Damascus vs normal steel

[Charlie Mike]

Which is stronger? I haven't owned any damascus blades. How do the stack up to modern steels?

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

With today's modern metullurgy pattern welded damascus is purely for appearances sake. Wootz (true damascus) has some pronounced differences in performance, but that's a whole other story.

 

[p_mcmanis]

With today's modern metullurgy pattern welded damascus is purely for appearances sake. Wootz (true damascus) has some pronounced differences in performance, but that's a whole other story.

You dont get any advantages from having softer steel ala a laminated blade?

And surely it depends on what metals are going into the welded damascus.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

You dont get any advantages from having softer steel ala a laminated blade?

And surely it depends on what metals are going into the welded damascus.

Not particularly so, since you're not guaranteed to have the harder steel as your cutting edge. A simple three-layer laminate would be better. And that's only if you use different kinds of steel in the mix rather than simply pattern welding the same stuff back on itself repeatedly, in which case it's the exact same steel but just prettier in appearance. Yes it does depend on the steels being used, but the fact that it's damascus has nothing to do with it.

 

[Charlie Mike]

What about Warren Thomas knives?

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Warren Thomas specializes in carbon fiber laminates over titanium blade cores. Real light, for sure, but not the highest overall cutting performance. And it's not damascus at all.

 

[3Guardsmen]

What about Warren Thomas knives?

Perhaps you mean Devin Thomas's steel?

Regards,
3G

 

[Charlie Mike]

Well as laminates were mentioned, I thought I'd also hit on WT.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Titanium doesn't hold an edge so well compared to steel, but when you're going for the ultimate in featherweight knives then his work fit the bill.

 

[beluga]

The reason why the Japanese sword makers folded their steel in the first place is because their steel is not very pure, not very suitable for blade steel. They folded it to remove its impurities. With todays' technology, I don't think regular blade steel's performance (D2, 5160, 52100, etc.) is less than of those of the damascus.

Which is stronger ? I guess it depends on who makes the steels, who does the heat treatments, and what the damascus consists of.