Ouestion about Damascus

[coaster500]

Other than the obvious beauty, does Damascus steel have any functional advantages over other steels?

Sorry for a question that is probably obvious to you.

Thank you

[Lin Rhea]

It is a good question with all of the legends and myths that are passed around. The practical answer is no. It is still carbon steel and will heat treat basically like any other. But, what it does do is give the tool a little different cutting quality, since the edge is made up of many layers all coming together at the same time. In other words a micro fine serrated edge. This does cut some things better, but most people could not tell the difference. If I had to have one knife, to survive with, it would be a toss up. The design of the knife would be more important to me than whether or not it is damascus. Lin

[tippit]

OK Lin,
Since this question is up on 2 recent posts.  I love the look of Damascus...but personally it doesn't seem to hold an edge as well as 5160 or 52100 for me.  Sooo....

1) Damascus with pure or mostly nickle wouldn't hold an edge as well cause as you explained in a previous damascus post...the nickle won't harden?

2) Does 15n20 by itself have high carbon hardening properties similar to 5160 or 1084?

3) Will damascus 15n20/1084 be as good in holding an edge as just plain high carbon steel?

Thanks...Grasshopper

[Lin Rhea]

Jeff,
      15N20 is good stuff, yes it has plenty of carbon, somewhere on the .70 range.

15N20 and 1084 makes a great blade. Great. They will average out in the high .70s (.070%)

The problem with putting, and I do mean putting, nickle in is that pure nickle wont harden and it cant help but have soft spots. People do it, but I dont care for it much. Lin

[kbaknife]

Jeff, if you're having problems with whatever damascus you are using, you should maybe determine the steel types, and how it was heat treated.
There should be little difficulty in getting good damascus to perform right along with 5160.
15N20 is the primary saw blade steel used in saw mills. Just think of the miles of logs a saw mill band saw blade cuts up before it is sharpened or replaced!
That little bit - between 2 and 3% - of nickel in there really makes it tough.
It's darn good stuff.

[coaster500]

Thank you, I had two bows built (Twins) and the bowyer save some of the riser material for knife scales. I love the way damascus looks I just was not sure if there were any disadvantages with it as I fully intend to use the knife.

This place never ceases to amaze me, mountains of information.

Again Thank you

Kip