Damascus questions

[p.drizzle]

Hi guys,
I've never made Damascus steel but I have 2 questions:
1) can you make Damascus with 3 different steels and get a 3 color pattern? I'm not sure if different steels will etch differently
2) can you skip the etch stage and allow the knife to patina naturally into the Damascus pattern? With blues and yellows like in a carbon steel knife? Or will it just look terrible?
I'd love to see pictures if anyone has them

 

[A.McPherson]

1: yes, but the contrast may not be that high, unless you use something like pure nickel in there too.
2: yes, but you won't get a even etch, and you won't get any depth in your etch at all.
Basically it'll probably look like crap.

When you etch, you're actually removing metal from the surface of the knife. Sure it's a tiny amount, but it makes enough of a difference that when you go back with sandpaper and remove the oxides, the steel that etched more (the darker stuff) is a tiny bit lower than the brighter surface. It's one of the reasons that you get contrast. The other is of course the oxidization process. But they both contribute.

Just my two cents, do what you want. It's your knife after all!!

 

[3fifty7]

1
Depending on the steels used, yes but when using steel without high nickel the variance may be minimal.
2
Yes to some extent but what etching really provides is physical topography where the highs can be polished to great contrast.

 

[Cole2525]

1. Yes. The most common third colour I see is pure nickel sheet incorporated, giving a very thin bright line. Damasteel's Damacore DC18N uses 3 different stainless steels, RWL34 and powder metallurgy 12C27 for the pattern and a high nitrogen stainless like Vanax for the core.
2. Yes but you'll have a much easier time selling it if you give it a strong etch showing bold contrast in the pattern.