Rate damascus steel!

C

cuphead

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Jan 14, 2008
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I've encountered a dilemma with purchasing a knife..

Here it goes, well, I'm a big fan of a2 tool steel or O1 tool steel blades, recently I was inquiring prices for a damascus bowie, but questioned it's reliability. Does anyone know how these knives perform in the field?

The blade will be used for chopping, battoning, cutting thick rope, and other stressful situations.

I have a carbon steel bowie that does this very well, but I really enjoy the damascus style..

please any feedback, comments are welcomed.
 
Mete's correct, there's a big variance in quality depending on what steel is used/how it is made. Damascus isn't a type of steel but rather a method of producing the blade. Some damascus are imitation only and the patterns are etched
 
The qulaity of pattern welded steel ranges from crap to excellent. Cutting competitions haver been won by guys that have knives with pattern welded blades.
 
Yeah, like they said, heat treat is everything.

In order to weld the layers, the steel is brought to very high temps and forged. These soaks at high temp can ruin a steel if done improperly, and if not heat treated properly to return the steel to a fine grained and orderly condition before hardening, the finished product could be brittle and weak.

A Damascus forged by someone concerning themselves with the heat treat issues such as Kevin Cashen will be up to the task of real use.

This is his site : http://www.cashenblades.com/Bowies.html There is a lot of information in there as well, could probably answer a lot of your questions.
 
definatly a coolfactor to it... but if you do go for some get it from a reputable smith, and get a good Mix like O1/L6, 15n20 and 1095, or even good quality XXX Plowshare Cable it's equal to about 1070-1085...
 
Four words..... Mike Norris Stainless Damascus.........

Best stuff I've ever used......... It heat treats very well, holds an edge extremely well and looks amazing.



MT
 
I carry and have used several assembled by me from quality USA carbon blanks. I tested the edges and tangs prior to assembly. They have good flex in the mid-high 50's hardness range and excellent tip strength. A hair popping edge doesn't last longer than any good carbon, but a cutting edge lasts beyond my expectations. I like them and use them. :)Regards, ss.
 
My favourite damascus blades have a 52100 or O1 edge sandwiched between two layers of damascus. It looks really nice (at least I like it) and performance is great.
 
Greetings all i just had to jump in on this and say everyone who said the composition of the steels used is the major key to how well Damascus steel works .. Use crap in your damascus you get crap for a blade .. Ive personally seen and used a Damascus blade in rope cutting type of competitions and cab say it does take a Very Slightly sharper edge and can hold it if heat treat is done properly. Cable is great for this type of thing , very lightweight ,tough as hell and keeps a good edge . for what your asking it could happen in a well made Damascus Blade !! Many people thing all the forging ect is just for looks but it is the Laminated part that if done correctly is a very tough blade . i personally would say use a different steel unless you want to chop,ect with a Expensive knife..
Just my Opinion .. ill go back to hiding and chewing on my own foot now (LOL)
 
Well, can one usually go by price when judging Damascus? I see fairly nice patterns in some of the off brands carried by Smoky Mountain, but if I'm paying $55 for a Bowie in Damascus, I'd bet it was suitable only for display. Most knives under $200 don't give any information on the steel at all. Bear and Son is okay, I hear, but their patterns aren't anything to write home about.
 
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