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Real or fake damascus?
- Thread starter johnu2
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2013
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- 32,479
When you have a fresh edge put on a Damascus/PW blade it may not show well enough to be seen. It appears to be a pattern welded steel blade? In your middle picture on the right side I can see a few areas where the pattern is slightly visible.
I think you are alright. Get a Magnifying 10x Loupe and take a look.
I think you are alright. Get a Magnifying 10x Loupe and take a look.
Triton
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2000
- Messages
- 36,130
The edge probably wasn't etched after it was sharpened. You could buff the blade and no longer be able to see the pattern welding there either if it wasn't re-etched. That aside, I have no idea about the quality of this particular pattern welded blade, pattern welding does not automatically equal quality.
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- Jul 1, 2013
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You are about pattern welded not necessary meaning high quality.
The process opens up all possibilities, good and bad.
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2002
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- 2,959
Your blade is definitely pattern welded steel. The pattern does not really show up until the blade has been etched in acid, which eats at the two steel types at different rates, revealing the pattern. Sometimes you can see the pattern faintly before it's etched, depending on how it's polished/finished, but with a coarse finish left by a grinder, it's often impossible to see. The edge(s) of your blade was sharpened after the etching process, which removed the surface finish there.
In your case, the color of some of the layers make it look like it may have been made from 3 or more different kinds of steel, instead of just two. Do you know any further details about how the blade was made? Who made it? As the others mentioned, pattern welded steel can be either good or bad, depending on the materials used and skill of the smith. In the recent past, pattern welding was a good indicator of quality, since it was only made by individual blade smiths who pretty much had to know what they were doing. But now, the market has been flooded with cheap blades from China, and some of them are made with low carbon/mild steel that can't even be heat treated.
From the broad fuller, I'm guessing this is a Viking style piece. I'd like to see some pictures of the whole sword, if you have time. Looks neat.
In your case, the color of some of the layers make it look like it may have been made from 3 or more different kinds of steel, instead of just two. Do you know any further details about how the blade was made? Who made it? As the others mentioned, pattern welded steel can be either good or bad, depending on the materials used and skill of the smith. In the recent past, pattern welding was a good indicator of quality, since it was only made by individual blade smiths who pretty much had to know what they were doing. But now, the market has been flooded with cheap blades from China, and some of them are made with low carbon/mild steel that can't even be heat treated.
From the broad fuller, I'm guessing this is a Viking style piece. I'd like to see some pictures of the whole sword, if you have time. Looks neat.
Thanks everyone for the input. Much appreciated. Now I understand this subject a bit more!
The Possum, it is made by Hillside Forge which is located in Australia. It's an early medieval type sword. The broad blade is is an Oakshott type X. The guard and pommel are also pattern welded. Here are some pictures
The Possum, it is made by Hillside Forge which is located in Australia. It's an early medieval type sword. The broad blade is is an Oakshott type X. The guard and pommel are also pattern welded. Here are some pictures
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- Nov 20, 2008
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- 10,188
That's a beauty! You should be proud of it.
horseclover
Basic Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2000
- Messages
- 4,450
Looks like an awesome (fully functional?) sword! (As long as it's not Pakistan damascus steel)
Sold by Medieval Shoppe (Hillside Forge Ltd). Price point $500 AUD. They have an Ebay store as well as their web site.
medievalshoppe.com
Cheers
GC