Damascus EDC, the start of a journey: Est. 2017 (w. Dec 2024 update).

[kidcongo]

delete

 

[353]

Basically, I feel if I pay to be a “basic” member, I should be able to share reasonable size photos, straight from my phone, without “gold” or “platinum” level. Especially when so many other services provide free membership and unlimited photos at full res. Anyways.....just my viewpoint. I will look into it again.

Completely agree.

 

[loon#r]

That works but I’ve found the end result varies. Like most, I want people to enjoy the photos to the fullest extent, without having to click on them, open them up, etc.. It’s a great feeling, contributing here.

 

[Tseg]

Bringing back this Damascus thread as there seems to be little discussion about these types of blades. Despite some of my early misgivings about Sebenzas (not a fan of the front hole, so this is my first) nor wood inlays (someone had a bad episode with Spalted Beech), I went out and got myself a Spalted Beech Sebenza that arrived today... and to top it off, got a Damascus blade (which also has a troubled story earlier in this thread). Now my CRK collection is complete (????)! This knife is stinking beautiful in real life. It won't be a safe queen, but also not likely to be my EDC. It is so smooth and fancy feeling vs. my Umnumzaan. Pictures rarely do Damascus blades justice. I'm super happy I got this one. I'm looking forward to seeing how it holds up over time.

 

[kidcongo]

Put this guy back in my pocket today. Last time I carried this knife was on a month long road trip we took up into Canada’s arctic. The knife was my folder for the trip, and paired nicely with my Pacific.

Putting this knife back in pocket brought back a lot of memories. It was a great trip. Glad we got to do it and didn’t plan it for this year. The NWT is not allowing visitors due to their very limited healthcare facilities.

I’m feeling very lucky to be still working. I know that’s not the case for everyone. If you are stuck at home, I hope you are OK and your family and loved ones are taken care of.

Peace all.

 

[kidcongo]

Thought I’d do an update here.

To get everyone up to speed: quite a while ago a hairline crack appeared on my original Devon Thomas blade at the thumb stud. CRK replaced the blade with a Chad Nichols Raindrop blade. The CN blade has a much tighter and more uniform pattern, but the etch is not as deep. CRK re-blasted the slabs when they did the blade swap, so the knife arrived back to me “like new”.

Anyways..........used this knife a LOT over the past couple years. One of my favourite knives to carry. The knife has so many “snail trails” now on the slabs, that they have blended into one another.

I love this knife and have ZERO regrets about putting it in pocket. It’s lightweight, beautiful, sharp, and functional.

Things you might notice are listed below. (NOTE: it is very hard to photograph snail trails and blade scratches and Damascus patterns as you might be aware. A wide angle camera-phone just can’t capture the angles of light your eyes can)

- At a distance, after lots of use, the CN blade mostly appears dull grey. It’s kinda cool, as it matches the colour of the Ti slabs, but it is not as dramatic as it was when the CN blade was new.

- The area around the thumb stud has become shiny, from rubbing with my thumb. This is only apparent at certain angles.

- The pattern still reveals itself, in its full glory, at certain angles. It shows no signs of disappearing entirely.

At a glance it looks like this:

In the right light it looks like this:

Note the “polish” around the thumb stud:

Some other random pics:

 

[Murphjd25]

Love it!

 

[Evany]

I have a lefty PJ Damascus 31 with a single silver thumbstud on order from CRK. It's gonna be awhile before they get around to making it, I'm sure, and I pretty much forgot about it. This thread has reawakened my interest!

 

[pnsxyr]

This is great and enlightening content! Thank you!

I thought that I was going to dislike how it looked after it faded, but I dig it! From a distance, it kind of looks like a light version of a blackwash but with damascus in the background.

 

[Dcdavis]

Really hard to beat a worked Damascus. I’ve got a Pj 31 with gold hardware on order. I’ve got Damascus in wood and micarta but something about the plain with Damascus is hands down my favorite.

When I ordered the Pj above, I had made my mind up before I received it that it was going to be a worker. I got the delivery notification, went to the shop and picked it up at lunch, put it in my pocket and went straight back to work with it. I had read a few of kidcongo posts about working Damascus beforehand.
Now if only CRK would answer my prayers and put an Inkosi/Damascus in production....

 

[pnsxyr]

View attachment 1367561 View attachment 1367562 View attachment 1367563 View attachment 1367564 View attachment 1367566 View attachment 1367567 Really hard to beat a worked Damascus. I’ve got a Pj 31 with gold hardware on order. I’ve got Damascus in wood and micarta but something about the plain with Damascus is hands down my favorite.

When I ordered the Pj above, I had made my mind up before I received it that it was going to be a worker. I got the delivery notification, went to the shop and picked it up at lunch, put it in my pocket and went straight back to work with it. I had read a few of kidcongo posts about working Damascus beforehand.
Now if only CRK would answer my prayers and put an Inkosi/Damascus in production....

The handle and the blade match so well that it looks super sharp...it pairs so well that it looks almost like the blade and handle finishes were matched with the very intent of them complimenting each other as they wear.

My prayer is an Insingo in damascus

 

[Glock Guy]

Great pics, and thanks for the update. Man that looks great!

For those of you that have a Damascus blade AND a regular blade, do you notice ANY difference in the way they cut, or hold an edge?

I'm just wondering if there is a difference in actual felt performance?

 

[Dcdavis]

The handle and the blade match so well that it looks super sharp...it pairs so well that it looks almost like the blade and handle finishes were matched with the very intent of them complimenting each other as they wear.

My prayer is an Insingo in damascus

I could definitely get on board with that

Great pics, and thanks for the update. Man that looks great!

For those of you that have a Damascus blade AND a regular blade, do you notice ANY difference in the way they cut, or hold an edge?

I'm just wondering if there is a difference in actual felt performance?

Just me personally I can’t tell much difference. I don’t think the Damascus is any less in any department tho. I’ve put mine thru the paces and can’t tell much difference. I do rotate often and cutting tasks and usage vary from day to day so it’s hard for me to get a true comparison.
For some reason I think CRK says that the edge retention on the Damascus is less than the S35VN. I could be wrong on that tho

 

[bart1]

If anything my Damascus blades SEEM to stay sharp longer than Bg42/S30-35. I wonder if the layers in the Damascus give the blade a little more aggressive edge than the plain steel?

 

[kidcongo]

If anything my Damascus blades SEEM to stay sharp longer than Bg42/S30-35. I wonder if the layers in the Damascus give the blade a little more aggressive edge than the plain steel?

I agree that the edge holding on the Damascus blades seems a tiny bit better than my older 58HRC-era S35 Sebenzas. The newer, harder S35 Sebenza blades may exceed the Damascus for edge retention.

 

[kidcongo]

L21 Raindrop proved itself to be a badass hard-use folder on my summer camping trip.

Feathersticks, gutting trout, opening cans. This knife does it all with strength and style. Stayed mostly sharp, with no additional loss of the pattern to speak of.

 

[KrisNZ]

kidcongo , great to see expensive knives used tbe way the should be, they cost a bundle, so they should be put to work to start repaying the debt,

 

[kidcongo]

kidcongo , great to see expensive knives used the way they should be, they cost a bundle, so they should be put to work to start repaying the debt,

I totally agree. Well said.

 

[KrisNZ]

I totally agree. Well said.

What did you land the trout on?

 

[kidcongo]

What did you land the trout on?

My daughter caught both those trout, each casting with a worm and a weight. A beautiful mountain lake outside Bella Coola BC called Gray Jay Lake. We fried ‘em up that night.