Rockwell Hardness of Damascus?

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C

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I know Damascus steel can be made fairly strong, but not all Damascus is the same. I see some ads in Smoky Mountain's catalog for BW, Bear & Son, and a new one I hadn't heard of: Fox-N-Hound, which offers very inexpensive (cheap) Damascus knives. The only brand I own is Bear, and I like the quality of their knives, particularly their folders. Of course, their stuff is made in the USA. F&H and BW, I suspect, are solely products of Pakistan, as neither have domestic websites—or even foreign ones. And despite the fact that these steels all appear similarly, that their hardness ratings can be all over the place, just like other steels.

Has anyone ever tested any Damascus knives and subjected them to the same tests as others that have popped up on these forums? I watched a video recently that someone posted showing how Damascus is forged. Very interesting process. Still, I don't know the good makes from the bad. Can anyone help me out?

This Fox-N-Hound Damascus looks like a beauty,
but it's price tag of $60 raises questions.
FH613.jpg
 
This is just bumping the topic up again for another shot. Doesn't seem that there's much interest in Damascus steel here, or the companies aren't readily known. Searching the Internet, no one advertises Rockwell hardness, place of manufacture or how many layers there are. Has anyone even heard of Fox-N-Hound?
 
Hey Confederate,
I don't think this is quite what you had in mind, but it is an interestiong article on the mechanical properties of pattern welded damascus steel.

http://damascus.free.fr/f_damas/f_quest/steel.htm

The parent web site is free and has a lot of good information on damscus steels.
 
It'd be great to know how to relate the info in that site to modern Damascus. The knife I posted a photo of above looks just like a Bear & Sons Damascus. Beautiful blade. But when I see a beautiful knife for a budge rice, can't rightly make sense of it.

Thanks for the website!
 
The hardness of pattern welded steel will depend on the steels that are used and the heat treatment given by the maker. It tends to range from the mid to high fifties.

The really cheap stuff is probably softer than that.
 
Confederate said:
It'd be great to know how to relate the info in that site to modern Damascus. The knife I posted a photo of above looks just like a Bear & Sons Damascus. Beautiful blade. But when I see a beautiful knife for a budge rice, can't rightly make sense of it.

Thanks for the website!
Click to expand...

The article I cited is about "modern Damascus". While there are a few obscure makers who work with modern versions of wootz steel, the vast majority of "modern Damascus" that you find today is "pattern welded Damascus".
 
knarfeng said:
The article I cited is about "modern Damascus". While there are a few obscure makers who
work with modern versions of wootz steel, the vast majority of "modern Damascus" that you find today is
"pattern welded Damascus".
Click to expand...
By that I meant names and places. It's not enough to know how it's manufactured today; rather,
who makes it and how good it is. None of these manufacturers have websites. You see a picture
of a Damascus knife and you know nothing about it.

The only reason I like Bear is because I've read good things about it and because I have a number
of their knives which aren't Damascus, and I'm impressed with the quality, the workmanship, the
polishing and the designs. Their little liner locks are beautiful. I also know that their Damascus is
512 layers and that their Damascus steel is made in Alabama.

But Fox N Hound? I can't find anything about them. I suppose if someone's only going to use it as
a display piece, it makes no never mind.

BR510D.jpg

This Damascus Bear is a beautiful folder. I have one and want
a couple more. The polished nickel (or whatever it is) adds to
the good looks.
 
My friend I am new to the forum but I am the man to answer your question not only will I brinelle but I will chem check this so called HRC 56-58 Rockwell and find out what should have been put into a high hard carbon I do know what I am talking about I work for the only company that manufactures armor for the United States and her allies this HRC 56-58 they like to sell sounds to good to be true because it cross references on the ASTM scale for nonaustenitic steels as 615 brinelle that would give a tensile straight of 338000 ksi so why are they selling knife blanks when there stats say its as good as armor plating for the military I spent 20 bucks just to get myself one of these wonder blades on eBay you never know fox and hound with Pakistan could be better then sliced blead
 
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