Better Wear Resistance/Cutter: Damascus or CPM M4?

[Balislinger]

I was reading the vanadium carbide article in the May or June Issue of Blade, and made me wonder about this. I know that Damascus steel generally makes for a better cutter then regular steel because of the layers, and the micro effect those layers have at the edge, but how does it compare with M4 when it comes to wear resistance and just general cutting?

 

[rookie4real]

Is all damascus the same? I think it can also vary from the types of steel that are used to create it. Heat treatment also will play it's role.

 

[Roger999]

I was reading the vanadium carbide article in the May or June Issue of Blade, and made me wonder about this. I know that Damascus steel generally makes for a better cutter then regular steel because of the layers, and the micro effect those layers have at the edge, but how does it compare with M4 when it comes to wear resistance and just general cutting?

Depends on the properties of the damascus and who made it.

 

[knarfeng]

I was reading the vanadium carbide article in the May or June Issue of Blade, and made me wonder about this. I know that Damascus steel generally makes for a better cutter then regular steel because of the layers, and the micro effect those layers have at the edge, but how does it compare with M4 when it comes to wear resistance and just general cutting?

Though the properties of pattern welded damascus will vary depending on just which alloys were welded, I doubt that any pattern welded damascus will have better wear resistance than M4

Here is a study that looked at some pattern welded damascus:
http://damascus.free.fr/f_damas/f_quest/steel.htm

Here is their conclusion:

The samples of modern fabricated Welded Damascus steel (at list, the samples tested by us) do not exceed up-to-day high-carbon and low alloyed steels in combination hardness-toughness and they are considerably inferior to supersteels.​

 

[gunmike1]

My Krein Ultimate Caper in M4 has tremendous edge properties, as it takes really thin edges and gets extremely sharp. The edge retention is excellent as well, much better than S30V and somewhere around ZDP -189 in my usage. I never have used a Damascus blade, but as others have said it would depend on what the Damascus was made from and who made it. I'm a huge M4 guy after having my knife for about a year and a half. It excels at everything but corrosion resistance.

Mike

 

[Balislinger]

Though the properties of pattern welded damascus will vary depending on just which alloys were welded, I doubt that any pattern welded damascus will have better wear resistance than M4

Here is a study that looked at some pattern welded damascus:
http://damascus.free.fr/f_damas/f_quest/steel.htm

Here is their conclusion:

The samples of modern fabricated Welded Damascus steel (at list, the samples tested by us) do not exceed up-to-day high-carbon and low alloyed steels in combination hardness-toughness and they are considerably inferior to supersteels.​

It doesn't look like they tested for wear-resistance or cutting ability, just hardness and toughness