My personal experiences with Mokume Gane

In 1997 I participated in a one-week Mokume-Gane workshop with Birgit Laken (NL). All I knew at that time was what Damascus steel looks like, and I had seen one Mokume Gane sample before. This course opened my eyes, and I found Mokume Gane very fascinating and irritating at the same time.

My first attempts of producing Mokume-metals myself were very frustrating and badly soldered layers of metal ended in a fiasco. Imported sheets from the US then led to satisfying results, and sheets with wonderfully chameleon-like surfaces arose. Very soon I was able to understand Chuck Evans introductory words to his Mokume Gane guidance:
Mokume Gane is time consuming, frustrating and tedious. Even when all steps are carefully and faithfully followed, the results are sometimes less than desired. If you are not willing to begin with a positive attitude, not willing to expend the time and patience, not willing to be frustrated along each step, and not willing to face possible failure arfter all appears well and proper, don't start

The following questions arose:

• How could I handle the irritating varieties and the occurring randomness?
• Which combination of metals are suitable, which ones are rather disappointing?
• Which start- and end-thickness of the material is ideal?
• What is the relation of start-thickness - engraving depth - end-thickness - pattern?
• How much does the adjacent rolling/forging distort the pattern?
• Which final oxidation is suitable for which metal combination?
• The fascination of the surface alone cannot be sufficient.

I desperately had to find a structured concept to clear up this irritating chaos of chameleon-like surfaces, the manifold working techniques, as well as colouring, alloys and composition of the metals. A big help to sort out this chaos was methodical trials with extreme precise protocols.

The organic patterns on the surfaces demanded organic shaping. According to Paul Klee's motto "don't design nature-like, but like nature" I began to search for shapes via folded, forged and again opened copper sheets which would suit the nature of Mokume. The results were brooches, earrings, necklaces and bracelets related to the shapes of grass, leaves and ferns.

I had now found shapes that pleased my eye, and I also discovered a great variety of possibilities to design the surface. The next problem arising was how to form the surface to be able to keep randomness as small as possible. With a little help from my friends the computer, DTP programmes and lots of trials I managed to place the pattern very precisely where it should be on the finished piece.

It needed a great deal of patience to solve the next arising problem - the final surface! The single layers on the finished piece are very thin (approx. like folia). A final filing and sanding of the surface would damage the top layer and alter the pattern. Therefore, the surface has to be forged extremely carefully to achieve an absolutely perfect surface. Now is the right time for oxidation so that each single alloy will get it's typical contrast in colours. And only now, after all these steps, one will find out if the piece of jewellery will keep it's promise.

Despite everything luck is playing quite a big role. It is therefore very important to stay self-critical. "Not everything that's complaisant is also pleasing".

As Mokume Gane has a lot to do with forging I booked a silversmiths workshop in 1999. During this course I felt the desire to forge pots from Mokume Gane sheets. But unfortunately, up till today, I have not found any material which would be large enough. So far I have also not succeeded in finding a possibility of rolling the standard material to the required size. I have not given up this idea yet, and I am convinced that one day I will find a way of solving this.

The following project - Mokume Gane rings - created new problems. The fragile coloured surface cannot withstand the wear and tear of the rings. But eventually many tries led to convincing results.

Future projects:

• Mokume Gane bowls and pots
• Mokume Gane in combination with wood and stones

I am aware of the fact that I am skating on thin ice when trying to combine the moving Mokume Gane surfaces with other also moving materials (wood, stones).

Should you come across any mistakes concerning the language as well as the content, or should you have any proposals for improvement please feel free to contact me. Any suggestions are highly welcome!

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