1st cheater knives

[bowdude]

Well I decided a while back to do something special for my brothers on our 1st elk hunt together as a group.  Bought the damascus blanks off the net.  Made the bocote handles and sheathes.  Will never do damascus again.  Keeping a blade oiled is one thing but had I known the dark design came off so easily and was a &^#$% to put back on, I would have stayed with stainless!  3 rights and a lefty.
 
 

[JEFF B]

still nice knives bowdude  

[Redwing]

They look great!

[Dave2old]

Gorgeous! Ah, but damascus is like too many lovely women--their value is only skin deep. A good compromise between damascus and stainless, esp. if we're drilling for rivets, is hi-end carbon, readily available as saw blades. But you already knew that. And your knives are nicer than any I've made. And while I prefer a full-handle length sheath, your double-strap design is cool. Congrats. Your brothers will be, should be, delighted and honored. dave

[fish theotherone]

stunning knives!

[sticshooter]

Those are very sweeeet!<><

[LAR43]

Good lookin' Bowdude. 3 Sweet blades!

I have no experience w/ internet damascus, but damascus' patterns are done by using different steels during the forging process. The patterns are brought out by folding the steel during forging & the different characteristics of the steel, then finally by etching.

If your pattern disappears again go to your nearby  Radio Shack & get a bottle of Archer Etch, used for etching PC boards. Mix it about 2/1 w/water. the etch being one. Follow the instructions re. safety & disposal on the bottle.

Clean your blade w/ acetone to remove any residual oil. Apply the etch by dipping the blade only into the solution 2 to 3X. Let the etch work for 5-10 min. ea. time. The longer the soak, the deeper the etch.

Check each time to see how the pattern is coming up. When it's where you want it, neutralize the etch w/ TSP, usually available @ paint stores as brush cleaner (read the label). I've also neutralized w/ a weak baking powder water mix then rinsed under running water. Just didn't have the TSP at the time.

Most rough service & working knives are finished to only about a 400 grit finish & not highly polished or damascus for the reasons you've experienced.. they're difficult to keep in the condition that first attracted you to them.

Keep makin' them it's really neat stuff!

Larry

[W.Tim]

nice job

[4runr]

Good lookin knives! Nice job!

[bowdude]

Thanks guys - and thanks for tip Larry.