Is the Damascus steel made today the same as the Damascus steel made centuries ago?

Is the Damascus steel made today the same as the Damascus steel made centuries ago?

It is important to understand the history, the mystery and the tradition surrounding this lost art long ago and how today's Damascus Steel is measured.

Since history can document, knives and swords were made with carbon steel, hand-forged by blacksmiths whose art defined entire cultures. Once you hold and swing a Damascus steel blade in your hand, you will realize the quality and history that are now part of your Legacy. Carbon steel blades when properly maintained, improve with use. Regular grinding and a simple application of oil is all that is needed.

The traditional steel knives and swords of Damascus dominated the armament from the Iron Age to the Viking Age. It was said that Alexander the Great had a Damascus sword, and even Aristotle commented on the high quality Damascus steel blade. Its origins date back to 500 d. C. In India it was commonly known as Wootz or Ukka Steel. Then he discovered that it was the road to Damascus, Syria, which was the trading center of that region for war equipment, such as knives, swords and armor. Damascus Steel was the name that the Crusaders gave to the steel they had seen cutting their own lower quality swords, cutting the sword in half with a single blow without losing its edge.

The steel that the swordsmen of ancient Damascus forged was a secret so well guarded that it can not be perfectly replicated, even today. The process was lost to the blacksmiths of the Middle East around 1750 AD. C., possibly because the mineral sources containing small amounts of tungsten and / or vanadium necessary for its production were exhausted.

Modern Day Damascus Steel or "Pattern Welded Steel" is a sought-after blade, not only for its quality and beauty, but also for the mystery and history that surrounds it continuously, intriguing others to own a small part of it. The process has existed for thousands of years, but even with a little modern technology, the smithy that enters one of our knives is still a true art form that is a process of countless hours of work that has taken many years to master . .

The welding of patterns consists of taking multiple layers of metal, folding them and joining them by means of welding of forging. Our Damascus steel blades are made of 1095 carbon steel and a nickel steel called 15N20. Nickel in steel resists acid etching, giving the blade the brightest layers you see in a particular pattern. Getting the exact carbon content in the steel mix is where art and true science come together. If you get too much carbon, you get a pile of cast iron, and if it's too little, you get a pile of wrought iron. Perfectly combining these two types of steel gives you an incredibly strong and flexible blade that will maintain a razor's edge at a HRC of 56-58.

Steel for pattern welding is like using building blocks. The different steels are stacked in a pattern in a block or billet and welded together. The billet is placed under extreme heat and hammered into a single piece of steel. This piece is drastically diluted. The smith bends the steel again and again, then repeats the process several times. Most Damascus patterns have been stacked or twisted to give each leaf its unique pattern. Depending on the design of the blade, it will have from 250 layers to more than 500 layers. This bending and handling of the steel is what makes it strong, as well as the beautiful pattern on the finished sheet. This whole process gives you a sharper blade than other common steels. Finally, after sharpening the blade of the Damascus knives, they are placed in the oven until it reaches 1500 degrees. Then it is removed and turned off in oil. The blade should be tempered so that it is heated again at 425 degrees for approximately two hours. After cooling, sand it with fine sandpaper and sharpen it. The engraving on the blade is done by using a mixture of acid and water to eat the softest metal that reveals the Damascus pattern. The final result of our knives is an incredible knife that is very sharp with a HRC of 56-58.

There is something to be said about having a reliable knife that you can rely on day after day. Our mission at Cold Steel Outdoors is to provide "that knife", which can be passed on from generation to generation. A world-class knife with superior craftsmanship and blacksmithing that will rival any knife in the market. One that will maintain a knife edge and will take care of any task of a true hunter or nature lovers. Our Damascus steel knives are all this as well as being a unique and handcrafted work of art. Each blade is forged and crafted for hours and hours until the masterpiece dstir of each blade. One can not really appreciate one of our world-class Damascus steel knives until you feel that you forged Cold Steel in your hand and it becomes one of your essential and trusted tools as you experience the Great Outdoors.We are dedicated to making custom Handmade Damascus Steel Brass Bolster knives with traditional, high specifications and handmade touch.

