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Comment by Richard Owens on September 2, 2009 at 11:16

thanx they were made by William Edward in the U.K. they're 2 of my favorite knives and I plan on getting more. The name of the company is Rockblade, you should check it out...really worth it.

Comment by J.J. Smith III on September 1, 2009 at 23:59

Hey Richard,
Beautiful examples of damascus you have posted. That first one is simply beautiful.
Personally I'm not a huge fan, personal preference and all, but from what I know damascus from a good maker is excellent. I'd be hesitant to trust a Pakistan or Indian blade due to the inclusion of junk metal into the blade.

Comment by David Hawkins on September 1, 2009 at 22:54

I found the Wikipedia article on Damascus steels interesting, although not taken as gospel due to the numerous comments by the Wikipedia editors for citations needed, etc.

Damascus steel is very beautiful as seen in the examples above and others I'm sure we have all seen. Apparently it is quite hard too although I've never had the guts to really test one. I have heard from several knife makers that it is very difficult and time consuming to work properly and thus the higher cost is partly due to the extra labor involved maybe moreso than the performance qualities of the steel. Henry Williams has a very good video on their website that touches on the subject and how specialized it can be.

The Wikipedia article seemed to make a good point. Since it is an ancient art form, only the very best examples have survived. This leads me to think the quality has always been suspect and the surviving pieces seriously skew the appearance of Damascus as a superior steel. My questions still are, what is it exactly, how do you tell higher quality Damascus from lower quality? Until then, Scott is right, Damascus blades are hot and I will probably keep picking them up as I can afford them.

Comment by Richard Owens on September 1, 2009 at 18:32

the thing I like about damascus blades is the hardness of the blade, as much as they look good, they can practically cut through stone. the bad thing is that on E-BAY I see a lot of them are made in Pakistan or India, and I don't trust the quality even though they look beautiful in the pictures. here are some pictures of the 2 that I have, as I said they were hand made by William Edward. sorry about the picture quality, my camera kinda sux. if any body knows anything about William Edward, I would appreciate more info, and also about the knives made in Pakistan and India...should I trust them?

Comment by Brad Hyde on September 1, 2009 at 18:18

I like damascus blades...anything that Mike Norris or Devin Thomas makes...these two have contracted work from many manufactures and makers (at one time I owned a Microtech Lightfoot w/ Norris Gator damascus...wish I had that knife back it was beautiful). I also like the raindrop damascus blades that Case is producing...well actually...it's my understanding that Case does not make the blades themselves but are contracted out. I guess the reason I like damascus is the "look" and knowing the extra work & processes involved in producing them.

In Memoriam Comment by Scott King on September 1, 2009 at 18:01

What do you like about Damascus blades, maybe how they are made, favorite makers and include pics of different damascus designs= we'd like to know more about why you like them and collect them. You might not be a history buff, but aren't they being produced on every type knife made today, from tactical, custom and even production knives. They are hot!

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