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Hot take: You don't need a $2000 power hammer to make good Damascus
I keep seeing folks at the local guild meetings in Springfield act like they're stuck until they can afford a massive machine. I made my first decent billet with a 4lb cross peen and a striker, just like they did for centuries. It's more about consistent heat and clean folds than raw power. What's the simplest tool you've used to make something you're proud of?
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knight.xena2mo ago
Just like they did for centuries" yeah and they also died at 40 with ruined shoulders. A 4lb hammer and a striker for a full billet? That's a weekend of pure pain for maybe one fold. Try doing a 300 layer billet by hand and tell me it's about clean folds. A power hammer isn't just raw power, it's about control and saving your body. You can focus on the craft when you're not exhausted after three heats.
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simontorres7d ago
Exactly this. A power hammer lets you actually pay attention to the weld instead of just surviving the hit. Plus, those old smiths weren't making 300 layer billets, they were making pattern welded swords for rich people who could afford a whole team of strikers. It's like gatekeeping but with bad joints and wasted time.
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