can you laminate a good cutting steel between damascus steel?

sogflash

sogflash

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Aug 28, 2011
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Please ignore my ignorance.

From my understanding damascus steel is when you fold two types of steel a lot of times to create a pattern.

I do enjoy the looks of damascus steel when paired with a beautiful handle, but would much rather have a steel more purpose built (for cutting) for the edge.

Can a good blade steel be laminated between two pieces of damascus steel? Off course it can, but would it work like other laminated blades, just looking more beautiful?

Is it wrong of me to assume that damascus steel wont perform as good as some other blade steels? I might end up being so careful with a damascus blade that I wouldn't notice a lack of good edge properties.

If this just sound stupid to those of you who has the knowledge, I hope it at least gave you a good laugh :)
 
Well you can use 1084 and something like 15n20, they etch well and with the right heat treat can perform well.
 
sogflash said:
Please ignore my ignorance.

From my understanding damascus steel is when you fold two types of steel a lot of times to create a pattern.

I do enjoy the looks of damascus steel when paired with a beautiful handle, but would much rather have a steel more purpose built (for cutting) for the edge.

Can a good blade steel be laminated between two pieces of damascus steel? Off course it can, but would it work like other laminated blades, just looking more beautiful?

Is it wrong of me to assume that damascus steel wont perform as good as some other blade steels? I might end up being so careful with a damascus blade that I wouldn't notice a lack of good edge properties.

If this just sound stupid to those of you who has the knowledge, I hope it at least gave you a good laugh :)
Click to expand...

Yes to all your questions
 
Yes, it is done all the time.

It is commonly called san-mai, but the proper name for it is sumiagashi. The normal types are:
1) Stainless layered sides with a hard stainless core. The " stainless san-mai" with VG-10 core from Japan is what most knife companies use for this. It is available to the knifemaker from several suppliers in Europe. As far as I know, Hitachi won't ship it to the USA.
2) Carbon damascus steel over a high carbon low alloy core. 1080 and 15N20 sides over a core of W2, 52100, 1095, or Hitachi Aogami/shirogami is common. I like to do this with left and right twist pattern side layers.
3) Layered non-hardening sides, like iron/nickel, or 203E/1050 over a core of hardenable steel ( 1095, W2, 52100, etc.)
 
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Properly-made damascus using quality alloys to begin with has very good cutting properties and strength, and doesn't need a core piece.

Production knives sometimes use layered steel made with alloys that don't harden very well to clad a core with good edge-holding properties. This gives good performance and the look of damascus while keeping costs down somewhat. Perhaps that's what you're thinking of.
 
There is no need to 'be careful' with damascus either. If it gets scratched and the pattern worn away it is easy to re-etch. And as stated by James and Stacy already, properly made pattern welded steel, say 1095 w/ 15n20, is every bit the performer either is alone in a homogeneous bar.
 
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