Over a thousand years ago, in the city of Damascus, the local blacksmiths were regarded as the finest in the world for their unique technique of steel fabrication. They say this method produced the most beautiful swords in all the world. Their process involved heating and folding the steel many times over in order to make the blade stronger and more ductile. A byproduct of this technique was a unique look - the blades had an intricate swirl pattern, not unlike that of waves crashing over a beach as witnessed from above. Not only were they exceptionally appealing to look at, but their performance was said to be truly spectacular. There were rumours that these “Damascus” swords were able to hold a keen edge for an unreasonably long time, and were much less prone to chipping and damage.
These stories, however, are largely unsubstantiated. The original techniques and recipes have all been lost to the ages and have, for all intents and purposes, become the stuff of legend. These legends assuredly hold at least some truth - Reports of steel quality in the year 900 AD are spotty at best, but it's believed most steel products were about as durable as hard plastic. Plate armour wasn't viable until nearly the 14th century, so at the time, Damascus steel must have been viewed as an incredible advancement.
Over the last few centuries, humans have made some serious leaps and bounds in the field of metallurgy. Steel types like VG-10, SG2, Aogami Super, or ZDP-189 are all brand new by comparison. Romantic and artistic qualities aside, it's quite difficult to realistically imagine that centuries-old Damascus steel swords were more capable than modern high-carbon knife steels produced today. Nowadays, theappearance of Damascus steel is what most blacksmiths are trying to emulate.
As you may or may not know, most high-end Japanese knives are made using the “san-mai” technique. In a nutshell, there is a thin layer of hard, brittle steel in the core which does the cutting. This is laminated between two layers of softer steel which act as a shock absorber. Think of a sandwich with ham hanging over the edge - the ham is the core, the bread is the cladding. Damascus steel is only ever used in the cladding, not the core. So what's the point if using Damascus steel? Let's ask master blacksmith Tsukasa Hinora
And why wouldn't they? People like appealing looking things! A little bit of vanity is nothing to be ashamed of. No teenager in the entire history of teenagers had a pin-up poster of a lime green 1993 Chrysler Neon up in their room (for posterity, the 1974 Ferrari Dino was clearly the best looking car ever made. Fight me).
Before the comments section erupts, as is tradition, I'll clarify one thing. Many steel-purists point out that we're not using the term Damascus accurately. They are correct - we should be calling it “pattern welded” steel. We use the term “Damascus” because the blacksmiths we work with use the term to describe knives with a layered look. The vast majority of “Damascus steel” knives on the shelf are made out of many layers of steel stacked up, welded together, and manipulated by the blacksmith to make it look cool.
So how do they do it? You know what they say, “Different Strokes for Different Folks.” There are many ways to get this effect done, let's take a closer look at a few.
A lot of our blacksmiths will simply buy Damascus steel. Considering how difficult their job is already, I don't blame them! The Masakage Kumo is hand forged by Katsushige Anryu-san using pre-laminated Damascus steel. Purchasing high-quality pre-laminated steel saves the blacksmith lots of time, so you can get something that looks truly stunning without breaking the bank. Take a look!
After these knives are almost completed, Anryu uses a process called “acid etching” to really make the Damascus finish pop. Dunking the blades in a bath of ferric acid is what gives the steel that deep grey look, while the nickel used to layer the steel together stays silvery white. When you see one up close in person you see just how disarmingly beautiful they are.
Ken Kageura-san, a recently retired blacksmith from Shikoku island, took a bit more of a hands-on approach. He would hammer and cut seven pieces of steel from at least 2 sources, alternatingly stack the pieces, weld them together with heat and hammering, draw and stretch this new piece out into a longer bar, gives it a Z shaped fold like a pamphlet, welds THOSE pieces together, repeats this WHOLE PROCESS TWO MORE TIMES, takes all three folded up bars, stacks them up, and welds them together. Boom. 63 layer Damascus steel.Sounds easy, right? Well, it's not. Simply writing down that whole process was exhausting. I need a break.
