Damascus Blade thread

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  • Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    163   0   0
    Dec 31, 2013
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    I’m glad to see some interest in Damascus steel knives as of late. I’ve played with blacksmithing off and on for years and find it very satisfying but have never delved into the fine art of mixing and folding steel. I do however appreciate the end result whether it be a centuries old katana worth as much as my work car or a fine old home forged skinner. So I collect them.
    Recently I made a few discoveries online that I think are definitely worth the scratch, and it ain’t much. $40-70 per knife has opened my eyes to a completely different source and I’m making it work for me. No regret at all yet.
    I got these in today and wanted to share. They are indeed full tang Damascus steel, no welded tangs. The steel types are listed in description when buying. They are authentic and advertise a Rockwell hardness of 58-60. These are made by Perkin, I believe Pakistan or somewhere else in the Middle East (camel bone handle on some models is a giveaway) but don’t seem to be lacking in quality whatsoever. Even the leather sheaths are of higher quality than the cost suggests. Very thick leather and heavy stitching, quality hardware, all oiled and ready for service. There is nothing ‘rough’ about these knives and I think anyone who’s bought a Pakistan knife can relate to what I mean by rough. The edges all appear machined, no grind marks or interruptions in the edge where Hobeeb might have slipped. And they are sharp. At the most I may swing them on the leather a few licks but I don’t see much room for improvement once a blade reaches razor level and will easily shave your arm baby smooth.

    The boot knife pictured has a perfectly cut blade with a true centerline and both edges looking very symmetrical and equally sharp. The edges on all three of these look perfect all the way to the point. They all feel tight and trim but have a nice heft to them. Like a good piece of steel should.
    I ordered these from Amazon but I found the Perkin website and did some research. They tout that they’re based in the UK but the ‘About Us’ story reads like a Chinese or Middle eastern email scam. They apparently have a custom knife service where you can send images and they will forge the blade for you. 4-5 weeks I believe I saw for turnaround but it may be less.
    Also while searching on Amazon I saw several blades ready for handles and finish work at good prices.
    I bought a couple of the Boker Kalashnikovs in Damascus when I saw them and that’s the first time I got anything of the sort that wasn’t considered custom or small forge type steel and was surprised at the lower cost. I’d always paid way more and rightly so when you consider the work and finesse involved. But I can’t say anything negative about these knives, especially for what they cost. I have a few more coming from different companies (I’m assuming they’re different) and I’ll post pics when they arrive.
    I figure I’ll irritate at least one collector with this thread, but before you judge, just know that I’ve bought and traded for some nice high end stuff too, but can’t knock these for any reason. I imagine they probably aren’t forged using the same steel or process, but I can’t argue about how authentic they are when I’m holding it in my hand.

    Post up your Damascus and any good sources, local or camel bone!
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    I
     
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    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    Dec 31, 2013
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    Nice Knives.

    Thanks JB.
    Just got this one in today. And looks like I was right as to origin. The brand was Posh.

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    It was nice and full of oil and wrapped in wax paper. Just as nice as the others but with nice solid camel bone slabs. Everything was match ground and polished. The blade measured 4.45mm thick at the back. This is a shank. Extremely sharp. Sheath is equally as heavy as the others. I may may polish the blade on this one to match the tang. Hard to tell from the pics but the layers are still visible on the polished end.
    40 bucks
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    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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    DAVE_M

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    I'm skeptical of foreign made damascus knives of unknown origin and composition.

    I'm also not a huge fan of damascus as a utility knife, but Adam and Haley DesRosiers make some very nice knives. One of their hunters is on my grail list.

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    3fifty7

    CoonAss
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    Man I’d much rather see you spend money with a real knifemaker making real Damascus. The general consensus on Pakimascus is mystery steel that’s been surface etched.
    I’ve made a couple Damascus blades and have a real appreciation for what it takes to do so and the amount of loss involved.
    Check out Dan Graves, he is a bladesmith out of Shreveport who specializes in Damascus and has some of the most competitive prices out there. I’ve been to his shop a few times for a hammer in.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    Dec 31, 2013
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    Man I’d much rather see you spend money with a real knifemaker making real Damascus. The general consensus on Pakimascus is mystery steel that’s been surface etched.
    I’ve made a couple Damascus blades and have a real appreciation for what it takes to do so and the amount of loss involved.
    Check out Dan Graves, he is a bladesmith out of Shreveport who specializes in Damascus and has some of the most competitive prices out there. I’ve been to his shop a few times for a hammer in.
    well, over the years I’ve spent a few thousand bucks on Damascus blades from different smiths. Trust me, thousands. My first was a nice piece that I bought from a guy in Tennessee while on vacation in the late 80’s that cost me over $200 if I remember correctly. I’m not trying to cheat any local bladesmith here for goodness sake. What I’ve done is discovered another source for something that I enjoy collecting. As much as you might not like it, I assure you I’ve sampled plenty of the authentic art right here in the south and I actually got interested in that because of my interest in very old Japanese steel. Don’t feel bad for me, I’ve not been misled. Neither am I trying to mislead anyone here. Just posting up a very low cost alternative that I can enjoy. I assure you that nothing I’ve bought to date is surface etched, but I’d invite you to inspect every piece of steel in my collection to see if you can find one that has. After about 35 years of collecting I’m just gonna blindly say that I can tell the difference. These are indeed a blend of different steels, regardless of the exact type (although they do mention the specific types in the description), using what appears to be the same process.
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    EDIT: This is what I was talking about in the description. I wanna say the Nazarov knives I have use the same blend or something close.
    I know who Dan Graves is and hope I’m
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    fortunate enough to meet him one day. I have a lot of family in the Shreveport/Texarkana area and visit often.
    I had a feeling I’d spark this sort of discussion. But let it roll. It’s all good.
     
