Any Special Care needed for Damascus?

[a223cat]

boy, where is the smilie eating popcorn when you need him?

I certainly didnt think I would start this mess when I posted. I am sorry all for buying damascus! It isnt worth it if it makes us all fight!

I have since oiled my damascus blade and wonder of wonders it doesnt shed oxidation after the first time I wiped it! It is now oiled so no, or little oxidation appears!

I can wipe the oil on it and then off of it and not get any more of that pesky carbon like oxidation!

Does this mean I have cleaned out all the carbon? good thing, huh?

As always; Thanks to the members who understand the issue. I learned a lot.

Popcorn anyone?

 

[hardheart]

All I wanna know is how much oil do I need to rub on damascus to turn the carbon into diamonds. I'll be a millionaire.

EDIT, a quick trip to physicsforums

Steel is a metal alloy and as such doesn't have 'molecules', but rather grains of metal (mostly Fe) with additions of Ni, Cr, C, . . . . Atoms of some of the other elements (mostly metals) replace Fe atoms to form solid solution, while others (like C) are interstitional, and in some alloys there are intermetallic phases with definite stoichiometry.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bystander
And, the other thing when oiling metals --- oil has a lower surface tension than most metals (wets the surface), and loosely bound oxides are easily dislodged --- finely divided metal oxides in oil? Black.

Good point. The acid-etching that brings out the damascus patterns may leave residues that can be neutralized (but not removed) by a water-based buffering solution, then the oil floats them free when combined with a bit of gentle rubbing.

 

[sog]

There are no molecules in steel, and oil isn't going to break down any of the metallic bonds. Modern pattern damascus is made for cosmetic purposes. Some of it is highly corrosion resistant some of it is not. A 1095/L6 blend is going to rust very easily as both of those steels have little corrosion resistance. You can effect the surface finish in many ways but you can just polish it clean and etch it again if the pattern gets really distorted through scratches or heavily localized corrosion. Just maintain it as you would a regular blade which had a decorative finish of some sort if the cosmetic effect is of importance to you.

-Cliff

Out of context??? Right there it is before the comma. It can stand on its own. Do I have to have an English Professor examine it to prove I am not taking that out of context?

Come on, you never said anything before when you were defending it. Now I bring in the experts and...

This is useless to defend what I say because no matter what I can never win period.

I conceded before of a mistake I made. I will continue to do so if I discover I made a mistake. But if I find it impossible to get any concession. Than this is pointless!

 

[sog]

Addendum to my last post:

Amazing how it has morphed from "molecules in steel" to "molecules of steel".

I understand that there isn't a molecule of steel. But the experts have shown that there are molecules in steel.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Yes, you are taking it out of context because you don't understand the background and won't even take the time to read it when it was provided. When I said there were no molecules in steel I meant that steel, refering to the structure, wasn't a molecular one. There is no such thing as a molecule of steel.

This is for example is why mete (metallurgist) repeated over and over on SwordForums when ever people talked about molecules of steel that steel doesn't have molecules. He was again speaking of the structure as a whole. Why don't you go there and tell him that an "expert" disagrees with him and check his responce as well as the responce from makers like Cashen about how oil can induce pattern damascus to delaminate.

Now on a sort of ironic note, corrosion can be described by a series of chemical reactions which involve molecules which are formed from the steel as the iron is oxidized. This means the iron is torn free of the metallic bonds which hold it in the crustal structure and it forms molecular compounds. This is actually what is prevented by oil. Now if you wanted to you could say there are molecules of steel because all steel knives have some amount of surface corrosion which can be described in a molecular fashion. However suggest this again to anyone who is so educated and it will not convince them of anything except for the fact that you are trying to be funny if they are being generous.

-Cliff

 

[GibsonFan]

Can you prove oil doesn't degrade steel?

You prove it, Mr. Mechanic. Run one of your customer's motorcycles without oil and let us know how well the plating or the pistons themselves hold up. That seems about par for your standard of research.

This thread is about a damascus with nickel layered on.

No it's not.

have a new knife. first damascus for me. Tommy Gann made steel. 1095 and nickle.

It's about damascus made with nickle as one of the materials or layers, or as a major component thereof. Not layered or plated on the outside. That would just be silly.

Sorry boys, I know I'm a bit late but I just had to say that. Pass the popcorn and beer, eh?

By the way, where are 30 year's worth of very angry damascus owners who've had their knives just peel apart from being oiled?

And more importantly, how does one complain to the bosses about a troll?

 

[Doug C]

223cat,
Best advice you got in this thread is below:

Oil the steel as you would any carbon steel. Paste wax the ivory, and don't subject it to extreme temperature changes.
Bill

I find Bill's posts to be as informative and concise as anyone's. :thumbup:
Sorry if my first post took your thread off topic. :foot:
Very nice Damascus folder!

Doug

 

[Kevin Jones]

I use camellia oil on my damascus blades and ivory (coat ivory about every six months) as it protects and leaves a nice sheen on blades, however not too glossy. The japanese have been using this oil for hundreds of years.
Blade Gallery has it.