Fake vs real Damascus

[Sosa]

Maybe it's better to drop the d word all together. Most of the stuff coming from the region is garbage anyhow. It's genuine though.

 

[mtangent]

The correct term is pattern welded, as most here know. I think "Damascus" is here to stay, because people are used to it, & marketers like using it.
It's a bit like "Surgical Steel" though, no guarantee of quality.

 

[scubisino]

I have this bushcraft knife from Perkin knife in the UK.. it cost me almost 95 euros. Real Damascus? I prefer to think that..

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[BladeScout]

I have this bushcraft knife from Perkin knife in the UK.. it cost me almost 95 euros. Real Damascus? I prefer to think that..
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The crooks from Perkin sell a lot of shit knives from Pakistan. Perkin 'marketing' is undiluted bs. Often the price for a Perkin 'knife' should be a hint as to who and what we are dealing with (but then again the Böker is also cheap and Böker makes a lot of nice okay quality knives depending on the model range/knife line).

Dont buy from Perkin!!!

Buy your pattern welded knives -any knife really- from a reputable dealer and get a quality knife.

 

[scubisino]

The crooks from Perkin sell a lot shit knives from Pakistan. Perkin 'marketing' is undiluted bs. Often the price for a Perkin 'knife' should be a hint as to who and what we are dealing with (but then again the Böker is also cheap and Böker makes a lot of nice okay quality knives depending on the model range/knife line).

Dont buy from Perkin!!!

I know the reputation of Perkin, but the knife I bought is a really nice well constructed knife, perhaps is made in Pakistan, but is a nice piece of cutlery. Maybe we have to call it Perkin from Pakistan..

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[marcinek]

Walter is the man. All of his videos are wildly informative.

Did he get around to saying how to tell the difference between pattern welded "damscus" steel, and steel that just has a pattern applied to it via some photochemical process?

 

[BladeScout]

I know the reputation of Perkin, but the knife I bought is a really nice well constructed knife, perhaps is made in Pakistan, but is a nice piece of cutlery. Maybe we have to call it Perkin from Pakistan..

Perkistani knife?

 

[scoutchris]

You can always click on the link yourself and watch the video.

 

[marcinek]

I know the reputation of Perkin, but the knife I bought is a really nice well constructed knife, perhaps is made in Pakistan, but is a nice piece of cutlery. Maybe we have to call it Perkin from Pakistan..

Much like

Ganzo... Kings of budget knive

If that knife is Pakistani "damascus", the odds are 0 that is is "historical" damascus, incredibly slim that it is pattern welded "damascus" steel, and quite likely that it is mystery steel that just has a pattern applied to it via some photochemical process

 

[scubisino]

Much like





If that knife is Pakistani "damascus", the odds are 0 that is is "historical" damascus, incredibly slim that it is pattern welded "damascus" steel, and quite likely that it is mystery steel that just has a pattern applied to it via some photochemical process

I don't care if my knife comes from Pakistan, China, USA or Mars.. if is well constructed, nice blade shape, decent steel and safe to handle it will have for sure a place in my collection... All knives are welcome....

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[T.K.C.]

Hey guys,

I recently bought a new knife with a damascus blade. I am now trying to figure out if it is fake or real (as in a print or multiple steels forged together). So are there any main differences? I paid 90 euros for it. When looking on the top of the blade I can see the layers, however they are straight and very thin (thin blade also).

Thanks,

Galactic

For THAT price, it id more than likely fake.

 

[Ken H>]

The Damascus debate is way over analyzed. I did myself a favor and watched this video. You should do the same. https://youtu.be/ISSGL4Ns2qw

This is a very good video, but I don't think it really pertains to the OP's question about fake or real Damascus in his blade. I think the real question asked by the OP is this a Damascus (pattern welded) blade, or is the pattern applied to it via some photochemical process?

My understanding is the "Fake" Damascus blades are usually a cheap steel with a "Damascus" pattern applied using a photochemical process - almost like printing the pattern on the blade.

I did get a better idea of what wootz steel is.

Ken H>

 

[ATJ999]

you should be able to run your nail across the grind and feel the different layers. Depending on how deeply it is etched. And sometimes you can feel it on the spine of the blade too. If you look at the spine, you can usually see the different layers. Also when you start using it, the edge will usually start to form micro serrations where the softer metal wears away faster. That might take a while though.

 

[marcinek]

You can always click on the link yourself and watch the video.

Sounds like Ken H> did it for me! Thanks, Ken, I cant sit through a 13 minute youtube vid, you are a tougher man than I.

Sounds like the vid didn't address the OPs question.

 

[GalacticMeadows]

I want to add that this is a VERY small blade, so if it is real Damascus (well it is always sorta fake), and I do think so now, production costs will be considerably lower.

EDIT:
I do feel the layers on the blade, although it is quite difficult to feel.

 

[brownshoe]

And that is why I asked who made the knife. Boker is probably not going to sell steel with an etched damascus pattern on it. That, I believe was the point. Etched vs not etched.

I would not trust Boker's Magnum line. They've sold a lot of crap under that name. That being said, in the last few years, Magnum has not been that bad, personally I think it's because their suppliers have gotten better, not that Boker has demanded finer quality

 

[GalacticMeadows]

I do think it is on the higher end of the spectrum of the Magnum line, it costs considerably more than the usual 20-30 dollar knives in the line.

 

[marcinek]

I would not trust Boker's Magnum line. They've sold a lot of crap under that name. That being said, in the last few years, Magnum has not been that bad, personally I think it's because their suppliers have gotten better, not that Boker has demanded finer quality

Yeah, it is their "low end" line. Still some really, really bad stuff in it.

I dont know about the quality of the pattern welded steel they use. Or the quality of the knives that it is used for.

But, at least, they claim that it is actually pattern welded steel.

 

[155440]

Dan Graves hand crafts beautiful Damascus knives and puts them for sale on this forum. They're quite inexpensive considering the materials and production time for each blade. I currently EDC a small fixed blade by him in his snake skin damascus.

He often sells small drop point hunter fixed blades in $160-200 range in the Knifemakers for sale section of this forum.

 

[GalacticMeadows]

The knife overall does look excellent by the way. It has a good looking Micarta handle and the fit and finish and build quality looks good. So I guess I won't bother about it too much.