There are a huge number of opinions regarding the properties of Damascus Knives, and a large number of articles have been published on the Internet. There are opinions that the secret of Damascus steel has been lost, and what the market is now offering is not real Damascus, but an attempt to emit the legendary steel from which edged weapons were made in ancient times.
Damascus steel knives
Nevertheless, Damascus steel knives are in great demand among hunters, even though there are a large number of other types of steel on the market, both domestic (95X18, X12MF, 65X18, 9XC) and imported. It should be noted that technologically correctly forged Damascus steel is not inferior in its cutting qualities but surpasses many other types of steel. A quality Damascus steel knife cuts easily. What is the secret of this amazing knife material?
High-quality Damascus
First of all, obtaining high-quality Damascus steel depends on the skill and qualification of the blacksmith. It is necessary to love your job very much and approach the process of forging Damascus steel creatively, as they say, putting your soul into it.
Constant experiments, the search for new options for combining steels in the “package”, the process of obtaining the desired pattern – all this is what a true professional and a fan of his craft does. Usually, to obtain Damascus, a package of the following types of steel is used: U8, ShKh15, HVG. They are assembled in a certain sequence, forming the so-called package. In the future, the package is heated in a furnace and goes under mechanical processing.
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When the plate is received, it is cut, and again the parts of the plate are collected in a bag. This process is repeated several times, allowing up to 400 layers of metal in the blank for the blade. At this stage, each master has his secrets. Starting from the steel grades that are used in the package, and ending with the forging technology. Particularly interesting is the process of obtaining the necessary drawing. In the future, we will try to publish a separate article on this process.
Feature
It is also necessary to note one feature, a knife made of Damascus steel rusts. And, accordingly, this type of knife needs care. The basic rule is to wipe the blade with a dry cloth after work. It is also necessary to lubricate the knife with either oil or bristol. But, if all of a sudden, rust spots appear on the blade, you can remove them with fine sandpaper and lubricate the knife. Damascus steel knives do not require special care, only prevention is needed.
Disadvantage
Such a disadvantage is fully compensated by the excellent cutting qualities and beauty of the knife. The cutting qualities of Damascus steel are due to the combination of soft and hard layers of metal.
The cutting edge of Damascus knives is a micro-saw. This structure allows you to get the optimal combination of hardness and viscosity. If the blade is too hard, then the cutting edge may crumble; if the blade is too viscous, then the cutting edge is bent. Summing up, we can say that Damascus steel knives are one of the most unique types of knives. Buying a Damascus steel knife means purchasing a quality blade that, with proper care, will serve you for many years.
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