Damascus steel knives

Previously, the technology for producing such knives was kept secret only masters knew how to make them from Damascus steel, and the products were highly valued and incredibly expensive. However, even now, knives made from this material are pricy, and a significant portion of the models belong to collectables.

Damascus steel properties

The main property of this material that interests consumers is hardness. Depending on the processing technology chosen by the manufacturer and the composition of the product itself, it can range from 61 to 64 Rockwell units (HRC). Since Damascus is a forged carbon steel composition, it’s not known for good corrosion resistance – there are practically no alloying elements in the composition.

Types of Damascus steel:
• Wild - named for its irregular pattern. The process for making this steel is the most primitive - a welded package of steel is forged, cut into pieces, folded, and then forged again. This process is repeated many times.
• Plain - differs in a consistently repeating pattern. Technically, it’s really no different from the wild type.
• Stamped - the name comes from using a stamp with the pattern on the blades. Such patterns can resemble wooden rings, stairs, circles on water, etc.
• Mosaic - in this case, a particular package of steels is selected for a layered construction - they are assembled like a mosaic, allowing for a beautiful decorative effect. Blades with inlaid mosaic Damascus strips, cut from the end of the ready block. Such strips can also be used as the middle of the blades.
• Mosaic powder - this type of Damascus, technically, really doesn't differ from the usual mosaic type. Instead of steel strips, the pattern is made from steel powder, poured into a metal can, sintered, and then forged.
• Twisted - the forging blank is made from twisted rods. By adjusting the twist angle and cutting depth, various patterns can be achieved.
• Fibrous - this type is used to produce high-quality Japanese swords. When forging Damascus, steel fibres are not stretched along the entire length of the blades but, on the contrary, are finely cut and layered at a right angle.
• Multi-row Damascus blades are made from several Damascus strips - in the centre, plain Damascus is usually installed, and layers with a beautiful artistic pattern are placed on the surface.
Damascus steel is used to produce swords and other collectable blade models. Household and tourist knife models are optimal for cutting meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, and fruits. The high hardness of the blades does not require constant knife sharpening, making them convenient both in the kitchen and in other areas.