Making Damascus San Mai

Gahagan

Gahagan

Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
130
Ok I have a custom order that came in and it is new to me. The customer is wanting a Damascus san mai blade 3/8 thick and about 2.5 in wide. I have made san mai with 1080 and wrought iron but not Damascus. Ok I have made the Damascus out of 5160, 15n20 and 52100. I am looking for a core that will give good contrast. I would love a stainless core but don't have the tools ( I am hammering by hand) to make it unless someone would volunteer to weld it up for me. Can anyone recommend a good core for me ,also what thicknesses I need to achieve the 3/8 thickness. I have made the Damascus to the 3" wide and 3/16 thick and have ground it smooth and would like the core to show up to about a 1/4 to 1/3 of the blade. Any good suggestions would be appreciated.
 
Why not use 52100? It is what I use on most of my san mai knives.

medium800.jpg
 
I am using 52100 in my Damascus. so I am not sure there will be much contrast.
 
Matching the core to one of the damascus ingredients can make it blend nicely. The other way to go is to use 15N20 for the core, and have it be the bright contrast.

In damascus san-mai, the contrast mainly comes from the twisted pattern in the sides vs. the plain polish of the lower bevel and edge.
 
So if I use some 1095 that I have It would show a nice contrast? Maybe separate it a little with some nickel?
 
Gahagan said:
So if I use some 1095 that I have It would show a nice contrast? Maybe separate it a little with some nickel?
Click to expand...

Yeah, but it will tear itself apart in the quench... 1095 doesn't play well with steels with chromium (like 5160 and 52100, for instance).
 
Bill's knife sides would be stainless, which makes it, basically by definition, "san mai".
The blades you are discussing, which are all tool steels, are, for the most part, just three layer forge welds.

Not "San Mai".

"San Mai generally refers to knives with the hard steel hagane forming the blade's edge and the iron/stainless forming a jacket on both sides. In stainless versions, this offers a practical and visible advantage of a superb cutting edge of modern Japanese knife steel with a corrosion resistant exterior. "
 
We keep hearing the dire warnings about how this doesn't work and always delaminates.
Those of us who haven't cowboyed up and tried it would love to know what makes it work or fail.
 
Why not use 1084 for the core? It would be the easiest to heat treat and stick out a bit since you won't be using it in the Damascus. 3/8" would be a beast!!! I hope you're charging a mint for it ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top