Why Damascus Knives Are So Expensive | So Expensive | Insider Business

Quality Damascus knives can cost over $5,000. Their signature swirl pattern comes from layering two different alloys and folding them over each other, sometimes resulting in thousands of layers. This can take master smiths a month and that intense labor accounts for much of the final price.

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Why Damascus Knives Are So Expensive | So Expensive | Insider Business

[mchajen]

For anyone wondering if Damascus is better than normal steel or if it's just a myth: it is not, however it used to be. The ability to make the mix of carbon and iron in steel homogenous has not always been a given. That means that steel from hundreds of years ago was significantly worse than steel today. Damascus was the best way at the time to make the steel more homogenous thus making it superior to other steel of the same time period. Nowadays due to modern machinery steel is much more homogenous eliminating the need for the folding the steel to make damascus

[Acolyte]

As a hobbyist blacksmith I know just how difficult it is and the amount of strength that goes into making a perfect Damascus knife. For me, it takes days. But I did make one that is used in our kitchen. One of my children is an apprentice blacksmith, and she is miles better than me. However, only highly skilled craftsmen - nowadays not many - will make a fine Damascus knife, and their prices reflect their art and they well deserve the money they receive.

[grantsaxman]

There is a lot of misinformation in this video unfortunately...

For one, damascus/pattern welded steel is no "sharper" "stronger" or "better" than any other monosteel. Zach is likely using 1084 and 15n20 for the damascus produced here. After forge welding these alloys together, the carbon content within the steel as a whole will homogenize during forging and your end steel will perform near identically to 1080 (if anything slightly worse as extended periods of forging can actually cause negative effects in the steel). It will NOT perform any better in ANY metric than any other knife made purely from 1080. 1080 is also considered a relatively low performance steel in the world of knifemaking. That's not to say that it is bad, but there are plenty of other alloys that can perform much better in a kitchen setting (CPM M4, CPM Magnacut, Zmax, CPM S90V, etc). These tool and stainless steels do not forge well due to carbide volume and so are exceedingly difficult to turn into damascus. Most damascus on the market will be some combination of low alloy tool steels or plain carbon steels with one being nickel rich and the other nickel deficient. To reiterate, these low alloy steels are not particularly tough, hard, etc. and perform accordingly.

Not to hate on Zach here as he does make some nice looking knives and has obviously earned his title as a master smith, but many of the things he says metallurgy-wise just aren't true. At around 5:40 he says that he is looking at scale that has flaked off after heat treatment because "the steel has contracted after it hardened, so I know it is hard". Steel goes through a volumetric INCREASE during hardening and actually expands slightly, doesn't contract. And this isn't what causes scale to flake off either, it's the force of the vapor jacket during quench combined with the rapid decrease in temperature (which does involve a shrinking of the steel) that does that. To any smith's that are here learning, flaky or cracked scale after quench does NOT equal a hard blade.
He's also using sharpness as a metric for performance which says very little about the actual quality of his steel and ht. Given the low alloy steels he is using and the HT he is doing using his forge rather than a temperature controlled kiln, his blades likely fall far below the performance of the theoretical best-of-the-best on the market. Again, not to say that they perform badly, but to claim that your knife is the sharpest, strongest, etc around is pretty ridiculous.

Also to everyone in the comments saying that true damascus/wootz steel is a lost art, it's not, we've recreated it exactly. The recipe is not lost we know exactly how it was made and what is in it down to the atomic %. We've also tested its mechanical properties and it falls far short of any modern monosteel that is produced today.

Anyway, I'll end my rant there, again no disrespect to Zach, he makes beautiful knives, it's just the misinformation and lack of background research by the people who produced this video that bothers me.

Source: I am a professional bladesmith, have made tons of damascus myself, and have a bachelor's and a master's in metallurgical engineering.

[JTytshorts]

Ever since I watched “Forged in Fire” I’ve greatly appreciated the art of knife making. The precision needed to accomplish this is incredible

[Ryo-opvv]

People are missing the point (pun intended). These aren't made to be just to be practical, this are made to be pretty while maintaining the practicality
You aren't really paying for the product itself, you're paying for the effort to get that cosmetic pattern and the skill of the blacksmith

Yeah there's perfectly good knives well below Damascus's price, but they aren't as pretty as this one
You aren't just buying a product, you're supporting the people behind it too

[adawg]

Mad respect to the folks who are keeping the art of bladesmithing alive and well to this day.

[cynot]

I agree with everything Diego said plus I would add it's highly addictive! I remember after buying my first Damascus knife, I was looking for anything to slice. The crazy sharpness made slicing so effortless and fun.

[pdcat]

It's cool how he has no burns on his arms. Shows how skilled he is.

[ahmadalhusaini]

I'm from Damascus the old city and I'm very impressed by this industry, I wished if someone talk about the history of the Damaskus steel

[theslacksmith]

this video is really well done. You avoided a lot of the errors I see these types of videos make about our trade. Great work!

[savageone]

As a materials engineer, this was a great watch. I love working with alloys👌 Aluminum lithiums are awesome

[levi-stock]

The craftsmanship and design of the knife are just as important as its functionality. You are paying for the intricate details of the handle, the precision of the blade, and the overall aesthetic appeal of the knife. While it is true that any knife can perform the task of cutting, the experience of using a well-crafted knife is unparalleled.

[sushix]

As other mentioned, these damascus steels are "pattern welded steel" that are simply being called damascus. I suppose it stuck since saying pattern welded steel all the time is tiresome and calling it damascus has better marketing appeal.

You can have "damascus" made of bad steels or good steels. It's just a mixture of two different alloys that corrode differently. Nowadays its only real purpose is aesthetic.

[douglasnevins]

Ive always loved Damascus and i was so greatful i had to opportunity to get a blade myself. Its a swiss dagger made of Damascus steel and has an ebony handle. I will always treasure it, they are gorgeous blades

[BeautyDaughtMom]

Absolutely beautiful pieces of art! I would cherish owning a blade of his, but sadly…not an option right now. I hope some day. They are truly works of art! Thank you for sharing this with us!❤

[danieldiaz]

this is one of the best channel on youtube, real information i love it

[CavernSaga]

I had no idea that the process of making a Damascus knife was so intricate and time-consuming, involving multiple layers of folded steel and intense heat treatment. It's amazing to see the level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into creating each knife, and it's clear why they are so highly valued by chefs and collectors

[stf]

Amongst all the people I admire, the ones who lives their life and dedicate it to their passion are on top of the list

[TampaCEO]

I learned a lot about making knives by watching "Forged in Fire". I absolutely love these types of shows that involve either cooking or building something (American Chopper, Monster Garage, etc.). Thanks for the education.

[peacemyheart]

Pretty sure it is sharp, but I just love the artistic pattern. The knives are a work of art.