Jiří Ptáček - Mokume Gane

 That\'s how it all starts. We choose two or more metals to make up our packet. Prepare the necessary cutting tools. I like the cutting with a hacksaw. Measure, scribe and cut / cut to the same size. I chose quite an easy combination of materials, namely 0.5mm alpaca with 0.8mm copper.

 

 

At this stage, it is necessary to keep the highest purity. We therefore work in disposable gloves.
First, I use abrasive fleece to confuse and unify the surface. Then it is necessary to degrease all the pieces thoroughly.

 

 

 Prepare a "clamp" for our packet. Two pieces of flat steel drilled near corners - the size may not exceed our packet much, just a centimeter on each side. This utility primarily serves to keep the packet together. I\'ve seen attempts at yt where the packet is tied by wire. This didn\'t work for me for more reasons. In the "clamp" I find it easiest. From the inside, I paint the clamp with a white varnish marker - the packet does not stick so much to the clamp. We put material into a packet on the clamp. At this stage, we can help with a piece of thread that we wrap around the packet. We do this before inserting it into the clamp - the packet is then handled better.

 

Download the packet - I download it as seen on the photo. By heating, the material is pulled together.

Preparing for heating. A swivel chair covered with a piece of sheet metal served as a makeshift turntable. On it a fireclay brick. The burner was used here from a gas heater (0.6mm nozzle, Wootzman production). Perhaps a smaller burner would be better - this packet was up to.

It\'s getting hot!

Even with gypsum splint can be formed: D At this point, the temperature must be carefully monitored. From the materials we choose the one with the lowest melting point. And now the biggest fun starts. We need to approach this temperature evenly throughout the packet. If we heat a little, the materials will not bond. If you heat up the power, the material will leak and the packet will be destroyed. If we do not underestimate the preparation of the material and the plates are beautifully flat, the packet will not be reduced as much as it is heated. In this case, only the pre-tensioned screws in the clamp and the correct temperature are sufficient. However, if the input material is not completely straight, we cannot do without tightening the clamp during heating.

Done :) Let cool. . .

Slowly...

This doesn\'t look so bad. In the upper left corner of the packet, I tried to chisel the layers apart - it seems compact.

At this point it turns out if everything is connected or not. I use the rasp which I roughly match the packet from all sides. if there is a non-glued layer or mist, the rasp makes it grin thanks to the big teeth. If the packet fails after this phase, we can continue to form it. I cut it off for a demonstration to reveal the result.

And this is how our packet might look like in the final. here ready for bolstry closing knife.