Pocket knife with the best Damascus steel

I'm a value knife guy, but I just don't see how you can go wrong with the Praxis. Unless you dislike bigger knives.
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Most pocket knives under the $750 mark that use stainless damascus will use either Devin Thomas or Chad Nichols stainless damascus or Damasteel from the eponymous company in Sweden. Thomas has a couple stainless damascus variants, either 12C27 and 302 or 304 for high-contrast stainless damascus or 12C27 and ATS34 for double high-carbon stainless damascus (302 and 304 are IIRC not heat-treat hardenable), while Chad Nichols uses an AEB-L, 440C, pure nickel, and 304 blend. 12C27 and AEB-L are very comparable. Damasteel uses powder metallurgy to manufacture, and their steel is a blend of RWL34 and PMC27, which are powder metallurgy variants of 154CM and 12C27, respectively. In this realm I would give the nod to Damasteel - I think it looks the best and that the powder metallurgy manufacture does give some improved performance, but both Devin and Chad really know what they are doing.

Damasteel should perform about like CPM154, while Thomas or Nichols damascus will probably mostly perform like high-hardness AEB-L.

Chad and Damasteel both make san-mai type damascus with a center cutting edge layer of usually a better-regarded steel. Chad has used 3V, Elmax, and CTS-XHP as core steels in the past. Damasteel uses the relatively little-known N11X, which is basically a near-copy of Vanax, a high-vanadium nitrogen steel alloy. I would think these steels, which are very uncommon outside of custom knives at substantially higher price points that the high-end production folder level, would perform better than any of the three more common forms.
 
If you can find a knife in it, Damacore DC18N would probably fit the bill. Core uses a Vanax analog and would be pretty good for wear resistance and excellent for corrosion resistant.

Glenn Goodlett Glenn Goodlett Good call on the Nichols XHP Core.

Gonna have to see if the mad lad will make a CPM-MagnaCut core knife. I'm gonna need that.
I imagine Devin Thomas might be convinced to use MagnaCut... I hear he and Larrin Larrin go way back

Damascus steel can be very pretty, but I doubt it can equal today's powder steels,or plain old high carbon steel for that matter.
Damasteel uses two powder metallurgy steels: RWL34 (similar to CPM154) and PMC27 (essentially a PM 12C27). CPM154 has more than 50% better edge retention than 1095 or 52100.

I'm a value knife guy, but I just don't see how you can go wrong with the Praxis. Unless you dislike bigger knives.
CIVC803DS2nt.jpg
I have the same knife. For $70, it's a relative bargain. The 9Cr18MoV-based damascus is pretty solid for "budget" damascus.
 
madcap_magician Thank you for all the info

OrangebueOrangeBlue MagnaCut sounds interesting hopefully it will be done.

So with san-mai the middle layer is the cutting steel and when the blade is made the middle layer is left a little longer to leave the cutting edge?

The video I saw on the powder shows a peice of bent metal inserted into a block with powder poured in after. I guess they just cut that into blanks and shape them?

If Chad and Damasteel both make san-mai type damascus what does Devin Thomas use?

Thank You
 
madcap_magician Thank you for all the info

OrangebueOrangeBlue MagnaCut sounds interesting hopefully it will be done.

So with san-mai the middle layer is the cutting steel and when the blade is made the middle layer is left a little longer to leave the cutting edge?

The video I saw on the powder shows a peice of bent metal inserted into a block with powder poured in after. I guess they just cut that into blanks and shape them?

If Chad and Damasteel both make san-mai type damascus what does Devin Thomas use?

Thank You
"Standard" damascus has a combination of steels throughout the entire billet, so even the eventual cutting edge will have portions in each alloy. The "san mai" style (branded as "Damacore" by Damasteel) adds that pattern welded damascus to each side of a core consisting of a chosen steel (generally something that has better performance than the damascus). As long as the core is centered in the billet and the grind is symmetrical, the edge of the knife will be from the core steel. Traditionally, san mai construction was used to allow for a high-hardness cutting edge with a modicum of durability provided by the softer steel used for the outer cladding.

Devin Thomas makes both. From his website's FAQ:
A Swedish carbon steel 19C5VA, or American tool steel O1 are used in combination with nickel for high contrast or 15N20 for double high carbon performance. Swedish stainless steels AEB-L or 19C27 are used with austenitic stainless 302 or 304 for high contrast, or used with ATS-34 for double high carbon stainless. Some special combinations are offered such as D2/154CM or 3V/154CM. For our custom knives we often offer san-mai where there is a solid core steel that does the cutting with a jacket of damascus or other steel.
 
If you want the COOLEST Damascus, probably the best is "scary Damascus" by Don Hanson III - example below:
 
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I imagine Devin Thomas might be convinced to use MagnaCut... I hear he and Larrin Larrin go way back

I didn't forget about Devin Thomas nor his relationship to Larrin Thomas. However, I only mentioned Chad Nichols since his stuff seems a more readily available on his website if one wanted to purchase some and have a custom maker make a knife for them. Additionally, at least to my knowledge, Nichols has done some pretty exotic stuff like using Stellite for the core. I figured, if anyone was gonna make some crazy damascus combo, Nichols would be top of the list.

madcap_magician Thank you for all the info

OrangebueOrangeBlue MagnaCut sounds interesting hopefully it will be done.

So with san-mai the middle layer is the cutting steel and when the blade is made the middle layer is left a little longer to leave the cutting edge?

The video I saw on the powder shows a peice of bent metal inserted into a block with powder poured in after. I guess they just cut that into blanks and shape them?

If Chad and Damasteel both make san-mai type damascus what does Devin Thomas use?

Thank You

Well, in san-mai, the middle layer isn't left "longer." Just once the profile is ground down, the middle section becomes more apparent.

Nichols and Damasteel make both core and pattern. Devin Thomas makes both types, as well.
 
For sanmai Damascus, I like the Japanese made VG10 laminated Damascus. Pretty, well made and cut like the devil.
Rich
 
Whew! I guess it'll just have to be another supermodel; that I admire from afar...
 
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