Pillsbury + 1 year:

[jwhouk]

And here I was wondering what in the world he did to the FrankenStratus...

[GlytchMeister]

And Glytch is what, chopped liver? She's just a geek/nerd. Glytch is the mad scientist. *chuckle*

Chopped liver... hmmm... whutcha think, Al?

[GlytchMeister]

Perhaps what I forged was not what archeologists or historians refer to as Damascus... but I assure you, it was some tough material. I once hammered one of my blades through a buck knife, going edge to edge. Put a small nick in the blade on mine

I dunno what the hell you're making, but I want some. No money to pay right now, but when I can... Hmm...

Already need a replacement for that Kukri?

Nah, not a replacement like "it's broken and I need a new one"

More like "that is so cool and high quality I really want one"

You're turning me into a collector, Sarge.

[GlytchMeister]

And here I was wondering what in the world he did to the FrankenStratus...

Laughed in the face of car death, then proceeded to slap parts of other dead Stratuses onto it until it started working again in a horrible mockery of car life. And then said "EEETS ALIEEEEVE! MUAHAHAHAHAAA!"

[AmriloJim]

And then said "EEETS ALIEEEEVE! MUAHAHAHAHAAA!"

You're describing a couple of my cabs, there.

[jwhouk]

There you go - create an Uber-like service with Vorping.


(I am imagining table talk somewhat akin to this during dinner, mind you...)

[ShneekeyTheLost]

The original method of producing Damascus steel is not known. Modern attempts to duplicate the metal have not been entirely successful due to differences in raw materials and manufacturing techniques. Several individuals in modern times have claimed that they have rediscovered the methods by which the original Damascus steel was produced.

The reputation and history of Damascus steel has given rise to many legends, such as the ability to cut through a rifle barrel or to cut a hair falling across the blade. A research team in Germany published a report in 2006 revealing nanowires and carbon nanotubes in a blade forged from Damascus steel. This finding was covered by National Geographic and the New York Times. Although certain types of modern steel outperform these swords, chemical reactions in the production process made the blades extraordinary for their time, as Damascus steel was superplastic and very hard at the same time. During the smelting process to obtain Wootz steel ingots, woody biomass and leaves are known to have been used as carburizing additives along with certain specific types of iron rich in microalloying elements. These ingots would then be further forged and worked into Damascus steel blades, and research now shows that carbon nanotubes can be derived from plant fibers, suggesting how the nanotubes were formed in the steel. Some experts expect to discover such nanotubes in more relics as they are analyzed more closely.

Umm... Glytch... you realize that Wikipedia is a user-edited document, right? It's a good place to start research, but it can (and is frequently) not entirely correct, particularly where hot topics like this are concerned.

I know two people personally who know the secrets of Wootz Steel and Damascus technique. Daniel Watson of Angle Sword Forge is one of them.

Dan then proceeded to improve upon it and modernize it, using tempered martensite matrix in lieu of the traditional pearlite matrix. Is it 'traditional'? Well, it still uses the same technique, just more modern stuff that didn't exist back then. However, it does make for a superior blade, so does it really matter? And yes, they sent one off to a lab, his Wootz Steel Damascus blades do, in fact, have carbon nanotubes in them as well. You can check out the details here. You can see the full report from the PhD here.

He's also got a cryo-quench liquid helium bath that goes down to -300C, which produces some interesting properties as the molecules realign, which produces something not quite a superconductor, but far more conductive than a normal blade. In addition, it holds the katana world record for mat-splitting.

[GlytchMeister]

Oh, I know Wiki is user-generated. I just wasn't in the mood for breaking out my academic database access for a forum post.
It was quick, and I looked at that page a while ago, and that section hasn't been edited lately. No signs of griefing or trolling.


And I've heard of Angel Swords before. I'm pretty sure I saw them on Modern Marvels (a show on history channel back when it wasn't about aliens or the future). I didn't know his stuff had CNT's though.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Oh, I know Wiki is user-generated. I just wasn't in the mood for breaking out my academic database access for a forum post.
It was quick, and I looked at that page a while ago, and that section hasn't been edited lately. No signs of griefing or trolling.


And I've heard of Angel Swords before. I'm pretty sure I saw them on Modern Marvels (a show on history channel back when it wasn't about aliens or the future). I didn't know his stuff had CNT's though.

Even better, he can control the carbon nanotube formation in the blade through the smithing process to make them more efficient at what they do.

[Dave]

Perhaps what I forged was not what archeologists or historians refer to as Damascus... but I assure you, it was some tough material. I once hammered one of my blades through a buck knife, going edge to edge. Put a small nick in the blade on mine

Here's what I recall from my own readings over the years.

What most metalworkers refer to as Damascus steel these days is a multi-layer "hammer forged" laminate... high-carbon and lower-carbon steels, layered and folded and layered and folded. Some call it "pattern welded", and it has (or usually has) a very distinctive zebra-like pattern from the folded layers. As I know Sarge knows, you can make some very interesting patterns by starting with rods or wires laid out in patterns, and then doing the heat/fold/weld/heat/fold/weld cycle over and over. I'm tempted to chase down one of those old Damascus-barrel shotguns you told me about, just to have it for the steel (and trust me, I'll never fire it!)

This style of steel-making seems to have been invented a bunch of times over the past thousand years or so. The incentive was to recreate both the look, and the toughness of the original Damascus wootz steel, and the swords made from it.

