you guys suck...

SpartanSaint

SpartanSaint

Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
970
alright so i get paid friday, a bm 940 osbourne in d2 is already planning on being on its way home at that point...

my question for you is for my next planned purchase: an mcusta damascas. but i have a couple questions. its damascus for $150; how good can it be? whats the quality like? is it "real" damascus? or whats the deal....

another set of questions is which one? i like the tanbo, but the liner lock appears [from pictures] to have a nasty little corner that might agitate the hand; i saw someone post somewhere one that i liked very much but forget the name and don't see it on knifeworks... so suggestions and info would be much appreciated

and now relevant to the title: you effers got me hooked. my wallet hates you
 
Damascus is just for looks IMO. "Good" damascus is no better nor worse than any of the super steels of today. I'm not familiar with Mcusta damascus, but unless it's forged, it's not real. Centuries ago when there was no advanced metallurgy, blades were made of different steels forged together so that the resulting bar stock had desirable properties of other metals, creating damascus.
 
Agreed. Damascus is for looks. And it looks really cool, IMO.

Do not expect Damascus to cut any better than either of the two (or more) steels that are used in it's construction. Damascus is harder to heat treat since you have two steels to consider in the formula. This simple rule stands to reason. In fact, it really can't outperform the better of the two steels that comprise the sandwich. Heat treating can only optimize one of the two steels, at best.

Also, there is no "sawtooth" effect from Damascus that wouldn't be just totally subsumed by, e.g., a serrated blade, or even by leaving a "toothy" (coarse grit) edge on a blade.

The monolithic modern super steels are definitely going to outperform Damascus. Alas, don't sweat it... Damascus looks cool... fondle and enjoy it... just don't expect it to outperform modern super steels.

The clad stuff, with a core for cutting and the outer layers for show, provide the best of both worlds in the right hands (e.g. a maker who optimizes heat treat to get the core "right").

Damascus layers must be formed somehow. "Forging" is typical. Damasteel (a powder metalluray process) is an exception in that the layers are formed with the steel powders, not by what people typically think when the term "forged" is used (i.e. some guy with layers of steel welded together pounding it with a heavy hammer or, more realistically, with a mechanical hammer (e.g. Little Giant) or a hydraulic press. (actually, Damasteel is isostatically pressed, then rolled... see here http://www.damasteel.com/production.html)
 
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I own a damascus mcusta and its one of the sharpest knives ive ever owned not to mention its holds a great edge. Mcusta knives are IMO a very good quality knife for the money, the fit and finish is excellent.
 
mcusta have a vg10 center layer with damascus cladding. if i remember correctly the pattern is obtained via some powder technology. it won't change your life as the performance are only influenced by the core. and then vg10 is a pretty good all around steel. very used by spyderco.

mcustas are good quality knives with very thinly ground blades. heard quite a lot of complaints about slightly of centered blades but that's all.

i gifted one of their money clip knives to my father. quite nice skeleton frame lock with a razor like chisel ground blade (to keep the edge safely against the liner) .
 
I believe the edge lamination on the Damascus Mcusta is VG-10, quite a decent Japaneese blade steel. The laminations - 46 layers - are for 'show'.

In real 500+ layer Damascus, the multi new carbides and lamination edges act like micro-saw edges - they cut by pull rather than by paring/slicing. Don't expect them to pop arm hairs - but they may just take some DNA samples, they can draw blood pretty easily! Alabama Damascus, part of Bear MGC up the road in Jacksonville, AL, makes some basic 512 layer Damascus. Kershaw has used it in some of their Onion designs. I have a couple of Bears and a Kershaw Leek with their Damascus - they 'saw' quite well.

Other Damascus blades - like my 'teardrop' Damascus, made in NY by a 'smith for Buck - really are better to look at than use. That blade is on a Buck Custom Shop 110 I ordered a few years ago. Pretty knife, but the basic Buck 110 in 420HC is a better knife! In my never humble opinion, the Mcusta Damascus looks good - and has that VG-10 for an edge - the best combo for cutting/slicing.

Stainz
 
I bought a couple of Boker 300 layer damacus folders when I started to get into

knives a few years ago. Bokers damacus blades are made in Germany(the

process takes 18-24 hrs...very involved). Both blades have a different

unique pattern. They cost about $400 each. I dont use them..never have.

Id really like to sell them thou. The rc rating is 63-65. Both are made from

German WWII tank barrels.
 
those bokers sound sick... nothing like an item with some history

as for the rest of the replies, i just wanna make sure it doesn't perform significantly WORSE than a normal steel blade; i understand that its mostly for show, thats fine and i like that

i just wanna make sure that if i spend the money on a knife, it'll be able to spend some time in my pocket as well as look good
 
the one i liked but can't find [mostly because i can't remember the name nor where i saw it] had a ss handle, with a design in it; there were holes through the handle. it spoke to me, and i'd like to buy it if i can ever figure out what its called and where i can find it
 
SpartanSaint said:
the one i liked but can't find [mostly because i can't remember the name nor where i saw it] had a ss handle, with a design in it; there were holes through the handle. it spoke to me, and i'd like to buy it if i can ever figure out what its called and where i can find it
Click to expand...

This one?

Img754.jpg
 
SpartanSaint said:
deal spotting? whats that and why is it a bad thing lol
Click to expand...

It's basically posting a link to purchase a knife. It's bad because there is no way of knowing whether links are advertisements.

For example. I might secretly be the owner of that link.

That website has been recommended a few times before. It's pretty legit and secure, btw. Check your private message.

Links like knifeworks.com that are indirect are fine.

EDIT: And if you want that knife, I know of no other dealer that sells that one. I'm thinking they will be discontinued sooner or later.
 
oh ok, makes sense. yeah, checked it out. its a shame that i picked the only mcusta over 200 bucks lmao... but thats the one i want. i thought it was ss, i guess the handle is damascas; oh well. thank you! just gotta save a bit longer is all

like i said. bm 940 this week, mcusta yoroi soon thereafter :jerkit: :D :cool: :thumbup:
 
oh and i have another question. from the pics it looks like the liner lock has an edge that might be a hotspot???

do you feel that when you're using it? its not just on the yoroi either, it seems to be on alot of them. like i said, i'm going off pictures and i'm in the unfortunate position of not having quality knife stores around so i won't be able to handle one before i buy it
 
SpartanSaint said:
oh and i have another question. from the pics it looks like the liner lock has an edge that might be a hotspot???

do you feel that when you're using it? its not just on the yoroi either, it seems to be on alot of them. like i said, i'm going off pictures and i'm in the unfortunate position of not having quality knife stores around so i won't be able to handle one before i buy it
Click to expand...

That's not what the 'hotspot' is for. It's designed like that so you can disengage the liner easier. American companies and makers use a similar method. Instead of leaving the little nub on the locking liner, many will just cut a finger groove on the opposing liner material that gives easier access to the locking liner. FWIW, I've only noticed two companies that use such a method, the other being Fallkniven.

You won't feel the little nub. And if it bothers you, you can take a dremel tool and carefully grind it down. And if you're clumsy with your hands, take it to a machine shop. They will either do it for free since it's like 1 minute of work, or charge you a very modest fee.
 
Here are a few of the ones I mentioned:

IMG_0616.jpg


The custom 110 is probably out - that blade was very limited when I 'lucked' into it. The Bear MGC, #597D, listed a few years back ~$150. I 'won' it on evil-bay a couple of years ago for less than the Kershaw Damascus Leek below it - which was ~$75 delivered then. The VG-10 edge on the Mcusta's Damascus probably trumps the others for utility.

Stainz
 
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