Damascus is beautiful but what are it's other properties?

bladeprince

bladeprince

Joined
Jun 12, 2006
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What is the usual Rockwell range for Damascus steel? Is it considered a stainless? Hold a good, sharp edge? What other "common" steel(s) is it similiar to? Are there different qualities of Damascus and if so, how does one tell what one is getting? The ads just say "Damascus". A lot of questions. Any input appreciated.

Thank you
 
As I understand very skilled bladesmith will be able to make it as good as to monosteel but usually it combines worse properties of its components. It is just an imitation of old damascus pattern which came on old blades for different reason and shows real bladsmith work, real control over carbon content.

I actually do not think that it is beautifull at all. Check wootz or bulat - this blades are really beautiful,

knife-74-06.jpg


but damascus - not my style, too simple, too coarse...

This beauty anyway is result of etching, and pretty delicate etching which is hard to make at home, so really this beauty is hard to maintain - until you do not use it at all.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
bladeprince said:
Thank you Vassili.

I just found this link. Mcusta uses Damascus. I pretty good description at the bottom.
http://www.japaneseknifedirect.com/McustaMC-62DNewFixedBladeSeriesCocobolo.html
Click to expand...

Mcusta uses Suminogashi which is laminated blade with VG10 (I think) in core - edge layer and "damascus" on sides. So you have beauty of damascus and real good monosteel in the core which actually do cutting etc. In general it is VG10.

I prefer Suminogashi with Shirogami core - Kanetsune has some models with it.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
More thanks, Vassili. Their Matagi hunters look quite nice. Very unique sheaths. I'm considering the Mcusta katana folder in their VG-10 San Mai. I've heard good things about this brand and thought I'd try out my first layered steel. Much better than the Cold Steel San Mai offering. Any thoughts?

http://www.japaneseknifedirect.com/Page14.html
 
Damascus is not a steel but a process applied to steels. You can make damascus from any two or more metals. Which ones you choose will determine how they perform and what properties they have.
 
Suminogashi ? You're describing the Shun kitchen knives which are sold under a number of brands .They are excellent and look very nice though I would call that laminated [san mai , if you like ] rather than damascus.
 
mete said:
Suminogashi ? You're describing the Shun kitchen knives which are sold under a number of brands .They are excellent and look very nice though I would call that laminated [san mai , if you like ] rather than damascus.
Click to expand...

No I am describing Suminogashi which is laminated steel (waricomi may be or clad, but not san mai - which is another marketing creation of Cold Steel and I don't like this term) with monosteel code and damascus sides.

Check www.dick.biz if you need more info on this type of blades. They actually selling suminogashi blanks - pretty inexpensive.

Thanks, Vassili
 
Knife Outlet said:
Damascus is not a steel but a process applied to steels.
Click to expand...

Pattern or modern layer damascus are several layers of steel and/or other metals forge welded together. However wootz damascus refers to a particular type of steel. Pattern damascus uses different metals to induce patterns which were inherent in wootz damascus due to the alloy content and carbide segregation.

-Cliff
 
Cliff Stamp said:
Pattern or modern layer damascus are several layers of steel and/or other metals forge welded together. However wootz damascus refers to a particular type of steel. Pattern damascus uses different metals to induce patterns which were inherent in wootz damascus due to the alloy content and carbide segregation.

-Cliff
Click to expand...

In old times they also has layered steel which was not wootz. As I understand katanas was made out of many layers of tamohagane - best parts of steel made by Tatar method. But it was made not from different steels or metals, but same. during forging surface gain (or lose) caron so in result similar zebra pattern appear on the blade surface.

Origin of this pattern was manipulation of carbon content by mastersmith which make one or other part of the blade with more or less carbon, depends on what is function of this part of blade.

At lease this is how I understand what is real damascus. I am not sure, but it may very well be that woots

ingold01.jpg


ingold02.jpg


was common just source for high carbon steel which was processed by different bladesmith differently, with or without layering.

Now making damascus from different steel is just an imitation of that pattern and is result most likely of experiments which Wilkinson did late XIX attempting to resolve secret of Eastedn blades.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
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