the damascus blade ?

H

hlc

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Jun 23, 2009
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Is Damascus blade good for EDC usage compared to other ordinary steels(VG10, S30V)? Or it's just for collection?:confused:
 
While some damascus blades differ from others, most are plenty usable blades. I wouldn't hesitate to use one and most of the time it will perform quite well. You usually find them on custom or higher end production knives because the damascus gives it a more appeal and unique look while still being functional.
 
And you may not want to carry an expensive knife every day because you may have to cut something that may dull or even ruin your blade......
 
I'll be having a Dam blade made for my Emerson Super Raven tanto by Reese Weiland. I will use it for sure.
 
I carry a Damasteel Elishewitz, Damascus Leek and Shallot folder and Damascus Case Stockman and have no issues with them. I sharpen them when needed, and use them when I want to. If it is reputable Damascus then it will work.
 
I have a blem damascus Shallot, and was surprised to see that I was able to scrape the damascus pattern off of the blade. I found this out trying to scrape a little bit of rust from the four XXXX pattern that marks it as a blem. Is the damascus pattern only skin deep? If so, it seems like it wouldn't be much good for hard use.

Or did I get given a fake damascus Kershaw? I have some other Ken Onion Kershaws, and every other aspect of the knife seems legit.
 
I have a Damascus Leek. Works for me and really sharp too. I have to say I only carry it when Im in garrison in class A's/civies though.
 
Where you posted at/branch/MOS?
 
jesseaction said:
I have a blem damascus Shallot, and was surprised to see that I was able to scrape the damascus pattern off of the blade. I found this out trying to scrape a little bit of rust from the four XXXX pattern that marks it as a blem. Is the damascus pattern only skin deep? If so, it seems like it wouldn't be much good for hard use.

Or did I get given a fake damascus Kershaw? I have some other Ken Onion Kershaws, and every other aspect of the knife seems legit.
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Most likely you just scratched the pattern. There's a long and a short explanation for this. I'll give you the short one.

Scraping metal gives it more or less the same colour. This happends even when sanding a damascus blade. That's why damascus is etched with acids after final sanding etc. This is what gives it the final colour difference between used metals.

If you'd want you pattern back you'd have to re-etch your blade.

It's probably real damascus....just just scuffed it more than is normally the case.
 
jesseaction said:
I have a blem damascus Shallot, and was surprised to see that I was able to scrape the damascus pattern off of the blade. I found this out trying to scrape a little bit of rust from the four XXXX pattern that marks it as a blem. Is the damascus pattern only skin deep? If so, it seems like it wouldn't be much good for hard use.

Or did I get given a fake damascus Kershaw? I have some other Ken Onion Kershaws, and every other aspect of the knife seems legit.
Click to expand...


Damascus steel is made by folding layers of steel together, the pattern is formed by the layers. If you have a true damascus blade the layers will be through the entire blade mass.

Damasteel has the pattern etched onto the surface. If your blade is damasteel you may have removed the surface etching.

I'm not familiar with the Shallot so can't comment directly.

Kevin
 
So if you regrind a true damascus steel blade the pattern will still be there? It seems like that would only be the case if the layers were made from two different steels of naturally different color. I've heard of the etching process but don't understand how it differentiates between the alternating layers after they are worked together (not that this is necessarily the place for a description which I'm sure has been given a thousand times). I suppose I should do some research instead of just asking basic questions. The blades definitely look cool either way though. Incidentally, I only got through the top layer using another hardened blade and some sandpaper, so I'm not surprised it left a mark.

(Sorry for butting questions into an existing thread, but I figured it would be interesting and relevant.. thanks for the responses)
 
I'm not a damuscus expert so I don't know all the secrets of the process, but you are correct. They use different steels for the layers and they rerspond differentlly to the acid treatment giving you the definition between the layers.

I have no idea how they etch the pattern on damasteel. Acid, Laser, Slave armies of worker elves..... ??

Kevin
 
jesseaction said:
So if you regrind a true damascus steel blade the pattern will still be there?
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Yes, although not visible untill after the etch.
It seems like that would only be the case if the layers were made from two different steels of naturally different color.
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Not quite but sort of true. Since they're different steels they react to the acid in different ways, thus one if coloured darker than the other. Once that's done the different layers will show once again.
 
LX_Emergency said:
Yes, although not visible untill after the etch.
Not quite but sort of true. Since they're different steels they react to the acid in different ways, thus one if coloured darker than the other. Once that's done the different layers will show once again.
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Agree
 
Without acid etching, most damascus steel will look just like normal steel unless you look at it very closely against strong lighting. Personally I don't like over etching damascus which turns the blade to an almost dark grey color.
 
And all becomes clear. I didn't realize that the layers were in fact different steel types, but it makes complete sense now. Thanks very much, wise ones.
 
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Dag-nabit said:
I'm not a damuscus expert so I don't know all the secrets of the process, but you are correct. They use different steels for the layers and they rerspond differentlly to the acid treatment giving you the definition between the layers.

I have no idea how they etch the pattern on damasteel. Acid, Laser, Slave armies of worker elves..... ??

Kevin
Click to expand...

Dag- you have it a bit wrong here. Damasteel is the same as traditional damascus but is multiple stainless layers, as opposed to carbon. It is etched as is other damascus to bring out the different layers.

Please do not mix Damasteel up with homogenous steel that is etched to make it look like Damascus, but is usually just crap steel on crap knives.
If the etch is deep enough you can feel it, like on this Elishewitz folder I have:
IMG_3737.jpg
 
From a practical standpoint, the purpose of damascus is to take advantage of the the attributes of more than one type of steel in a given blade. It's not just bling... at least it wasn't originally developed to be.
 
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