What are the advantages of damascus? Of course it looks nice, but does it have better cutting abilities?
Michiel
Michiel
damascus
- Thread starter michiel
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Firstly there is a lot of poor damascus out there for the purpose of this answer i am assuming we are talking about dam using two steels with similar heat treatment properties and heat treated and welded properly.
There arent any advantages to it. Not in real terms.
But some say that the two steels used will wear at slightly different rates and therefore create micro serrations to help cutting ability.
If this is true and i doubt it you wouldnt be able to measure the difference.
So the only advantage is aesthetics
There arent any advantages to it. Not in real terms.
But some say that the two steels used will wear at slightly different rates and therefore create micro serrations to help cutting ability.
If this is true and i doubt it you wouldnt be able to measure the difference.
So the only advantage is aesthetics
Eric_Methven
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
We're not really talking about damascus in the traditional sense here. We're talking about pattern welded steel. True damascus was made from iron and steel and heated in a crucible. It's advantage was to give strength from the steel and flexibility from the iron, so you had a blade that was incredibly tough on the cutting edge and flexible enough not to shatter on impact.
Pattern welded steel is more asthetic as Shirken says. With modern materials and modern heat treatments the hardness/flexibility is a moot point I think.
Still looks gorgeous though, and a nice twisty pattern shows beautiful workmanship.
Eric
Pattern welded steel is more asthetic as Shirken says. With modern materials and modern heat treatments the hardness/flexibility is a moot point I think.
Still looks gorgeous though, and a nice twisty pattern shows beautiful workmanship.
Eric
Eric has a good point. True Damascus is actually wootz, which is a kind of crucible steel with a very clear Ultra HiGh Carbon steel showing a dendrictic structure. Very different animal to 'damascus that we think of, which is actually pattern welded steel ( show pattern based on teh chemical differences of mechanially combined ferrous metals)
There is truth in the different wear rate of the steels in the blade, which yes they would provide a more serrated blade, but would be a relative saw compared to the micro-striations left by sharpening). There is absulutely no advantage in using a blade of differnet steels. In fact for a using knife I would rather have a single piece of steel, since between each layer is a potential flaw.Yes baldesmiths and steel producers are going ot try and get a blade with no flaws, but sh*t happens and you can't be 100% certain (except in the mass priduced powder metallurgy stuff).
With modern tool steels there is no benefit to a 'damascus' blade. It was orignially used to combine the strength of iron with the edge holding of steel without the problems each had in older methods of metal production. The ONLY reason for using a damascus blade today is for teh aesthetic qualities of it (and as a maker to show off that you can make damascus, if you buy it then there is no benefit except the price tag associated with the extra work and prettyness)
There is truth in the different wear rate of the steels in the blade, which yes they would provide a more serrated blade, but would be a relative saw compared to the micro-striations left by sharpening). There is absulutely no advantage in using a blade of differnet steels. In fact for a using knife I would rather have a single piece of steel, since between each layer is a potential flaw.Yes baldesmiths and steel producers are going ot try and get a blade with no flaws, but sh*t happens and you can't be 100% certain (except in the mass priduced powder metallurgy stuff).
With modern tool steels there is no benefit to a 'damascus' blade. It was orignially used to combine the strength of iron with the edge holding of steel without the problems each had in older methods of metal production. The ONLY reason for using a damascus blade today is for teh aesthetic qualities of it (and as a maker to show off that you can make damascus, if you buy it then there is no benefit except the price tag associated with the extra work and prettyness)
more and more makers are playing with making wootz (though they all use chemical grade ingredients). Some are also going down the Japanese route to making steel, which is kinda cross between iron smelting and wootz making, you still get a spongey bloom of iron and steel out the end, again most use modern kit and chemical grade ingredients to ensure success (cheats 
)
Most of that is in the US, but I know a wootz maker in Belgium and a few who are playing in the UK. Colin KC (over at BB) has just made his first succesful wootz cake and turned it into a blade. Looks good, but he's still working on it
)Most of that is in the US, but I know a wootz maker in Belgium and a few who are playing in the UK. Colin KC (over at BB) has just made his first succesful wootz cake and turned it into a blade. Looks good, but he's still working on it
You've added an extra "e" at the end of wootz, so the limk doesn't work.
True damascus isn't an iron/steel mix, all you get is lower carbon steel.
Wootz was made in a crucible to form an ultra high carbon steel with a segregated carbide/pearlite matrix
Damascus as we know it today has no advantage over monosteels except, as Shinken says, just for looks.
Wootz was made in a crucible to form an ultra high carbon steel with a segregated carbide/pearlite matrix
Damascus as we know it today has no advantage over monosteels except, as Shinken says, just for looks.
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