    Last edited:

    DAVE_M

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    well, over the years I’ve spent a few thousand bucks on Damascus blades from different smiths. Trust me, thousands. My first was a nice piece that I bought from a guy in Tennessee while on vacation in the late 80’s that cost me over $200 if I remember correctly. I’m not trying to cheat any local bladesmith here for goodness sake. What I’ve done is discovered another source for something that I enjoy collecting. As much as you might not like it, I assure you I’ve sampled plenty of the authentic art right here in the south and I actually got interested in that because of my interest in very old Japanese steel. Don’t feel bad for me, I’ve not been misled. Neither am I trying to mislead anyone here. Just posting up a very low cost alternative that I can enjoy. I assure you that nothing I’ve bought to date is surface etched, but I’d invite you to inspect every piece of steel in my collection to see if you can find one that has. After about 35 years of collecting I’m just gonna blindly say that I can tell the difference. These are indeed a blend of different steels, regardless of the exact type (although they do mention the specific types in the description), using what appears to be the same process.
    I know who Dan Graves is and hope I’m fortunate enough to meet him one day. I have a lot of family in the Shreveport/Texarkana area and visit often.
    I had a feeling I’d spark this sort of discussion. But let it roll. It’s all good.

    Do you have any way to confirm that they are actual Damascus and not just etched?

    I know you think everything I post in reply to you is picking a fight, but I'm genuinely asking. As 3fifty7 stated, most of the Pakistani knives are made of unknown metals. Typically from leftover scraps of whatever they can find. If you're happy with whatever you're paid, that's totally okay. I just don't want people to think these are what you will get from a Master Bladesmith.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    Dec 31, 2013
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    Do you have any way to confirm that they are actual Damascus and not just etched?

    I know you think everything I post in reply to you is picking a fight, but I'm genuinely asking. As 3fifty7 stated, most of the Pakistani knives are made of unknown metals. Typically from leftover scraps of whatever they can find. If you're happy with whatever you're paid, that's totally okay. I just don't want people to think these are what you will get from a Master Bladesmith.
    I’m sure people appreciate the public service provided but let’s just stick to our deal Dave.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    What deal?
    The deal where you don’t address me and I won’t address you. I sent you a PM all about it when you started your penis talk. If you know what I think then you also know I wouldn’t suffer you in person so let’s just keep it out of the forums. That bridge is burned, there’s simply no point, let’s just stick to the deal.
     

    DAVE_M

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    :rofl:

    I didn’t think you were serious.

    Talk about internet drama. I’m not making any promises to ensure that I avoid posting anywhere on the forum just because you’re around.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    :rofl:

    I didn’t think you were serious.

    Talk about internet drama. I’m not making any promises to ensure that I avoid posting anywhere on the forum just because you’re around.

    Drama huh? Your drama. How soon we forget. You know I never said anything about not posting. It’s really simple. Don’t address me. I won’t address you. Gonna just put you back on ignore. Watch how easy it is to ignore a trouble maker.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    So anyway, back to the thread, in the description of these knives I found that (they state) they use 1080 and 1095 high carbon steel and mix it with 15N20 which is an alloy made with a high nickel content and makes a decent tool steel. These combinations are indeed the basis for Damascus steel. So, unless they’re out and out lying about the composition, these cheaper alternatives are what they say they are. I’m also seeing blade blanks and unfinished blades by the same makers. The main difference is they aren’t made here in the US. Neither is a lot of the ammo we shoot. Neither are many of the guns we buy. The cars, the clothes, you get the picture.
    So, I think every knife collector deserves a few fine pieces of home grown Damascus steel in their collection. And if you enjoy it and maybe wanna try some you can put to work without the worry of what you paid for it, this version might be for you.
     

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
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    I may have missed it if it was presented but is there any way to confirm a knife is actual Damascus and not just etched? Seems like a legitimate and topical question to me.
     

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