I’ve been collecting knives for about a year now, and got tapped for overtime so I have a larger budget right now. I’m strongly considering getting the WE21015-DS1 in Damasteel. I don’t have any WE knives, but everything I read about them is positive. I’ve wanted both a WE and a Damasteel knife for awhile now, but hadn’t found one I really liked and could afford. Even this is blowing my knife budget with the overtime pay. I’d like to hear from anyone that has WE knives, and especially from those who have the Shuddan, regardless of the version. I also looked at the Reate J.A.C.K. in Damasteel, and was very impressed, but they’re sold out everywhere and I’ve been unable to determine when they’ll make a new run. The discussion in various forums indicates that WE and Reate are very close in quality, with Reate possibly being a bit higher, but also making smaller runs, so they run out fast. I still plan on getting a Reate at some point, but if I get this WE knife, the Reate will likely not be in Damasteel. Unless I wait a year or so for the next big purchase. I like everything I’ve seen for this WE model. The length and design are what I like - minimalist but very nice. But I can’t find hardly any reviews online for this knife, so I’m hoping someone here can give me their thoughts on it.
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WE Shuddan Damasteel - Any input on this model?
- Thread starter Ironwil
- Start date
Dadpool
Gold Member
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Every WE knife I've owned has been perfect. Reate does tend to go the extra mile, but WE is darned close. I've learned to expect exceptional fit, finish, and function from WE, and they've never let me down.
The Shuddan is brand new, but hopefully there are some folks here who own one and can chime in.
As far as build quality goes, it's a basically flawless company and there is no reason to doubt that they put the work in to justify the pricetag. It also looks like a similar ergonomic style to the Spyderco/Slysz Bowie and the Kizer/Hennecke T-1, but with a bit more of a Persian style trailing point. In other words, delightful and capable.
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- Jul 25, 2014
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WE makes a great knife, in fact I prefer them to Reate most of the time. Reate’s habitually have thick blade stock and don’t perform as a knife as well as they could.
I don’t have a Shuddan nor any WEs with Damasteel, but I have a couple of Damascus CIVIVIS and the patterns are striking.
I don’t have a Shuddan nor any WEs with Damasteel, but I have a couple of Damascus CIVIVIS and the patterns are striking.
I really appreciate all the responses. The Shuddan will be more than twice the cost of my most expensive knife, so I wanted to be as sure as I could be prior to ordering. This was the last step in my research, since I couldn’t find reviews online. I pulled the trigger and ordered it yesterday. It should arrive early next week. I’ll take pics and post my thoughts on it when it arrives. Thanks again!
I hope you love it! If you manage to get a lemon, don't panic, their customer service and their dealers customer service is pretty righteous too.
Also they saved me a little headache today with the Civivi Ortis, in their 9cr/10cr budget damascus. I got locked out of the car by a stick and the Ortis reached through a window that my wrist couldn't
Also they saved me a little headache today with the Civivi Ortis, in their 9cr/10cr budget damascus. I got locked out of the car by a stick and the Ortis reached through a window that my wrist couldn't
Locutus D'Borg
Platinum Member
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- Dec 1, 2012
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Damasteel is fantastic; I have a couple of knives with it, mainly customs. I don't have a WE but I have a Civivi and it is excellent. If you don't like it or think it is too nice to carry, then you could probably sell it on the Exchange for a little less than you paid.
King of the Cheese
Stillborn!
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I think anyone that spends $615 on a WE should get a psych eval. Their Damasteel knives are extremely overpriced. I can’t understand why Damasteel would double the price of that knife.
Awesome knife! I recently got a CIVIVI Riffle with a Damascus blade, and it’s excellent. Very crisp and smooth action, and razor sharp. Now I want an Ortis, but I’ll have to wait. The Shuddan blew my budget for awhile.
I’ll schedule an eval immediately, LOL. I generally won’t drop this kind of money on a knife, but the Shuddan looks perfect for me, and I really wanted a Damasteel blade. As I understand it, the Damasteel is made from very high-quality steels instead of whatever you might get with ordinary Damascus. I also blanched when I saw the price doubled, but decided it was worth it. Only time will tell…
It’s really hard for me to decide on a “favorite”, even among my own knives. My Emerson CQC-15 is by far my best tactical folder. I have a Spyderco Para Miltary 2 that has the smoothest action of all my knives. Picked up the TwoSun TS16 M390, and I can’t say enough good about it. Possibly my sharpest blade. I think it’s due to the M390 blade, or their factory does excellent sharpening. Or both. I have 4 TwoSun knives and I really like all of them. I’m excited to get the WE, and hopefully some day I can also compare it to other WE knives in my collection. Cheers!
If I was going to pony up on a WE Damasteel knife, I can think of some others before I'd do the Shuddan. I'm real close to pulling the trigger on a Damasteel Snick or Damasteel Beacon.
Beacon is my favorite WE knife yet, and I've got almost all of the WEs. Things I'm not thrilled about with the Shuddan are the lockbar access kinda sucks compared to other WEs and it's a chunk - thick n heavy. One of those is completely subjective (the latter.)
Beacon is my favorite WE knife yet, and I've got almost all of the WEs. Things I'm not thrilled about with the Shuddan are the lockbar access kinda sucks compared to other WEs and it's a chunk - thick n heavy. One of those is completely subjective (the latter.)
Locutus D'Borg
Platinum Member
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Damasteel is the only powder metallurgy Damascus I am aware of, so it is like the difference between CPM 154 (powder met) and 154CM.
Thanks for the response. That puts it into much easier perspective to understand.
You’re correct. That’s the type used. I really like the ripple patterns.
Just thought I’d follow up as I got my WE Shuddan in Damasteel several days ago… the hype is real. This is a truly awesome knife. Although I like some wild designs, I tend to favor a rustic or simple design. The Shuddan hit that mark perfectly. It’s an extremely attractive design, and the detail is incredible. Action? Outstanding. When I pull the flipper tab, the blade is instantly deployed. It’s almost like it teleports, the action is smooth and quick. It has a very solid grip and great ergos. Much slimmer side to side than I expected. Makes its carry profile a bit better, and it still has a very solid feel. All the fit and finish were what I expected (hoped) after getting feedback here and in my research. I didn’t have to worry. The only shade I’ll throw is I’d have preferred a bit of jimping, but I don’t know how that works with Damasteel. The Damasteel doubled the price, but I really wanted a knife with it, so I bit the bullet. Glad I did. I have several very good knives, but the quality on this knife is next-level. I also wanted a trailing point knife as I didn’t have one, and think the shape is cool. This will largely be a “show” knife. I’ll cut things with it that don’t have tape or glue, but I’m not risking any buildup of adhesive on this blade. All in all, I’m extremely happy with the Shuddan.
Pics dammit!