Damascus

gull wing

gull wing

Joined
May 4, 2002
Messages
2,536
How do they perform in everyday use?
Are they for looking at only, collecting?

Looking at a Sebenza???
 
Good damascus is good, bad damascus is bad.

I have no doubt the damascus used for a Sebenza is excellent knife steel. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
I have a small Sebenza with a Devin Thomas ladder damascus blade. I use it for everything and it holds up pretty well. It performs about like a 440c blade or maybe a little better.
 
There are practically as many damascus varieties as there are non-damascus.
Modern "damascus" steel is when 2 or more steel's are folded together to create the visible pattern.
So..depends on which were used. There are cheap, poorly heat treated (albeit pretty) types..and there are very high performance ones.

If you are particularly interested in a damascus CRK, you might inquire in the CRK subforum.
I think Reeve has used Chad Nichols before, and that's some definite quality damascus.
 
I'm not an expert, but, I believe the layers cause the knife (or should) to have a subtle saw-like quality which aids (theoretically) in cutting for the entire width of the blade.
 
Dammy can be great and it can be cheap imported junk. Good dammy, made into a good knife, heat treated well, will cut and cut and cut. I have made many dammy knives for professionals that use their knives hard on a daily basis: guides, outfitters, trappers, meat cutters and working cowboys. It'll get the job done. My own personal edc is dammy. Besides being a knife maker we run a small ranch too. Mine will open the mail, a feed sack or hay bale, cut a calf, open a box of supplies, cut a piece of leather. Just all kinds of jobs, never found it wanting. Plus its just cool.
 
As I understand it (could well be wrong), the layers are not perfectly flush with each other and as you cut/slice, the ridges cause a saw like effect with each one being a small edge. Maybe just with pattern welding, but I have felt it by running my finger up the side of some "Damascus" blades.
 
katanas said:
As I understand it (could well be wrong), the layers are not perfectly flush with each other and as you cut/slice, the ridges cause a saw like effect with each one being a small edge. Maybe just with pattern welding, but I have felt it by running my finger up the side of some "Damascus" blades.
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Honestly I dont think that is correct. Damascus (or in modern cases pattern welded steel) does have layers and many times those layers can be felt. But with that said I dont think they act as a saw to aid in cutting. If anything the etch that is done to give the pattern its visual contrast can impede cutting performance by creating drag when cutting various materials. The only cutting being done is being done at the edge where the knife is actually sharpened. The welds themselves should be seemless with no gaps as it would cause delaminations during use. If cutting performance of damascus was a primary concern over beauty it would most likely be polished rather than etched so as to reduce drag and resistance. As I understand it the primary focus of damascus originally was to to have greater flexibility and durability while still having decent edge retention when compared to wrought iron. But really given what we can do with plain high carbon, tool steels and modern stainless steels these days I think the primary purpose of damascus like steel today is beauty while still being a usable blade material. No matter what its a compromise. This is why I like san mai varieties as that has a core metal that comprises the cutting edge while still providing the beauty of damascus. Just my thoughts.
 
Some combinations of steel could make a toothy edge simply because they wear at different rates and in different ways as you sharpen and cut. I wouldn't count on this effect unless the maker has specifically chosen the steels and pattern to do it.

Modern damascus is nothing more than multiple steels layered. They mostly retain the elements they are alloyed out of in their own layers, with the exception of carbon. If you you use 50/50 O1 and L6, the .94% and .7% carbon of each are going to diffuse into each other, so you end up with .82% O1 and .82% L6, which is going to make the finished product a little different than either one. That said, the combination may perform better for knives than either on its own. Hard to say.

The combination I don't get is when smiths use 203E, which is a bright nickel layer. But it has almost no carbon, so if they used much of it you end up with fairly low carbon steel overall.
 
The only Damascus blade I have experience with is on my Skyline (Alabama Damascus). For my EDC uses, it worked well (at least as well as the standard 14C28N). The etching pattern did fade somewhat with use (same as on my composite-blade knives), but a short dunk in some vinegar (followed by a thorough freshwater rinse) restored the contrast.
 
flarp said:
The only Damascus blade I have experience with is on my Skyline (Alabama Damascus). For my EDC uses, it worked well (at least as well as the standard 14C28N). The etching pattern did fade somewhat with use (same as on my composite-blade knives), but a short dunk in some vinegar (followed by a thorough freshwater rinse) restored the contrast.
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I really like my A.D. Skyline as well. The factory etch seems to prevent corrosion pretty well while looking and cutting well. :thumbup:


A.D. sells finished blanks for pretty cheap to put a handle on. I'm impressed enough with the Skyline to consider it.
 
Quick Question:

Is Damascus (good, real Dammy) ok for food prep? I don't think I saw that mentioned in this thread, so thought I would ask. Also, is the fake stuff safe for food prep?

thanks in advance! have an Mcusta I want to use for apples and cheese.. but don't want to get sick , or my skin (and/or liver) starting to look like Damascus! ;-)
 


1095/15n20 random pattern. It will do everything that 1095 will do. I would be confident carrying these in Iraq if I were to deploy today.
 
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