is damascus steel useable/practical?

B

bobby777

Joined
Oct 19, 1998
Messages
5
hi all!
another question from a newbie (or at least someone who collected back int he 70's and just got back into knives)....

are custom damascus steel knives useable on a day to day basis? do they wear more than regular steel knives? would i be crazy to order, say, a brian tighe tactical folder and use it to open boxes, etc?

just wondering.....the damascus blades look very interesting and exotic...but i just want to be sure they are useable and sensible. i am not really the collector type that puts things in a case for show (just ask any of my vintage guitars :-)

bobby d

 
I would buy a $7 box cutter to open boxes. I recently had the same question...is there a functional advantage that good damascus has over good carbon steel. I asked several ABS Mastersmiths if damascus cut better...ALL of them had the same answer, it was NO. Actually there are some distinct DISadvantages that damascus carries- 1- if it rusts or discolors badly, there isnt much you can do unless you re-etch it and that can get complicated depending on the construction of the knife. It also depends on what steel was used to make the damascus. If it is a high quality mix, i.e. L-6 and 0-1, then it will probably cut as well as anything. If it has a high nickel content then it probably wont.
Proper forging, heat treatment, tempering, and geometry are also very important contributing factors in the performance of any blade.

In my opinion, the expense of damascus is not representative of its performance, but its collectability, look, and labor involved in making it...It has no performance advantage but sure looks good!!



 
Kevin McClung views modern "Damascus" as an abomination with millions of fracture-lines built in. This is also known as "pattern-welded". I've seen examples that fractured and the clear "ungluing" between layers. Looked like a ham'n'cheese sandwich ripped in half.

From what I can see, he may be overstating things slightly but then again, he might not be too far off. The OLD Damascus process was a different critter entirely, which the "Wootz"(sp?) formula may be a decent replica of. That seems to be "for real", per written sources I've seen. My info is NOT first hand on that.

Jim March
 
Is there anywhere that explains the different Damascus processes? I thought they were all pretty much the same just different number of layers/folding. But I have never thought much about it. Japanese swords are usually finely polished and do not look anything like the knives being sold lately that claim Damascus steel. Are there any knives with blades made the same as the Japanese sword?
 
I stand with Matt Lamey on this question.

If you are intersted in a using damascus you might want to try a Mike Norris Stainless Damascus blade. You won't have to worry about rusting.

It is important to note that all of the Master Smiths have tested their damascus in a bending and cutting test to achieve their Master status.

I would be interested to know if some styles (regardless of metals used) of Damascus are structurally stronger than others ie. ladder, raindrop, twist, random etc.

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KnifeArt.com
 
I have a custom Guy Heilscher damascus hunter that has given me great service. The damascus is made from billets of 7 alternating layers of O-1 and 1018 steel. It has proved exceptional tough and holds a great edge for a very long time.

My take on modern pattern welded damascus is simple....know what metals are being used and how your maker creates the stuff including heat. I believe the best modern damascus gives tool steels a run for their money and made by the right hands outperforms the straight stuff.

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-=[Bob]=-
 
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