I had it for two years, then I lost it….Darn. Oh, and it also had a toothpick and twizers. The knife also had a bottle opener and a can opener. The big blade on the knife (if you call it big) had a drop point, and the small blade had what you call a sprey point. But what an I going to do with it? I know, open all the boxes you order…but that’s about it. Well it’s mine now! I just put it in my pocket, and looked at it when I got home.”So you found a Swiss Army knife”, my girlfriend said? Yep, and it’s mine now. I saw it on the ground, someone must of dropped it. Then one day when I was at a festival with my girlfriend, I found a Swiss Army Knife. However, I never got one for the simple reason I had no use for it. I always wanted a folding knife when I was a kid, a penknife. But a hunting knife? When I say I don’t know anything about knives, I know a little. Why am I saying this? Just recently, my girlfriend ordered for me a Damascus hunting knife from the Stauer catalog……go figure! My birthday will soon be here, and she thought it would be a great present. I really don’t know anything about knives, except what I already read. If you’re using good quality materials from a reputable forge, Damascus is plenty strong. The idea that Damascus steel is too soft, brittle, or unreliable for practical applications comes from the prevalence of cheap, poorly made metals. Stainless Damascus is handled a little differently, so if you’re going to work with it, make sure you heat treat it correctly. Remember, too, that there are different kinds of Damascus.Ĭarbon Damascus is softer to work with but once hardened, it’s harder than stainless. Damascus also tends to stay sharper for longer, which is a definite advantage for slicing and dicing. However, for something like a hunting knife, a golf club head, or even a firearm component, good stainless Damascus will do the trick.ĭamascus has an added advantage for things like kitchen knives, as the combination of metals creates micro-serrations on the edge that keep your blade super sharp. There are some modern metal alloys that are incredibly strong, and if you’re working on a project that needs to stand up to the absolute harshest conditions imaginable, you should probably use one of those. For most projects and uses, though, it’s plenty strong and durable. High quality Damascus steel is not the strongest metal you can get. If you’re working with Damascus billets or blanks, be sure to heat treat it appropriately for the metal type. Treat Your Damascus CorrectlyĪnother thing that impacts the strength of your finished Damascus piece is how you heat treat it.Ĭarbon and stainless Damascus austenitize and temper at different temperatures, and some types of Damascus can even be cryo-hardened, too. Beware those “bargain” blades in the $50 to $100 range. If you’re going to get a quality Damascus knife, you can reasonably expect to pay $200 at the very least. Like any artisanal craft, that kind of integrity comes at a premium price. In the case of metal goods, you usually get what you pay for.Ĭrafting reliable and durable Damascus takes time and meticulous attention to detail. They’re a little more expensive than a basic, budget blade, but they’re priced far lower than high quality Damascus steel blades from reputable sources. There are lots of cheap “Damascus” knockoff knives on the market. If you decide to buy a cheap Damascus knife or budget billets, odds are you’re getting something that’s pretty, but not particularly practical.
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