Damascus: The truth, mystery and misinformation

[John]

<p style=”text-align: center;”>I have been a knife Dealer for over 10 years…6 years full-time and more recently part time. I have sold at literally 100s of Gun Shows and other Events. The Most Striking thing to me over all these years is the Totality of Misinformation regarding Damascus Knives! Factually, the original process and material are still a mystery…yet many wantabe Knife experts seemto have all the answers! The reason I joined this post is because I was fascinated by reading…Damascus from Pakistan inferior, don’t buy raw material from India…etc. etc. Apparently, these writers know very little if anything about the history, origin, or maybe little else about forging a “hand made” knife…wether w you call it pattern welded or Damascus…Can you Validate the difference? How about where you got the steel? How about the Craftsman themselves? Curious to to the responses this posting will definitely generate!</p>

[Dwight Glass]

Welcome John. I do not know if I am misinformed about Damascus Knives, but I do know that am mostly uninformed. thank You for being part of this forum.

[Marc H]

Informative reading about Damascus Steel

Wootz Steel: Making Damascus Steel Blades

Damascus Steel Facts

Here is an interesting quote from the third link: “Although modern high-carbon steels made using the 19th century Bessemer process surpass the quality of Damascus steel, it remains an outstanding material, particularly for its day. There are two types of Damascus steel: cast Damascus steel and pattern-welded Damascus”. 

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

2 users thanked author for this post.

Organic, Brewbear

[Brewbear]

Welcome to the forums @John, I see @MarcH beat me to it. Wootz steel is the famed Damascus steel.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Marc H

[Author]

Posts