What is the true steel of Damascus?

What is the true steel of Damascus?

The word "Damascus steel" is unfortunately not a protected term and, therefore, cheap lamination laminates are often sold as damask. In a rolling mill, a normal steel knife (often free of rust) is provided in the welded joint with a "strip paper" to produce a damask appearance. However, unlike the real damask, this method has no effect on the cutting properties of the blade, so only optics are paid here.

The right steel of Damascus consists of at least two blades for blades, which are alternately present on the blade as many thin layers. In addition, a decisive quality feature is that steels not only differ but complement each other in interaction. Especially the favorable and imported damask often has large fluctuations in quality.               

Only if the 5 criteria are met, a Damascus is worth its price

1.The damask steels must complement each other in their properties and be suitable for use. Especially with low-priced Damascus steels from abroad, it usually lies, because there is no used steel with high-quality components like 1095 and 15N20, 1.1248, 1.2003, 1.2067, 1.3505, 1.2210 and other high-quality steels more than we use for our unique compositions depending on the knife line. Our advice: Get away from the cheap damask!

2. The layout of the Damascus steels and the mixing ratio should be chosen according to the requirements. The number of layers must also be at least 100 layers. We recommend 50 to 100 layers per material thickness per mm.

3. The steel structure must be optimally adjusted by a precise heat treatment. In Damascus steel production, the steel is heated to more than 1,200 ° c. As a result, the steel structure suffers greatly and the steel becomes gritty and brittle. Only when the microstructure has been professionally corrected and refined, will the resulting blade remain sharp for a long time and give you pleasure. The purchase of damask is a matter of confidence in the capabilities of the manufacturer. Otherwise, buy the cat in the bag.

4. Small weld failures may occur in Damascus steel, but these must be very small and barely visible. In no case can major defects be repaired simply with the welder, because these areas will not be difficult later on. Pay attention to the large points that interrupt the pattern. You will be surprised at how often you can see something like this.

5. The hardening and tempering of the finished blade must be carried out by an experienced damask blacksmith. Only if you know the material accurately can you achieve optimal results. Hardener plants often cannot harden the blade as a single piece and do not release the effectiveness that is dozing in a good damascene steel.

REASONS TO BUY DAMASCO STEEL KNIVES

5 REASONS TO BUY DAMASCO STEEL KNIVES

For a fan of hunting, fishing or cooking, or the gun enthusiast, buying a knife does not mean going to the local supercenter and choosing something on a whim. A knife is (or should be) an investment, both in your time and research and in your money. If you are looking for a new blade, or a complete set, it might be time to know the benefits of having a Damascus steel blade (or several of them).

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL

Buy Damascus steel knives. One of the reasons why many people are initially attracted to Damascus steel knives is pretty superficial, deliciously, actually. It's because Damascus steel is so beautiful that you cannot help but notice it online or in a display case in front of you. Due to the process of forging Damascus steel, the blade has a beautifully stamped appearance, which often shows a "wavy" design. Of course, not all Damascus Steel patterns are similar, and here at Vegas Forge we create patterns that suit the dreams of any possible knife owner. So, if you're in the market, do not just explore the Damascus steel sheets: explore a large amount of Damascus steel sheets to determine which one you like the most.

THEY ARE WITHOUT TIME

Due to its very nature, knives made of Damascus steel are a kind of antiques, even when you buy them brand new. This is due to the technique used to forge Damascus steel, that is, to forge (or melt) two or more varieties of steel to form a strong and unified alloy. Due to this process, the end result is a metal that is modeled due to the various layers of steel. This technique dates back hundreds of years. Although the process of "original" forging of Damascus steel has been lost through the ages, the modern technique used to create strong steel in these characteristic patterns is something to celebrate. Wootz and patternweld are also terms that are sometimes used to indicate this layered forging technique.

