MOSAIC STEEL |
| Last Updated 12/1/2008 |
| Contact Michael Miller at : mike@mmilleroriginals.com |
|
When I first began making knives, I was impressed and inspired by the works of many of the great makers
of that time. I was especially drawn to the works of Don Fogg, Steve Schwartzer and Pierre Revardi.
The idea of using different colored steels to make "pictures" in a knife blade is what inspired me to
make my first damascus knife. The only "pictures" I was able to make at that time were simple "wood grain", "random" and "twist" patterns. I had lots of "ideas" of how to go about making real pictures - I just didn't have the tools or skills, nor the time to do anything about it. I was working a full time job and had only a couple hours on the weekends to devote to knife-making. Well, eleven years later, I had developed good skills in forge welding and working with different "knife steels". Contemporary pattern welded damascus became easy. I no longer had "cold shuts" or "flux inclusions" (common flaws in pattern welding), and I could produce many differnt patterns in damascus knives. I had also been making knives full time for five years. Early summer of 2007, I decided it was time to bring my "dream" of pictures in steel into a reality. Using hand tools (I don't own a power press or milling machine), I started working with one of my "ideas" to make recognizable "pictures" in a knife blade. Below are some examples of what I have produced to date. These blades were produced using only the common tools which can be found in most bladesmith/knife-making shops; forge, anvil and hammer, drill press, hand held rotary tools, belt sander, files and sand paper. |
