John

Not all those who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien

-Shards of the Dark Age- my blog
-Nine Worlds Workshop-
-Last Apocalypse Forge-

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too really like the pattern of the first one. I do like the faces on the last one though too. Great work.

“If you trust in yourself. . . believe in your dreams. . . and follow your star. . . you will still get beaten by the people who have spent their time working hard and learning things, the people who weren't so lazy.” ~ Terry Pratchett

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, all. I'm rather partial to the first myself, and naturally that's the one the customer chose out of the two.

 

Here's a couple more pictures on 1/4" graph paper, for scale:

 

20140417131753-XL.jpg

 

20140417131839-XL.jpg

 

20140417131900-XL.jpg

 

 

As for the twisting, that was a new thing for me to try. I quickly found it wanting to de-laminate, so I was able to rescue it by gently hammering it flat enough to be in full contact again, and getting it up to fusing heat, so the copper would run just a bit and fill the tiny gaps through capillary action. It's a delicate balance, how much you can torture this stuff, and how much it can be repaired without ruining the pattern you're going for. I'll probably try it again, I learned a few things that may help, and we'll see what comes out the other end.

 

Thank you all for your compliments and comments. I really enjoy making these, they're something you can get done in a day.

The Tidewater Forge

Christopher Price, Bladesmith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's all done by eye. I know what it looks like when it's right, the trick is to get it liquid enough to let surface tension work, but not so much it pools or drips. I don't know how to explain it better than that without showing you in person.

The Tidewater Forge

Christopher Price, Bladesmith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well you're on the wrong side of the country for that! (Notice I said you not me.) :D

I'll just have to play with it then. That description is helpful. Thanks for sharing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...