Damascus grain/fold direction

I

ICutMyselfToday

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Dec 2, 2020
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Does fold direction/grain matter relative to the edge?

I know very little about Damascus knives. So I bought one on eBay (and since another) for kitchen use. I don't particularly like it, and it came with a leather sheath so I don't think it was intended for the kitchen. Fortunately my daughter does like it - and she especially likes the sheath.
The Damascus grain/fold direction is not along the length, but angled across the blade. This seems counter intuitive to me as I thought the ideal was to have the cutting steel at on layer.

What is the reason to run the grain this way in a knife?

upload_2020-12-3_8-37-59.png
 
To me I would rather have alignment like shown in the picture. As each layer crosses the edge, it gives it a serrated affect on your cutting edge.
 
ICutMyselfToday said:
Does fold direction/grain matter relative to the edge?

I know very little about Damascus knives. So I bought one on eBay (and since another) for kitchen use. I don't particularly like it, and it came with a leather sheath so I don't think it was intended for the kitchen. Fortunately my daughter does like it - and she especially likes the sheath.
The Damascus grain/fold direction is not along the length, but angled across the blade. This seems counter intuitive to me as I thought the ideal was to have the cutting steel at on layer.

What is the reason to run the grain this way in a knife?

View attachment 1466354
Click to expand...


You are confusing grain with pattern. In the knife world grain is thought of more as grains of sand packed together not necessarily like wood grain with long orientation strands, in most cases. What you see are two dissimilar metals that react at different rates to an etching process, thus showing a pattern.

argel55 said:
To me I would rather have alignment like shown in the picture. As each layer crosses the edge, it gives it a serrated affect on your cutting edge.
Click to expand...

No, no it doesn’t. Once sharpened the cutting edge is uniform.
 
3fifty7 said:
You are confusing grain with pattern.
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I am not sure of the knife world terms. I'll use pattern, but I *think* this is a folded steel knife, not a pattern added after the fact other than some fluid using to make the different fold pattern stand out. I have held patterned etched steel and ceramic, and this seems to be layers of steel. How would I know?
If that is the case it is reveling the folds were not parallel to the edge - Why? If it is just a pattern added later, the point of this thread is moot.

3fifty7 said:
... What you see are two dissimilar metals that react at different rates to an etching process, thus showing a pattern.
Click to expand...
Why etch a folded steel knife other than art? / OR to make it look like a folded steel knife.

Since my OP I read that Damascus was/is a steel and the term is used for folded steel often incorrectly. That it was done to remove impurities. Now it is done for appearance.
 
There are tons of decent YouTube videos explaining the process of making modern Damascus/pattern welded/folded steel.
When the steel is forged and ground to shape appears homogeneous, like the sharpened cutting edge. One of the last steps is the etching process.
Generally one of the steels used has a high nickel content which resists the etching more so than the other steel used giving slight topographical changes and providing visual contrast, especially after polishing the higher layers.
 
I will disagree with you3fifty 7 on the edge. yes once sharpened they will be uniform but using two different metals they will not wear away at the same rate. serration.
 
argel55 said:
I will disagree with you3fifty 7 on the edge. yes once sharpened they will be uniform but using two different metals they will not wear away at the same rate. serration.
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If your knife is wearing away as you use it enough to the point it makes your knife serrated between the dissimilar steels of the damascus, something went horribly wrong in your food prep/cooking operation. The only micro serrations that would exist are from the grit of stone you sharpen it on. Not from the different layers in the damascus
 
argel55 said:
I will disagree with you3fifty 7 on the edge. yes once sharpened they will be uniform but using two different metals they will not wear away at the same rate. serration.
Click to expand...

Sharpening and steeling make it a uniform smooth edge. The etched pattern is on the flats only. Get your magnifier and take a look at the edge of your damascus knives.
 
Some makers do such a deep etch and even after sharpening you can feel the 'micro serrations' exactly where you see them. Also a few makers sharpen, and then etch. The knife posted is fine regarding what your asking. Its a matter of taste I suppose but the layers are still hitting the edge the same way unless the layers are sideways.
 
New to me was that they etch and that explains a lot. Personally - I like the one piece (not folded) steel. I like thinner, and am not so into the etched looks aside from function. This thing is almost cleaver heavy. I read that Japanese blades are too brittle. My Japanese cermic's chip, but I'm not really a metal blade chipper.
 
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