damascus - want one but confused about it

[Greg]

That's fair enough, I appreciate it very difficult/impossible to tell from just looking at the steel.http://

All I can say Martyn is that I have used my knife for all sorts of jobs including batoning and have not had a problem with it. The blade holds a very good edge and is strong.

You would have to get one for yourself to find out I guess.

 

[Martyn]

All I can say Martyn is that I have used my knife for all sorts of jobs including batoning and have not had a problem with it. The blade holds a very good edge and is strong.

You would have to get one for yourself to find out I guess.

Yeah, but even then it can be difficult to judge. It's made of some sort of steel, so it should cope with thumps from a bit of wood and it sould be sharpenable - I mean they used to make functional knives and axes out of bronze. It's all relative.

Here's what Mike Ameling says about wrought iron knives and axes...

And I'm getting really impressed with how well the couple all wrought iron Trade Axes that I made are holding up - and without any added steel cutting bit. These were based on some of the first cheap trade axes brought over to North America to trade to the Indians back in the 1600's. They were quickly replaced with axes that had STEEL cutting bits welding in - because they held a sharp edge longer. But these soft iron axes are holding up pretty good - and exceeding those "old wives tails". Yes, I do have to sharpen them more often, but no where near as much as everybody thought. Ditto the all wrought iron trade knifes.

There's probably an element of snobbery in turning ones nose up at the indian damascus. But is is the poor relative - or at least it has been to date.

Perhaps there is a better blend of Indian damascus coming through now as some are speculating.

I might have a punt on one of these, at £30 they're cheap enough. This Damastyrene isn't going to find it's way into premium blades just yet, because of it's questionable pedigree, but they should make pretty beaters. But purely from a technical point of view, a homogenous piece of O1 steel should out perform it comfotably - unless it actually is 1095 and 15n20.

 

[Bernie Garland]

if you have a punt at one i'll handle it up for a favour

bernie