Real damascus or fake?!

N

NoviceNorseMan

Joined
Jan 17, 2021
Messages
3
Hi all,

My first forum post and hoping you can help. I brought this axe recently https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/597146923/beautiful-handmade-hardwood-handle which looks lovely, thought it would be great with the leather case and I wanted something more interesting than my local DIY shop could offer, but after sharpening on my wet stone I'm fairly sure it is just laser etched Carbon steel rather than true damascus. I'm too inexperienced to call it out to the seller without a second opinion, could you help?

Many thanks
 
Browsing the site for 30 seconds I’d be willing to bet more money than you spent that it’s “scrapmascus” from “whoknowswhereistan”.

Also linking to non supporting sales sites is frowned upon.
 
Yes. It is real pattern welded steel, also marketed as damascus.

The ones in your link are being sold out of Pakistan. Pakistan is known for making damascus, but it is rarely known what steels they use or what actual RC hardness is despite what they claim. Since the buyers of these knives and axes are usually not serious collectors or "users", they get away with it. It is cheaper for them to make damascus than buy shop lasers to etch such designs btw.

When you sharpen it, you are rubbing away the acid etching and smearing the metals so that you can no longer can see separate metals. You will need to acid etch the metal again to see the pattern. People often use muriatic acid to do this although people in the past have used lemon juice.
 
3fifty7 said:
Browsing the site for 30 seconds I’d be willing to bet more money than you spent that it’s “scrapmascus” from “whoknowswhereistan”.

Also linking to non supporting sales sites is frowned upon.
Click to expand...
Thank you and sorry for the link, I just couldn't post a photo of what I actually had.
 
CWL said:
Yes. It is real pattern welded steel, also marketed as damascus.

The ones in your link are being sold out of Pakistan. Pakistan is known for making damascus, but it is rarely known what steels they use or what actual RC hardness is despite what they claim. Since the buyers of these knives and axes are usually not serious collectors or "users", they get away with it. It is cheaper for them to make damascus than buy shop lasers to etch such designs btw.

When you sharpen it, you are rubbing away the acid etching and smearing the metals so that you can no longer can see separate metals. You will need to acid etch the metal again to see the pattern. People often use muriatic acid to do this although people in the past have used lemon juice.
Click to expand...
Thank you, that's really helpful and a great point about the cost of buying laser etching equipment.

I'll definitely give the lemon juice a go after I've got a decent edge.

Thanks again
 
It may well be of ok quality as axes are usually fairly soft compared to a high quality knife. I have a non pattern welded but obviously hand forged tomahawk that was made in pakistan that I have had for 25 years and has served me very well. It is harder than any commonly available hardware store hatchet that I have come across and holds an edge very well. While many of these smiths in the developing world mainly make "wall hangers" some are quite talented, sadly we as the buyer so far removed can never know until it is too late.
 
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