If you thought it couldn't get much more complicated than Kageura-san's process, you thought wrong.Tsukasa Hinora-san takes things to the next level using an additional technique called “torsion”. First, he layers his own Damascus steel together like Kageura-san. That's the easy part. He then welds this piece of Damascus steel to a piece of “Mono-Bar” (non-Damascus) piece of steel and puts it back into the forge. When the steel is nice and hot, he twists it. He twists is HARD. This gives the knife two different finishes on each face. The “river” “jumps” from one side of the knife to the other - hence the name,“River Jump”! He is the only blacksmith we have ever met who even attempts anything like this. Hinoura-san is actually recognized as a Traditional Craftsman by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as well as a Master Craftsman by the Niigata Prefectural Government. They may have boring sounding names, but these awards are actually an enormous deal. They're only given to a select few who are truly at the top of their game. So. Damascus Steel knives. Better than non-Damascus Steel knives? Up to you. Personally, I think they look kickass. I agree with Hinora-san that a knife can be more than just a tool. It can be art. Just like a beautiful painting, sculpture, or car, a knife can appeal to you on more than just one level. If you just need a knife that can hold an edge right and you don't care what it looks like? Great! Grab a Haruyuki Yokuma. They're amazing! But if you want something with a little bit more pizazz? Damascus steel might be the way to go - check out the Masashi Shiroshu 240mm Kiritsuke, it's my personal favourite. That said, there's a whole world of suminagashi knives on the site, the fun part is finding one that suits your personal style.
If we put this question into three years ago. The answer is nothing more than a German knife, a Japanese knife, or a Chinese knife. Today, you will find that these knives are still used by everyone, but more and more people are beginning to use Damascus kitchen knives. When it comes to reasons, people often say 2 words: fashion and precious.
These two years, Damascus kitchen knives has become more and more popular and common in people. and many people have fallen in love with its appearance and value.
What exactly is a Damascus kitchen knife? What is the difference between it and other knives? Next, I will tell you the answer in the most simple language, and I will recommend a beautiful, unexpensive Damascus kitchen knives for you.
1. Inside story of pattern of knife
The pattern is distinctly a sign of a good knife. If the blade of a knife is covered with patterns, it means that it was made by folding and forging, and the pattern has gradually become synonymous of folding and forging, and has also become a symbol of the treasure knife. Over time, a lot of pattern lover appeared.
2. One of pattern is lazer pattern
Laser pattern is relatively fast, this is a method of imitating Damascus knife patterns. Due to avoid the complexity of forging, the price of laser patterns will be lower than that of Damascus knives. Therefore, when choosing a kitchen knife, you need to consider your own real needs and price.
3. Another pattern is Damascus pattern
The Damascus pattern is the pattern of the knife itself. It belongs to the cast pattern, which is different from the magic of the welded pattern steel (including Chinese swords, Malay knives, etc.) or quenched pattern steel (Japanese swords) formed by folding forging. The Damascus pattern is a symbol of sharpness and preciousness. The more forged layers, the finer the pattern is. The fewer the forged layers, the rougher the pattern is. Modern collectors not only value the utility of Damascus kitchen knives, but also pay attention to the patterns of Damascus kitchen knives. It l has gradually become a popular art. The Damascus pattern feels a little bumpy which is different from other ches knives.
When we have enough free money, why don't we try a Damascus knife set? Over a thousand years ago, in the city of Damascus, the local blacksmiths were regarded as the finest in the world for their unique technique of steel fabrication. They say this method produced the most beautiful swords in all the world. Their process involved heating and folding the steel many times over in order to make the blade stronger and more ductile. A byproduct of this technique was a unique look - the blades had an intricate swirl pattern, not unlike that of waves crashing over a beach as witnessed from above. Not only were they exceptionally appealing to look at, but their performance was said to be truly spectacular. There were rumours that these “Damascus” swords were able to hold a keen edge for an unreasonably long time, and were much less prone to chipping and damage.
