Fake Damascus?

X

xstephenxx

Joined
Dec 20, 2011
Messages
3
Is this a fake damascus?

I have just bought one from Tsuki Knife but the layers of steels are too fade , those pattern in front of the handle, the blade itself is not too sharp and the laminated layers are too smooth that you cant feel the difference when you move your thumb across.
what do you guys think?
Please help.

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That looks like san mai "damascus", similar to what Shun uses on many of their kitchen knives: it's a solid (non-damascus) steel core clad in layers of another steel to give the look of damascus with the cutting performance of whatever the core steel is. In the pics you posted, the lamination line that runs a few millimeters above the edge for the length of the knife is the giveaway. On Shun's kitchen knives, the core steel is VG-10, but it can be made with any steel (and even, by a top-notch damascus forger, with non-steel materials such as Stellite 6K).

As for the layers of steel looking "faded", that's as much a function of whether the blade was acid etched as anything else: you could get a blade that's real (non-san mai) damascus, and it would have that same "faded" look if the maker decided not to acid etch it to bring out the contrast in the pattern more.
 
Thanks for your analysis, I am suspecting the pattern are in all not layered steel but screen painting on the steel because on the 3rd picture the pattern discontinued near the spine. Would I be better with a Stellar Damask or the Ikea one?
 
It looks real to me. VG10 core laminated between 2 sheets of damascus steel.

This could very well be the exact same steels used in USA as Shun and other knives. It is just cheaper because these appear to be a industrial brand and not consumer retail.

To the OP, you don't have to always be able to "feel" the layers of damascus. That really depends on the thickness of the layers, the steel and what the steel-worker wants to show with the steel. Modern knife damascus is made in high-tech industrial processes where the layers are extremely thin.
 
marcinek said:
Not damascus. It might be a very good knife nonetheless, but IKEA isn't selling "real" damascus, and knives cheaper than IKEA's are certainly not "real" damascus.
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What do you mean by real Damascus? There is some Damascus being used here as neuron described above. The Damascus is wrapped around a core of VG-10. These knives are legit. IKEA sells a line of kitchen cutlery with similar material.
 
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Morrow said:
What do you mean by real Damascus? There is some Damascus being used here as neuron described about.. The Damascus is wrapped around a core of VG-10. These knives are legit. IKEA sells a line of kitchen cutlery with similar material.
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Excellent points. And I certainly don't have a great idea of what each individual considers "fake" damascus vs. "real" damascus. Hence the quotes.

Is it a good knife? Like I said before...it may very well be. Is it what person X considers "fake" (or "real") damascus? I dunno.
 
marcinek said:
Excellent points. And I certainly don't have a great idea of what each individual considers "fake" damascus vs. "real" damascus. Hence the quotes.

Is it a good knife? Like I said before...it may very well be. Is it what person X considers "fake" (or "real") damascus? I dunno.
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I would be comfortable saying there isn't anything "fake" about this knife. xstephenxx's concern was if this knife was real damascus or simply a pattern etched on the blade to give a damascus-like appearance. His concern is reasonable given most damascus he's probably seen was etched to really bring out the pattern. Many kitchen knives constructed like this one aren't etched at all. Some are bead blasted which gives the faded look he was concerned with. This knife looks to have been bead blasted which is a cheaper way to finish the knife.
 
neuron said:
That looks like san mai "damascus", similar to what Shun uses on many of their kitchen knives: it's a solid (non-damascus) steel core clad in layers of another steel to give the look of damascus with the cutting performance of whatever the core steel is. In the pics you posted, the lamination line that runs a few millimeters above the edge for the length of the knife is the giveaway. On Shun's kitchen knives, the core steel is VG-10, but it can be made with any steel (and even, by a top-notch damascus forger, with non-steel materials such as Stellite 6K).
Click to expand...

Was going to say, it definitely does look like the metal on my dad's Shun knives.
 
Found these instruction on finishing damascus by Devin Thomas:
Take blade to 400 grit finish (must be a sharp belt)
Do not buff before etching
Hand rubbed finish is also good
Etch in a 50/50 diluted solution of ferric chloride
(available at Radio Shack) and distilled water
Submerse blade in solution for 10 minutes
Remove blade and rinse under running water
Repeat every 5 minutes until desired results are obtained
For a brighter blade, buff and re-etch 1 time
Neutralize with tri sodium phosphate

Would this not bring out the pattern better?
 
neuron said:
That looks like san mai "damascus", similar to what Shun uses on many of their kitchen knives: it's a solid (non-damascus) steel core clad in layers of another steel to give the look of damascus with the cutting performance of whatever the core steel is. In the pics you posted, the lamination line that runs a few millimeters above the edge for the length of the knife is the giveaway.
Click to expand...

^ i agree, it looks like the same type of construction as my shun chef's knife.
 
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