Question re Damascus and Damascus-like....

mendezj

mendezj

Joined
Nov 24, 1998
Messages
993
I run often into "V-10 core with Damasteel sides, teardrop pattern, blah, blah..." I think this is common in the case of William Henry knives.

I know that Damascus is steel that results from forging, hammering and folding a number of bars of steel. Therefore, the result is a solid piece of steel albeit with a pattern that results from the intertwined bars of steel.

My question: Is the other stuff (i.e., William Henry) just steel made to look like Damascus by adding two fine layers of Damascus-looking steel to the sides of the blade?

Thank you for your responses.
 
Regardless of whether they use damascus (stainless or carbon version), what you seem to be referring to is a laminated (san mai) style blade where the cutting edge is a harder steel sandwiched between two outer layers which are meant to either giving a pleasing effect (damascus), oxidation protection (stainless steel) or some flexibility.
 
mendezj said:
I run often into "V-10 core with Damasteel sides, teardrop pattern, blah, blah..." I think this is common in the case of William Henry knives.

I know that Damascus is steel that results from forging, hammering and folding a number of bars of steel. Therefore, the result is a solid piece of steel albeit with a pattern that results from the intertwined bars of steel.

My question: Is the other stuff (i.e., William Henry) just steel made to look like Damascus by adding two fine layers of Damascus-looking steel to the sides of the blade?

Thank you for your responses.
Click to expand...

Current William Henry damascus knives are made from billets supplied by Mike Norris and Devin Thomas. They also have "wave" and "copper wave" patterns but I'm not sure what the source is on those. It is real "damascus."
 
morrowj_98 said:
Current William Henry damascus knives are made from billets supplied by Mike Norris and Devin Thomas. They also have "wave" and "copper wave" patterns but I'm not sure what the source is on those. It is real "damascus."
Click to expand...

With a non damascus core, often ZDP
 
Thank you, guys, but I'm still not clear. Are the ZDP-189-type blades "covered" with a Damascus layer for looks? In other words, is there really an advantage to those steels other than cost savings and looks?
 
mendezj said:
Thank you, guys, but I'm still not clear. Are the ZDP-189-type blades "covered" with a Damascus layer for looks? In other words, is there really an advantage to those steels other than cost savings and looks?
Click to expand...

The hard ZDP is wrapped with a softer steel. You get the layered effect from that.
Hard steel for cutting, soft steel for flexibility.

Damascus is different kinds of steel hammered together to form a mix where all of the steels are throughout the blade
 
2brothers said:
The hard ZDP is wrapped with a softer steel. You get the layered effect from that.
Hard steel for cutting, soft steel for flexibility.

Damascus is different kinds of steel hammered together to form a mix where all of the steels are throughout the blade
Click to expand...

Thank you for your response. However, if the core is hard, how are the sides going to add flexibility to the blade? Oh, well, thank you anyways, but I'll stick to the good old stuff. Besides, I think WH prices are plain absurd.
 
It's my understanding that more flexibility results from the fact that the harder steel can be thinner if it can be sandwiched in between the softer steel. This results in increased flexibility.

William Henry's wave damascus makes a nice looking wonderful blade. The ZDP-189 at 67RC will hold an edge forever and they come real sharp. Nice knives but not everyones cup of tea.
 
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