Damascus: Ready made or self-made

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
Messages
4,453
Actually, what's the difference between a piece of damascus that is ready made and one that is made by the maker.
Perhaps the financial consideration may be a factor but as in terms of quality, are the differences startling, minimal or none?

There are numerous knifemakers who prefer to make their own damascus steel. Others would just buy them from good sources.

What compell the involved parties to arrive at their own individual decisions?
 
Although I am not a maker, as a dealer, I think I may be able to provide some input to this. Some considerations and benefits associated with a maker composing their own steel for a piece include (just to name a few):

1) Complete control over materials, quality, workmanship and asthetic composition for a particular purpose when creating a knife.

2) Economies of scale (lower cost)

3) Additional artistic expression by the maker.

4) Additional prestige and/or salability that goes along with the creation of a sole authorship piece
 
On the other side Bob is the lack of shop faciities to produce the damascus in the first place, especially stainless/stainless damascus.
 
Here's the other thing, if I make my own damascus and am just starting out and come up with a cool new pattern and don't write it down I might never be able to reproduce it. With damascus available from guys like Devin Thomas, Mike Norris, and Jerry Rados I can get consistant patterns and consistant quality whenever I want, sometimes without a wait. It migh tbe more expensive but you know what your going to get everytime.
 
What Bob said...
BUT, I am not sure about the "economies of scale" thing. By the time you figure in the labor, materials, gas or coal, and the press or powerhammer or both, you can buy your weight in damascus before breaking even.
Enjoy, ...Ken
 
The differences can be startling, minimal or none, it all depends on how well made the damascus is.

Personally, I think the major reasons that a lot of makers do their own damascus is that it gives them the chance to be more creative. It allows them the control over what goes into the making of the damascus and it gives them more sole authorship of the knife, and as George said, many consider it to be fun.

I have seen great knives made from both ready made and self made damascus.
 
I guess it really depends on the Damascus whether you save money or not.. Thunderforge is 4.00 a linear inch. At that rate, not much to be saved. But, for a really beautiful look, there is some really pricey stuff out there. I have seen some stuff out there that is really nice but it runs over 100.00 a linear inch. At $1200.00 a bar (if you bought a foot) you could do alot of forging

It really all depends on what you are after as a maker. Then there is the fun factor I am sure.


:)
 
I've always wanted to do my own Damascus but haven't gotten to it, hopefully, yet. Reason is desire to have sole authorship of my knives. Reason why not yet: Cost of equipment, noise of hammer,unless I were to use a press. I'm in a suburban neighborhood... Space....

Interesting the number of makers in Dr. Darom's new book who are making Damascus vs those who buy Damascus from top Damascus makers. From Dellana and Van Barnett who both do one of a kind sole authorship
(Dellana is one of the few makers I know of who can still manage to have perfectly manicured nails)
To Barry Gallagher, Steve Schwarzer, Shane Taylor, Johan Gustafsson, and others who do that fantastically artistic mosaic Damascus.
To extremely talented and artistic knifemakers like Jerry Corbit, George Dailey,Tim Herman, Howard Hitchmough, and others who purchase Damascus from extremely talented Damascus makers like Gary House, Damasteel, Robert Eggerling, George Werth, Devin Thomas, Mike Norris ,Jerry Rados, Daryl Meier, and others.
I guess I'm just glad we have the variety of makers with such different ideas of what kind of art they want in their knives, and where they each want to concentrate their artistic talents. :D
 
One other thing to consider here is that if a Smith ever wants to recieve his/her Master smith rating from the ABS You have to be able to make your own Damascus and have it pass the test (cut and bend that is)
Otherwise it is just cool when you figure it out and can make different pieces of metal stick to each other then make a knife from it,kind of intoxicating when you do it and get something cool from your efforts.
If you don't have the big power hammers and presses when you make your own Damascus it can take so long on just one piece that you would have saved money in the long run to buy it .But we are in it for the love and fun not the money(at least that is what I tell myself all the time)
Bruce
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top