So called "Real damascus" for under $100?

A

AshesFall

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Jul 16, 2019
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Now I know the original "real damascus" method isn't around anymore, but there are these knife companies from India and Pakistan that are calling it real damascus and selling off knives for under $100. My questions are, can you actually get a real folded steel knife for under $100? If so are these knives from India and Pakistan of decent quality? Or is it just fake etching being passed off as folded steel and being called real damascus? The huge amount of these knives I see them selling for under $100 seems rather sketchy to me. Thoughts and opinions?
 
I have seen these and thought the same thing. I don't know much about Damascus but could they be using 2 very cheap steals?
 
Well from watching enough "Forged In Fire" it appears that damascus is cheap and easy. Mix it up, melt it up, press it up and give it an acid etch.

The folks in that triangle probably have about forty cents of material and ten dollars labour into those knives. It's a great deal for them to get a hundred bucks back.

If you want a good blade with a damascus steel blade you'll have lots of choice in North American customs and in various production knives but you'll have multiply that Benjamin a few times to pay for it.
 
The cost of pattern-welded Damascus is primarily in labor. Labor is cheap in Pakistan. Some of the Japanese knives use a factory produced Damascus which apparently limits the amount of labor involved in making it. Low layer counts and simple patterns are perhaps evidence of the simple nature of the production.
 
AshesFall said:
Now I know the original "real damascus" method isn't around anymore, but there are these knife companies from India and Pakistan that are calling it real damascus and selling off knives for under $100. My questions are, can you actually get a real folded steel knife for under $100? If so are these knives from India and Pakistan of decent quality? Or is it just fake etching being passed off as folded steel and being called real damascus? The huge amount of these knives I see them selling for under $100 seems rather sketchy to me. Thoughts and opinions?
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You get what you pay for, if you want cheap, it’s out there. If you want quality from a reputable maker, it’s going to cost.
Devin Thomas, Chad Nichols, Jerry Radois , Bob Kramer make unique patterns that are breath taking. And for that, they bring higher prices for their work
 
Yeah I guess like some of you have already said cheap labor and cheaper steels are most likely the reasons, so probably not fakes.

Like Ajack60 Ajack60 said you get what you pay for, but looks like Kershaw and Civivi should be good to go for reasonable prices.

I'll just stay away from Pakistan damascus knives for now unless someone on here actually has one of these damascus knives and can prove to me otherwise that they are decent knives for the money.
 
VG10-Damascus laminated blades are outstanding. Beautiful and cuts like a razor. Mcusta is the major maker from Japan where the steel (VG10) was developed by Takefu Specialty Metals. Other knife companies are using it now. It is a fantastic blade steel.
Rich
 
True Damascus (wootz) is out there. I forgot the video I watched but there is (or was, he may have died) a blacksmith who was working on the process. The ore comes from very specific Mines in the middle east, I believe Jordan has one where Damascus was originally from. He was developing the techniques to refine and forge the steel.

Apparently true Damascus had some vanadium content, which is what made it so great in antiquity, even if the ancients didn't know exactly why. It's fun to research.

Pattern welded steels just don't do it for me, but if I had to pick some under 100 bucks it would be civivi and Kershaw.
 
respectfully, but wootz is not a damascus steel.

"Wootz steel is a crucible steel characterized by a pattern of bands. These bands are formed by sheets of microscopic carbides within a tempered martensite or pearlite matrix in higher carbon steel, or by ferrite and pearlite banding in lower carbon steels" Wikipedia

I.E. - it is not formed by forge welding different steels together as is Damascus.

Rich
 
Rich S said:
respectfully, but wootz is not a damascus steel.

"Wootz steel is a crucible steel characterized by a pattern of bands. These bands are formed by sheets of microscopic carbides within a tempered martensite or pearlite matrix in higher carbon steel, or by ferrite and pearlite banding in lower carbon steels" Wikipedia

I.E. - it is not formed by forge welding different steels together as is Damascus.

Rich
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Then why is it called wootz Damascus? Why are swords and knives made from wootz called Damascus blades?

The way I understand from everything I've read is that wootz is the original Damascus steel. Pattern welded steels are also Damascus, but unlike wootz it is two different steels blended to make a pattern, while wootz comes by its pattern as a result of the process of making it.

If everything I've read is wrong please, enlighten me. I enjoy learning.
 
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