IT IS MADE FOR A PURPOSE

Due to the forging technique used to create Damascus steel, the finished product (the knife you are looking to buy) is probably a high quality and very useful tool. This is because the Damascus steel maker selected the alloys that would best work together for the purpose in question and would create a beautiful pattern to boot. A Damascus steel blade, as you know, features steel alloy waves, which are on the edge of the knife and determine the cutting performance of the blade. This means that they will be manipulated specifically for the intended purpose: hunting, fishing, cooking, etc.

SHARP STAYS

Anyone who buys a knife for any purpose wants it to be sharp (there's not much you can do with a dull knife but get frustrated!) When you choose a well-made Damascus steel knife, it will stay sharp longer than most production quality knives. That is not a guarantee, of course, that you will never need to sharpen your blade, but you will probably do it less often. Hey, that's part of the reason why we call these knives "inversions."

THEY ARE NOT ONLY FOR EXTERIORS

Hunters and fishermen probably know the value of a good knife. But a beautiful Damascus steel blade is the perfect gift, or splurge, for anyone. One way to use this quality metal on a day-to-day basis is through its set of kitchen knives. Not only do Damascus steel kitchen knives work optimally and stay sharp, they also add a wonderfully unique element to your kitchen and are always a great conversation piece.For a fan of hunting, fishing or cooking, or the gun enthusiast, buying a knife does not mean going to the local supercenter and choosing something on a whim. A knife is (or should be) an investment, both in your time and research and in your money. If you are looking for a new blade, or a complete set, it might be time to know the benefits of having a Damascus steel blade (or several of them).

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL

Buy Damascus steel knives. One of the reasons why many people are initially attracted to Damascus steel knives is pretty superficial, deliciously, actually. It's because Damascus steel is so beautiful that you cannot help but notice it online or in a display case in front of you. Due to the process of forging Damascus steel, the blade has a beautifully stamped appearance, which often shows a "wavy" design. Of course, not all Damascus Steel patterns are similar, and here at Vegas Forge we create patterns that suit the dreams of any possible knife owner. So, if you're in the market, do not just explore the Damascus steel sheets: explore a large amount of Damascus steel sheets to determine which one you like the most.

THEY ARE WITHOUT TIME

Due to its very nature, knives made of Damascus steel are a kind of antiques, even when you buy them brand new. This is due to the technique used to forge Damascus steel, that is, to forge (or melt) two or more varieties of steel to form a strong and unified alloy. Due to this process, the end result is a metal that is modeled due to the various layers of steel. This technique dates back hundreds of years. Although the process of "original" forging of Damascus steel has been lost through the ages, the modern technique used to create strong steel in these characteristic patterns is something to celebrate. Wootz and patternweld are also terms that are sometimes used to indicate this layered forging technique.

IT IS MADE FOR A PURPOSE

Due to the forging technique used to create Damascus steel, the finished product (the knife you are looking to buy) is probably a high quality and very useful tool. This is because the Damascus steel maker selected the alloys that would best work together for the purpose in question and would create a beautiful pattern to boot. A Damascus steel blade, as you know, features steel alloy waves, which are on the edge of the knife and determine the cutting performance of the blade. This means that they will be manipulated specifically for the intended purpose: hunting, fishing, cooking, etc.

SHARP STAYS

Anyone who buys a knife for any purpose wants it to be sharp (there's not much you can do with a dull knife but get frustrated!) When you choose a well-made Damascus steel knife, it will stay sharp longer than most production quality knives. That is not a guarantee, of course, that you will never need to sharpen your blade, but you will probably do it less often. Hey, that's part of the reason why we call these knives "inversions."

THEY ARE NOT ONLY FOR EXTERIORS

Hunters and fishermen probably know the value of a good knife. But a beautiful Damascus steel blade is the perfect gift, or splurge, for anyone. One way to use this quality metal on a day-to-day basis is through its set of kitchen knives. Not only do Damascus steel kitchen knives work optimally and stay sharp, they also add a wonderfully unique element to your kitchen and are always a great conversation piece.we are making Handmade damascus hunting knives with best price with best quality.