The original "Damascus" was probably not actually from Damascus (from what I've heard, they may have come from India), and it probably didn't come by its rippled patterns in the same way. The latest research I've heard of, suggests that the wootz steel had a somewhat unusual composition for early steels... a high level of vanadium and certain other exotic metals in the alloy. The original stock might even have been at least partially of meteoric origin... perhaps the best explanation as to how rare-earth metals would have ended up in the iron... and the exhaustion of this supply of unusual ore might have been the reason that Damascus blades disappeared from trade, back in the day.

As I understand it, the unusual alloys in the original wootz steel gave the steel the ability to develop a particularly beneficial pattern of micro-carbides between the steel grains, when it was heat-treated in the right way after being forged and sharpened. This made the edge both sharp and tough, and it also created a visible pattern on the surface of the blade. I've heard the story about carbon nano-tubes, but I haven't heard for certain whether they are fibers that were present originally (and survived forging) or whether they're nanostructures which self-assembled or condensed from carbides or free carbon in the blade as it was heat-treated.

The "hammer forged" or "pattern welded Damascus" lamination trick can also create a useful distribution of carbides... sharp carbide grain edges to cut with, backed with areas of softer and more flexible low-carbon steel which give the blade strength and reduce brittleness. This trick can be played with all sorts of steels... the first Damascus-type blade I ever bought was forged from a piece of spring steel and some softer iron from an old wagon wheel.

The modern wootz steel chemistries and treatment processes seem to be closer to the original than the "hammer forge" steels usually are, now that the role of vanadium in the original is at least somewhat understood.

Carbon and carbides play an important role in all of these knife steels, of course. You want the right amounts of carbide, in the right places, distributed through the blade and especially in the edge, to give it the "cuts sharp, stays sharp" edge, and also the flexibility and toughness to survive heavy use.

[Just Old Al]

And Glytch is what, chopped liver? She's just a geek/nerd. Glytch is the mad scientist. *chuckle*

Chopped liver... hmmm... whutcha think, Al?

I think the danger here is in the synergy. Shesays things, entirely innocently, and he starts up with the crazy.

And then YOU have to go and tell him"It ain't hard to do...aw shucks" which gives him even MORE ideas.

I am going to go over here, sip my tea, and stand behind this conveiently-placed blast wall till the pieces settle.

Joe - I prefer "Reunion". Some of us never left - and got stuck with the construction project. Poor Kronwulf...

[jwhouk]

Looking around, I ask, "You did think to invite him, right? I mean, he was part of all this as much as any of us..."

[Dave]

And Glytch is what, chopped liver? She's just a geek/nerd. Glytch is the mad scientist. *chuckle*

Chopped liver... hmmm... whutcha think, Al?

I think the danger here is in the synergy. Shesays things, entirely innocently, and he starts up with the crazy.

And then YOU have to go and tell him"It ain't hard to do...aw shucks" which gives him even MORE ideas.

Actually, Al, it's really as much your responsibility as anyone's.

You got him started thinking about exotics metals with the whole "Stainless Steel Angel" thing. Why, the entire story is really about metals and metal treatment. It was obvious from the moment of Ari's discovery, that "the car bides in the garage", so of course Glytch is thinking about making carbides in his own garage now.

Really, you shouldn't give these young and inventive kids ideas, unless you want them to explore the subject on their own.

[GlytchMeister]

Ow.

Pay up, Dave. That one was quick and dirty, but no less painful.

[Just Old Al]

Looking around, I ask, "You did think to invite him, right? I mean, he was part of all this as much as any of us..."

He didn't get an invite to the anniversary party as I don't believe he was at Pillsbury (lucky him!) - he does have one (and his crew) to the opening of the home theater he and his crew are fitting out in the new sub-basement.Bond film marathon and a party to go with.

Starting of course with "DIamonds Are Forever".

I'm still trying to figure out how you knew dinner was on. Edward...ah, now that makes sense.

EDIT: Of course he knows them...he did the hall fitment...

[Dave]

Ow.

Pay up, Dave. That one was quick and dirty, but no less painful.

(Places a recording of Tom Lehrer singing "The Elements" into the Pun Jar)

[jwhouk]

"Speaking of diamonds: how is the happy couple around whom this reunion is based doing? I hear Shel is extremely busy running that third location for Punk Yoga over in St. Anthony..."

[DinkyInky]

I am going to go over here, sip my tea, and stand behind this conveiently-placed blast wall till the pieces settle.

"We need another Timmy!"

[Just Old Al]

"Speaking of diamonds: how is the happy couple around whom this reunion is based doing? I hear Shel is extremely busy running that third location for Punk Yoga over in St. Anthony..."

"Justin is still alive and well and on the streets protecting us, last we heard. They come out for dinner periodically, and we go into town now and then to Stella's or whatever they feel like having. Shelley as always is irrepressable - a gearhead down to the toenails no matter what life throws at her.

Every time she comes out it's all-hands out to the garage and she usually ends up drooling over whatever project I have on the bench. Heaven forbid she ever gets loose in Building 2.

Last time Daisy and I went into town we all went to the Cerebrus just for laughs - they make a HORRID cup of tea - ended up drinking ginger ale all evening. Did enjoy the music, though, and Daisy's a helluva dancer {looks laciviously down the table}."

[jwhouk]

"I assume that Jin and Alan are doing well with their little one... And did he ever get his car back?"