Does anyone use their damascus knives?

not2sharp

not2sharp

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Jun 29, 1999
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If you do use them, please tell us how well the finish holds up and whether you have experienced any delamination or corrosion problem with these blades. I am especially curious about how well a pattern welded blade will hold up under heavy use as a camp knife/chopper.

This question was originally raised on this tread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...e-Cheap-eBay-Damascus-Knives-What-s-The-Story

Please post plenty of pictures.

n2s
 
gga357 said:
Yes, SS and carbon. They hold up very well.
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Would the user periodically need to re-etch the metal to bring up the design? I know that we often find many traditional Philippines kris or parang where the metal has been deeply etched away over long periods of time.

n2s
 
I've used my Damascus Skyline a bit (uses Alabama Damascus). The etching has gotten a bit lighter, but it is still clearly visible. I haven't had corrosion issues, but I do make it a habit to wipe off the blade after use. My uses are more urban EDC (light and medium duty) though, not as a heavy use camp knife.
 
I doesn't seem like many people are chiming in here. Perhaps the assumption that very few actually use damascus knives is true.

n2s
 
I don't do anything special. Just wipe them down after use. My wife doesn't even do that most of the time. She has a very small fixed blade in her night stand that she uses to cut various items including oranges. May be the acid in the oranges keeps a good etch on the blade.
 
not2sharp said:
I doesn't seem like many people are chiming in here. Perhaps the assumption that very few actually use damascus knives is true.

n2s
Click to expand...

You must realize that there are for more people without damascus knives, than those with them. Certainly if I owned a damascus knife, I would use it. However, I have yet to find a knife design that I like, using damascus.
 
I did in the past (no damascus in the collection currently). I used to have 2 of these Mcusta MC-13D folders in Ebony - one was a safe queen (pictured), but the other one I carried and used for about a year. It held up really well and the edge was easy to touch up. Not sure why I didn't keep one!

 
I use a SS DT damascus blade all the time. It behaves much like a high end stainless steel should.
 
Hmm. I use my Shun 6" utility for much of my cooking. Just rinse it off, wipe it down. Finish hasn't changed in the 6 months I've had it.
 
I only have one damascus steel knife and it is one of the custom Buck 110's (probably Alabama damascus). I believe it's custom or at least a special edition from around 1990. It was pretty pricey for a 110 back then. Bought at a gunshow. Generally speaking, I have too many knives to worry about using damascus, but if I wanted to, I'd use one.
 
Different types of damascus, of course, give different results, as far as corrosion. I have a couple of the Shun knives with stainless damascus over a VG-10 core. Those show no patina or corrosion. I also have an old A. G. Russell lockback folder that has what looks like Alabama damascus on the outside of a 440C or AUS-8 core. No corrosion on that one, either, and I've not treated it in the 18+ years I've had it. I once had a forged ladder pattern damascus folder that would rust if you looked at it funny. Had to keep it oiled 24-7.

I would imagine any damascus knife, if forged correctly should not have any structural issues. In all my years here, I've NEVER heard of a knife delaminating.
 
Carbon steel after about 3-4 years of light usage. No special treatment.
20140925_231337_zpsfrdrctq2.jpg
 
Got this real damascus knife from a friend who bought it on Evil Bay for a fart and 3 shillings, and it holds up just fine when used for chopping various types of green wood as well as hard & dried wood (last pics)
The steel sharpens up easily to a crisp & armhair shaving edge.












Specs:

Overall length: 13.2 inch (33,5 cm)
Blade length: +/- 7.9 inch (about 20 cm)
Blade thickness: max 5.0 mm
Steel: carbon steel damascus from unknown steel types
Handle material: black wood (?) with brass bolsters
Sheath: Black leather
 
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yes, Stretch in VG 10 Damascus and Skyline in Alabama Damascus. They are super light use though as are most of my knives.
 
My EDC is a folder from Alan Davis, and it is bladed with Alabama Damascus. I have carried it everyday for around 9 months now, and other than wiping it off with my hand or on my pants after use, it gets no special care, and looks like it's brand new. It also keeps a great edge, only have hit it on the strop a few time in all the time I've owned it.
 
I think this is one of my oldest damascus blades - I'm pretty sure I've had it at least 15 yrs, though I want to say longer. I used it regularly for a while, then put it away for a few years...then started using it again, then forgot about it for a while. I guess I'd have to classify the use as "light", and it still looks pretty much like new (IMO).
The only thing I've ever done to it was clean it up once after a few years of storage (the pins and guard turned green)

 
I have a kitchen knife and the Skyline both in Damascus and use them daily.
The finish on both is a little lighter than when new.
The skyline formed some slight discoloration after I cut through a Tri-tip that I smoked. The rub I used had a lot of spices and I didn't clean the knife right away. Totally my fault.
Both still look great in my opinion.
 
My girlfriend has been using the heck out of this Shun Chinese Cleaver - every weekend for 3 years now, and you can't even tell it's been used:



Good Job on this one, KAI!
 
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