Fake damascus?

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DNin

Joined
Jul 13, 2022
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Hello, firstly I apologize if this is not the right category to be asking such questions. Secondly, I read the forum's rules and found nothing ruling against this type of post, so once again apologies if I didn't read right.

To the actual questions at hand, I bought a very expensive knife for my father. It was advertised as real Damascus steel but once it arrived I took a look at it and there are chips on the blade's pattern on the tip. I'm a little embarrassed, it costed 400usd.
I know nothing about knives and read only superficially about this type of steel. I thought I knew enough and the photos of the blade didn't present any nicks or chips.

Here are the pictures:
https://imgur.com/a/yx1a2sr

I did some research but am still unsure and don't know where else to get an opinion.
Does this seem fake to you experts? Thank you in advance, cheers.
 
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First, welcome to Bladeforums.

Second, I want to applaud you for reading the rules before starting a thread. Not every new member does that.

Third, there's nothing wrong with your post, and you came to the right (best) place on the internet for knife info.

Now, in regards to your knife, my first thought is- Can you return it for a refund? If you can, do so.

Other questions, what is the brand/maker? And where did you buy it from? The answers to those questions can speak volumes.

I'm no expert on Damascus, but I believe what you are experiencing is called "delamination". This is where the layers of steel separate. It can happen on real Damascus that was not well made.

Whatever the case may be, again, I suggest you return it and get a refund ASAP, if you can.

And don't be too embarrassed. I think we've all made some knife-buying mistakes in our lives.
 
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https://imgur.com/a/tsCAoqP

I took some more pictures, unfortunately the camera doesn't seem to allow better quality than this, apologies.

I might be able to return it (hopefully) but it's a shame as it was supposed to be a birthday present and his birthday is gonna be in a few days.
I bought it from a Slovakian seller on Etsy. In comparison to the other sellers he seemed to make good quality items that weren't just for decoration or to look good. I've read on another thread on this forum that one shouldn't buy knifes from Etsy, but alas, I had already received it.
I'm not sure if I can share links to Etsy but the name of the store is "MichaLForge".
 
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Probably made in Pakistan, from where we see lots of cheap Dam. If you paid less than 100 bucks, just consider it a valuable learning experience and, if he doesn't give a refund, move on. My opinion.
 
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I put Etsy in the same category as Ebay and Amazon when it comes to knives- lots of overpriced, cheap junk that looks good, but is destined to disappoint.

That's not to say that every knife sold on those sites is as I described, but it's a good bet. Especially any described as "custom", "hand made" or "Damascus".

I don't know how knowledgeable you are about knives DNin, but my advice, in the future, when you're looking to buy a knife for any reason, start a thread here and ask for recommendations. There is a vast wealth of knife knowledge and experience here, and the members will be happy to make recommendations in any price range you ask about. I don't believe I've ever seen the members here give a bad recommendation, and if it's ever happened, it's very rare.

There might still be time to get your father a very nice knife in time for his birthday.
 
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Oddly, you almost cannot make a "fake" damascus steel. A few years ago, I did see an example or two at a gun show that were. One was a steel blade lightly etched by a laser that gave the impression of layers (a better laser would have pulled it off) and the other was a low layer count faked by an acid etch. What is the industry standard used to define "Damascus" steel. I think the layered steel knives should be labeled damascus style (lower caps) since it can be just about any amount of layers, any selection of materials, and any heat treatment.

Damascus is not a standard and that is a problem. I agree that the example you have is probably made in a factory, but it is my understanding that a great deal of damascus style steel is now made in China, not just somewhere in the Middle East. At our local gun show there was a knife supply seller that had cut blanks (add handle, sharpen and make a sheath) made in China, and had blanks of bar stock made in China. Looked pretty good, actually. Check this out:


Read through the examples if you want. You can see that damascus style steel is anything BUT rare. And is it a rare combination of '72 golf cart rim and and old truck spring? Maybe a blending of cast off construction material and recycled manufacturing products? Was it forge welded at the proper heat for the selected materials? How was it heat treated? How many layers of steel are there (remember, there is NO standard). Are the materials dissimilar enough that they require different heat treats to achieve a good quality end product?

Unless you buy from a know knife maker that makes billets, or purchase from a manufacturer you know you can trust, damascus style could be a real disaster. Without knowing who made the billet used or the knife maker, I would do what was needed to get my money back.
 
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Don't be so hasty to condemn what you don't know....not every unknown knife is made in Pakistan, and there is nothing about this knife that says Pakistan. From the low quality pictures its hard to say if there is actually anything at all wrong with it. The blade looks ok from what can be seen. It seems to be SanMai type contruction, a layer of steel sandwiched between two layers of softer damascus. The handle looks to be Turkish walnut.
There are many makers all over the world we have never heard of, how do you know that this is not one of the good ones? I see plenty of people post pictures of knives on this forum that cost far more the $400, many of which are not worth anywhere near that.....whats the difference? I took a look at some of his past work, and there are members here would be drooling over some of it even at the $2-400 prices....
 
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I concur with Arathol. Nothing screams mystery Paki Damascus. The good news is the buyer accepts returns. Etsy is a mine field when it comes to " Custom" knives.Most knives are handmade, just not made in a First World country. Price is usually an indication of quality. Reviews are questionable, as most people are happy with a knife that looks good. I have purchased knives from makers in the USA, Russia, Brazil and the Czech Republic. I have been satisfied the the knives I have received, but I pass on anything I think is questionable, which eliminates 95% of " Handmade" knives on Etsy. Request a refund, if the maker denies your request, open a case with Etsy. Good luck.
 
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OP - Is it this one?
There are clear pictures in the add. It looks like the "Chip" at the tip is in one of the pictures...

"Buchcraft knife, Hunting knife, Wild life knife, Survival knife, Hand Forged, Damascus knife, Damascus DLC knife, Finnish knife" ​

 
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irsh said:
OP - Is it this one?
There are clear pictures in the add. It looks like the "Chip" at the tip is in one of the pictures...

"Buchcraft knife, Hunting knife, Wild life knife, Survival knife, Hand Forged, Damascus knife, Damascus DLC knife, Finnish knife" ​

Click to expand...
If you mean this -
LiWXRAP.png


It looks more like the finish on the blade got polished off and a bit of bright metal is exposed.
 
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It doesn't look like pakimascus to me. In fact, if I were a gambling man, I'd wager he kicked the tip while sharpening. Sanding/grinding will remove the etch and the pattern won't be as visible.
 
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