Is anyone using Damasteel

peter nap · Oct 5, 2003

I love the stuff but it costs a fortune. I haven't used it for a couple of years now. Just wondering if anyone is working with it now.

george tichbourne · Oct 6, 2003

I like working with it, smooth grinding and great looks but like you say very expensive.

RHINOKNIVES · Oct 6, 2003

i keep thinking i will get some but the price has held me back. i do belive Paul Bos will HT it.

Reg ELLERY · Oct 7, 2003

I was given a piece about 18 months ago as a gift. I am too scared to use it incase i mess it up. Just knowing the cost puts me off. It is beautifull stuff. Etches real well.

peter nap · Oct 7, 2003

It does etch nicely doesn't it Reg. I made a Wak from some years ago and etched in sulferic acid. I got very black etching with very stainless primary lines. It was the highest contrast piece of damascus I have ever seen. It also held as good an edge as any sword I've ever built. It was also the most expensive sword I ever built.

Ansoknives · Oct 7, 2003

yep...been using it for years....Dasmasteel and RWL-34 is some very purdy steel!!!

Jason Arnold · Oct 7, 2003

Anso,

Where do you purchase RWL-34? Its essentially a p/m ATS-34 right?

Ansoknives · Oct 7, 2003

More or less yah..but it has a small amount of vanadium added......hard to say if it is the powder, the vanadium or both but it is a superiour steel by far. I buy it directly at Soderfors (the factory in Sweeden)

Dan Gray · Oct 7, 2003

here's some in use rigt now

indian george · Oct 7, 2003

Dan: Is that Lamont's???

Dan Gray · Oct 7, 2003

yeahup
the one he made for me about two years or so ago.
I carry it everyday, still nice, the picture is
degrading more than the folder is

Jason Arnold · Oct 7, 2003

Thanx Anso. I've had my eye on that steel for a long while. I'm really thinking of giving it a place in my work.

RHINOKNIVES · Oct 8, 2003

so who sells it in the USA these days? a maker use to be the USA distriuder?

dsvirsky · Oct 8, 2003

Michael Walker: www.ssdamascus.com/

peter nap · Oct 8, 2003

That's the same fellow who has sold since it I used it the first time Laurence.

insanity · Oct 8, 2003

So I have a kitchen knife ready to be etched out of a piece of 30 twist, what yould be a recomended etchant? I can prolly get my hands on just about anything. I currently have ferric, nitric, and muriatic.

WS

Ansoknives · Oct 8, 2003

ok...this is how I do it....it works for me.... I use handtemp tapwater and mix a 5-10% solution of H2So4 (sulfuric acid)...I let the blade stand in a plastic bottle for about 4-5 mins and neutralize with baking soda mixed with water.

Note that sulfuric acid is very dangerous and you need a pretty high finish on the blade before you etch. I take my blades to a 1200 handrubbed before etch and then I handrub with 1200 after the etch.

here are a few knives with Damasteel using this methode:

this one has a odins eye blade and as far as I remember Rose as bolster (not very visible in this pic.

This one has odins eye blade and twist bolster.

this one has rose blade.

peter nap · Oct 8, 2003

what yould be a recomended etchant? I can prolly get my hands on just about anything. I currently have ferric, nitric, and muriatic.

I do about the same as Ansoknives but I use 20%. I watch it very carefully.