If you take a billet of Mokume (before any pattern work) and slice a
thin strip off of the edge, you will have a piece that looks like
lots of wires soldered side by side - without any gaps. Maybe you can
then do your “deforming” to that piece? You can then roll that piece
to make it uniform in thickness and longer. I think Reactive Metals
sells Mokume billets. Steve Walker has used this technique
beautifully in some of his “category killer” work.
Mitch Adams