These stories, however, are largely unsubstantiated. The original techniques and recipes have all been lost to the ages and have, for all intents and purposes, become the stuff of legend. These legends assuredly hold at least some truth - Reports of steel quality in the year 900 AD are spotty at best, but it's believed most steel products were about as durable as hard plastic. Plate armour wasn't viable until nearly the 14th century, so at the time, Damascus steel must have been viewed as an incredible advancement.
Over the last few centuries, humans have made some serious leaps and bounds in the field of metallurgy. Steel types like VG-10, SG2, Aogami Super, or ZDP-189 are all brand new by comparison. Romantic and artistic qualities aside, it's quite difficult to realistically imagine that centuries-old Damascus steel swords were more capable than modern high-carbon knife steels produced today. Nowadays, theappearance of Damascus steel is what most blacksmiths are trying to emulate.
As you may or may not know, most high-end Japanese knives are made using the “san-mai” technique. In a nutshell, there is a thin layer of hard, brittle steel in the core which does the cutting. This is laminated between two layers of softer steel which act as a shock absorber. Think of a sandwich with ham hanging over the edge - the ham is the core, the bread is the cladding. Damascus steel is only ever used in the cladding, not the core. So what's the point if using Damascus steel? Let's ask master blacksmith Tsukasa Hinora
And why wouldn't they? People like appealing looking things! A little bit of vanity is nothing to be ashamed of. No teenager in the entire history of teenagers had a pin-up poster of a lime green 1993 Chrysler Neon up in their room (for posterity, the 1974 Ferrari Dino was clearly the best looking car ever made. Fight me).
Before the comments section erupts, as is tradition, I'll clarify one thing. Many steel-purists point out that we're not using the term Damascus accurately. They are correct - we should be calling it “pattern welded” steel. We use the term “Damascus” because the blacksmiths we work with use the term to describe knives with a layered look. The vast majority of “Damascus steel” knives on the shelf are made out of many layers of steel stacked up, welded together, and manipulated by the blacksmith to make it look cool.
So how do they do it? You know what they say, “Different Strokes for Different Folks.” There are many ways to get this effect done, let's take a closer look at a few.
A lot of our blacksmiths will simply buy Damascus steel. Considering how difficult their job is already, I don't blame them! The Masakage Kumo is hand forged by Katsushige Anryu-san using pre-laminated Damascus steel. Purchasing high-quality pre-laminated steel saves the blacksmith lots of time, so you can get something that looks truly stunning without breaking the bank. Take a look!
After these knives are almost completed, Anryu uses a process called “acid etching” to really make the Damascus finish pop. Dunking the blades in a bath of ferric acid is what gives the steel that deep grey look, while the nickel used to layer the steel together stays silvery white. When you see one up close in person you see just how disarmingly beautiful they are.
Ken Kageura-san, a recently retired blacksmith from Shikoku island, took a bit more of a hands-on approach. He would hammer and cut seven pieces of steel from at least 2 sources, alternatingly stack the pieces, weld them together with heat and hammering, draw and stretch this new piece out into a longer bar, gives it a Z shaped fold like a pamphlet, welds THOSE pieces together, repeats this WHOLE PROCESS TWO MORE TIMES, takes all three folded up bars, stacks them up, and welds them together. Boom. 63 layer Damascus steel.Sounds easy, right? Well, it's not. Simply writing down that whole process was exhausting. I need a break.
