Damascus question

jfindon

jfindon

Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Messages
967
I have a couple Kershaw knives that are damascus but they're totally smooth and just look like etched steel. I see that Grimsmo knives seem to have some depth and texture to their damascus which is what I always think of damascus steel, what is this called and what's the difference?

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Example above, it clearly looks like there is texture there.
 
Just a different pattern. Every Kershaw I have seen with Damascus is "Alabama damascus.". Check out their website. That grimsmo is sweet.
 
All the Damascus that I have has some texture and depth. Damasteel seems to have less texture and smoother but you can still feel the pattern.
 
The longer the soak in enchant, the deeper the etch in the softer (darker) of the two steels used to make the damascus will be.
I could be wrong as I have no idea how they make their knives, but I'm pretty sure that is how the Grimsmo got the deep pattern.
 
Yep the topography is often called.... topography. The longer the etch (multiples of 30mins or so is more effective than a single etch) the deeper the topography. Same with the stainless damascus like Damasteel or those by Devin Thomas. I've also found fresher etchant works better with the stainless. This stainless Damascus by Devin actually felt like lizard skin.

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This high carbon had quite a bit of depth to it. Again by Devin.

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This Damasteel had some depth too.

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High carbon from Alabama. This one had lots of depth.

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The etching can be over done, too deep. This can cause drag when cutting, making a blade less effective. Etching can be really over done too. Ask me about the blade I forgot about for a couple of days while etching it. It'd been gnawed on pretty darn bad when I remembered it!
 
It all depends on how long the steel is left in the etchant. Whenever my Damascus knives start to fade, I just retch them. I have re-etched a Kershaw Damascus knife before. They are real pattern welded steel. It is not fake.
 
Thought this might be of interest to some. Damascus after post heat treat grinding and before etching. The customer had asked me to make one of my standard models bigger. So the Tapadero on top and the Tapadero Grande on bottom. The Tapadero still has some gunk on it. They will be wiped down with alcohol prior to etching.

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After a 40 minute soak in ferric chloride, then dried and rinsed in hot water, sanded with 2000 grit wet and dry, the acid neutralized with Windex (original formula with ammonia, ammonia is the base that does the neutralizing of the acid). The blades are then dried and oiled and are ready for bolsters and handles. Nickel silver bolsters and an elk handle going on this one.

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stainless spirograph kc gray.jpg KC Gray super slim spriograph G10 kc gray.jpg This is a nice "stainless Damascus" that I've recently purchased. It is a "super-slim Spirograph/G10 by the maker...KC Gray. It has a very slim handle in G10 and a slicing blade of only 0.075" spine thickness. The blade has a nice pattern and the etching can be felt easily.
I am approaching total ignorance of this "stainless Damascus."
 
Howdy Don Sonnydaze Sonnydaze . Devin Thomas makes that stainless dammy. I've used it a couple of times. Here in the top knife in this pic.

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I've got a little itty bitty guy I'm working on right now out of that steel, maybe 4"oal.

You will like that knife of yours. It'll be a cutter especially as thin as that one is. Nice knife my friend!
 
Thanks, Dave, for the info on my Devin Thomas knife. Those pics of yours show what beautiful craftsmanship that you consistently turn out...
Don
 
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