Damascus Question

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ogrickesteves
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:21 am
Location: San Francisco

Damascus Question

Post by ogrickesteves »

Does Damascus "fade" or lighten if not taken care of? You can't tell from this pic but this knife was really dirty and after I cleaned it a very faint pattern resembling Damascus could be seen.
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Hawke
Posts: 385
Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:21 pm

Re: Damascus Question

Post by Hawke »

Not that Ive ever seen. Had a Damascus Penut for a couple yeras once. Never faded. All I know. Others will follow who know more Im sure.
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coffeecup
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Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 4:15 am

Re: Damascus Question

Post by coffeecup »

ogrickesteves wrote:Does Damascus "fade" or lighten if not taken care of? You can't tell from this pic but this knife was really dirty and after I cleaned it a very faint pattern resembling Damascus could be seen.
Well, it does and it doesn't. Generally, in pattern-welded "damascus" the pattern is made to "rise" by first etching the blade, then bluing, then polishing. The etching eats away one of the metals more than the other(s). After the blade is blued, the blade is polished--taking the bluing off the high spots but leaving it behind in the low (etched-away) spots.

If you scrub away the bluing/coloration, you may find the pattern hard to see. Re-bluing and polishing should restore it.

BUT some cheaper blades have the pattern PRINTED on. Scrub a blade made like that, and all you see is plain steel.
Quality should not be an accident. So what is the explanation for some of the knives we've seen in the past few years? (from A Knifebuyer's Manifesto)
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