- Joined
- Jan 26, 2015
- Messages
- 444
What are some of the reasons more knife makers don't use pattern welded steel for blades?
If the price of damascus seemed at all reasonable or affordable, then it's poor Paki material.
I've tested some from three different suppliers. Max Hardness of Rc42.how do you know the damascus from Pakistan is poor material? Have you tried it?
Do you even know what Paki means?
The pathetic fact is that the guy who posted it probably would.Even I would not say that word to my friends from Pakistan.
It's not a racial slight, it's me not typing out the whole word.how do you know the damascus from Pakistan is poor material? Have you tried it?
Do you even know what Paki means? Interestingly enough, the only time I've ever been called a Paki was when I lived in Toronto.
All imports? Really?
True. In the early to mid 1970's, I recall that a damascus blade from the few guys who were forging the stuff carried a minimum of a $10 per blade inch premium over and above the regular cost of the knife. Think about what you can get stuff like Alabama Damascus,which IMO, is not great, but not bad, per square inch over 40 years later. If I am using 1084 and 15N20, my steel cost to make a square inch of .250 thick steel is below $1. Factoring in propane, abrasives, etc, it is still not much more than $2. Labor is the BIG cost, especially because I only have a 16 ton press and not a power hammer or rolling mill. Assuming people would buy the stuff, what could I get? Alabama Damascus random pattern can be had for the equivalent of about $4 a square inch for that .250 stock. So if we do the math, that says that today, Alabama Damascus cost anywhere from say 40 to 60% of what the upcharge was for simple random pattern damascus made from high and low carbon steel the 1970's.Expense, if you don't make your own it is very expensive to buy, it is also expensive to make and hard for makers to be able to recoup the cost of PWS in the knives they make. If you are not a known maker it is hard to break even.