How well does Damascus hold up for an EDC knife?

sixfeetdeep

sixfeetdeep

Joined
Feb 1, 2004
Messages
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Hey all, just a quick question....but what else is new?! :D


Yes, I tried to do a search on this, but it keeps telling me that the page I am looking for cannot be found. Don't know what all that is about, but it won't stop doing it :confused:



O.K, for everyday carry, how well does the Damascus steel on a Masters Of Defense knife hold up, or any Damascus for that matter? They say it is a 200 layer Damascus.............

I had heard that it is kinda performs like a 154CM blade would. But after owning & never using any that I have, I never tried the Damascus out. It is a bumpy kind of material, so would that mean it doesn't cut as smoothly as regular type steel?

Does the Damascus steel hold an edge well or does it need to be touched up more frequently? Is there any real benefit to using D.M besides the visual appeal?


Just curious......I have been thinking about buying another Mark II knife & I know of a place that I can get either version....154CM or Damascus. The DM is of course more expensive, but maybe it is worth it? Maybe not.......

Are there things that I should be aware of for either blade material?

FYI, I do not use my knives for heavy duty cutting. I use them for light to medium at best. Will be cutting paper, cardboard, plastic banding, tape to get into the boxes of new knives that I tend to get :D & other various light duty items.

As always, I appreciate all who can help me out. :)
 
Damascus is for show but that doesn't mean it can't be made of good steel.A good damascus , carbon or stainless will do as well as 154cm but find out exactly what it's made from first.
 
If you aren't willing to pay more for the look then pattern welded steel does not offer good value. A good non-stainless high carbon steel will perform as well and be quite a bit less expensive.
 
Damascus like any blade material will behave poorly or great depending upon (a) composition, (b) heat treat and (c) blade geometry. A good carbon steel or stainless damascus, with a fine heat treat, will perform as well as any steel. Some damascus, however, is designed to look good and cut never or infrequently. The knifemaker should know the properties of their material and how it was heat treated. Ask MOD what the composition of their damascus is and if it is suitable for hard or light use.

As far as looks goes...in the words of ATBarr "Don't buy no ugly knife."
 
Even damascus that has nickel as the bright material will cut good. There is usually only 8% of the nickel, so the other steel does nearly all of the cutting, while nickel adds strength. I know the nickel thing wasn't brought up, I'm just using it as an example. Damascus cuts good, it could even be argued that it cuts better than anything else when using the proper materials. There's nothing to worry about. Comparing it to 154-CM is a sorry comparison, it depends on the composition. I don't know what damascus M.O.D uses, so I can't help you there.
 
My WC (Weekday Carry) is a WH T12 Pearl/Damascus. I use this knife for all of the 'around the office' stuff. No hard work. On the weekends, if I know I will be working outside, I have my SAK or Spyderco.

Where my T12 gets used the most is in the kitchen. I prepare dinner and eat with my knife every night. So, I may only be cutting carrots, but the blade pounds the cutting board(Wood) repeatedly. I also eat my meal with my knife which result in the blade contacting my plate repeatedly.

So, the duty is light compared to witling and wire cutting, but my edge is magnificent. I do not have a sharpener so my knife still has the original edge fro the factory...William Henry sharp!

The way I see it is that life is short. I searched for my EDC looking at two factors, durability and looks/fit finish. The William Henry knives are PLENTY durable for my usage and the looks/fit finish, subjective, are stellar! And heck, if the blade happens to wear a little more quickly than another knife, I will buy a sharpener and spend some quality time with my knife.

As I write this, my Pearl Damascus is open on my desk next to my laptop. Go for the Damascus and enjoy your knife for both Tool and Design.

All this is based on your liking the looks of Damascus, I am sure many do not.

AC
 
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