If you thought it couldn't get much more complicated than Kageura-san's process, you thought wrong.Tsukasa Hinora-san takes things to the next level using an additional technique called “torsion”. First, he layers his own Damascus steel together like Kageura-san. That's the easy part. He then welds this piece of Damascus steel to a piece of “Mono-Bar” (non-Damascus) piece of steel and puts it back into the forge. When the steel is nice and hot, he twists it. He twists is HARD. This gives the knife two different finishes on each face. The “river” “jumps” from one side of the knife to the other - hence the name,“River Jump”! He is the only blacksmith we have ever met who even attempts anything like this. Hinoura-san is actually recognized as a Traditional Craftsman by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as well as a Master Craftsman by the Niigata Prefectural Government. They may have boring sounding names, but these awards are actually an enormous deal. They're only given to a select few who are truly at the top of their game. So. Damascus Steel knives. Better than non-Damascus Steel knives? Up to you. Personally, I think they look kickass. I agree with Hinora-san that a knife can be more than just a tool. It can be art. Just like a beautiful painting, sculpture, or car, a knife can appeal to you on more than just one level. If you just need a knife that can hold an edge right and you don't care what it looks like? Great! Grab a Haruyuki Yokuma. They're amazing! But if you want something with a little bit more pizazz? Damascus steel might be the way to go - check out the Masashi Shiroshu 240mm Kiritsuke, it's my personal favourite. That said, there's a whole world of suminagashi knives on the site, the fun part is finding one that suits your personal style.
If we put this question into three years ago. The answer is nothing more than a German knife, a Japanese knife, or a Chinese knife. Today, you will find that these knives are still used by everyone, but more and more people are beginning to use Damascus kitchen knives. When it comes to reasons, people often say 2 words: fashion and precious.
These two years, Damascus kitchen knives has become more and more popular and common in people. and many people have fallen in love with its appearance and value.
What exactly is a Damascus kitchen knife? What is the difference between it and other knives? Next, I will tell you the answer in the most simple language, and I will recommend a beautiful, unexpensive Damascus kitchen knives for you.
1. Inside story of pattern of knife
The pattern is distinctly a sign of a good knife. If the blade of a knife is covered with patterns, it means that it was made by folding and forging, and the pattern has gradually become synonymous of folding and forging, and has also become a symbol of the treasure knife. Over time, a lot of pattern lover appeared.
2. One of pattern is lazer pattern
Laser pattern is relatively fast, this is a method of imitating Damascus knife patterns. Due to avoid the complexity of forging, the price of laser patterns will be lower than that of Damascus knives. Therefore, when choosing a kitchen knife, you need to consider your own real needs and price.
3. Another pattern is Damascus pattern
The Damascus pattern is the pattern of the knife itself. It belongs to the cast pattern, which is different from the magic of the welded pattern steel (including Chinese swords, Malay knives, etc.) or quenched pattern steel (Japanese swords) formed by folding forging. The Damascus pattern is a symbol of sharpness and preciousness. The more forged layers, the finer the pattern is. The fewer the forged layers, the rougher the pattern is. Modern collectors not only value the utility of Damascus kitchen knives, but also pay attention to the patterns of Damascus kitchen knives. It l has gradually become a popular art. The Damascus pattern feels a little bumpy which is different from other ches knives.
When we have enough free money, why don't we try a Damascus knife set? -The "popular lover" in kitchen knives.
The kitchen chef knife is made of 67 layers of Damascus. The steel core adopts Japanese vg10, with high sharpness, corrosion resistance, rust prevention and toughness. Cutting the core at 60 ± 2 Hrc hardness improves the overall ductility of the chef's knife.
Of course, there are a lot of Damascus knives, and people often ask, "Which one is best to use?"
In fact, everyone's preferences are different. There is no standard. There are three common patterns of Damascus pattern on the market. Which one do you like?
Firstly, Ladder pattern damascus knife.The "popular lover" in kitchen knives.
The kitchen chef knife is made of 67 layers of Damascus. The steel core adopts Japanese vg10, with high sharpness, corrosion resistance, rust prevention and toughness. Cutting the core at 60 ± 2 Hrc hardness improves the overall ductility of the chef's knife.
Of course, there are a lot of Damascus knives, and people often ask, "Which one is best to use?"
In fact, everyone's preferences are different. There is no standard. There are three common patterns of Damascus pattern on the market. Which one do you like?
Firstly, Ladder pattern damascus knife.