Damascus vs Monosteel swords: opinions?

I avoid Damascus in anything larger than 4". I want quality first, solid steel is a better starting point with less risk of failure. Damascus has risk and not really worth it unless your getting a real hand made custom sword from a reputable maker in the $5k+ category.
 
Agreed, for everything that makes a sword functional, mono steel is better in every way.

Damascus just makes swords pretty, it adds nothing to function, just like in knives.
 
Mono steel core/edge and damascus sides/bevels.

Simplest - San-mai mono-steel core and damascus cladding. A simple twist pattern of about 100 layers looks good for the cladding.

Warikomi is one of mu favorites. It takes more work in shaping the sword, but creates a sword very close to Japanese construction.
With 7-layer side cladding it is stunning.

On any san-mai sword or knife, adding a thin sheet of pure nickel between the core and cladding creates a faux-hamon look.
Start about double the desired thickness (e.g. .25" for all three layers) and work/draw the billet heavily with a smooth, rounded, vertical cross peen to create a wandering transition line and lots of activity in the damascus. Work evenly to keep the core centered. Leave the hammered grooves and dings in and grind the billet to shape once the rough forging is done.

For elaborate swords and daggers try mono steel edge pieces welded along the sides of a core billet of reverse twisted damascus bars. You have to do a butterfly weld for the tip once the side bars are welded on the center billet.
 
I don't know what it's like where you live, but here swords are just art pieces. So whatever you think looks better
(mono-steel with a hamon)
 
Alex Topfer said:
I don't know what it's like where you live, but here swords are just art pieces. So whatever you think looks better
(mono-steel with a hamon)
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Lol this. Yeah, I should've been clear I'm not concerned about the practical aspects of whether a sword is made from Damascus or monosteel, I'm just asking about people's aesthetic preferences (with a slight secondary concern of difficulty in forging). As a knifemaker my instinct is always that if I want something to be fancier, do it in Damascus. But when I picture the platonic idea of a sword, it's usually in monosteel, so my instincts are clashing with each other here.

Snacktime said:
I avoid Damascus in anything larger than 4". I want quality first, solid steel is a better starting point with less risk of failure. Damascus has risk and not really worth it unless your getting a real hand made custom sword from a reputable maker in the $5k+ category.
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I largely make kitchen knives but also some swords and big knives. I've made plenty of Damascus blades in 8-12" and never had any trouble with it, though I'll acknowledge a sword is a different animal entirely.
 
Properly made damascus (proper alloy selection/forge welding/heat treating) will be good enough for sword.

So its will come down to aesthetic aspect which I found very fine layered damascus that mimic the looks of Wootz steel is pretty appealing on sword.
 
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