Ancient swords crafted in the Middle East were made from Damascus steel, and the curved and flowing patterns forged into the blade made them very distinctive. Modern knifemakers have found the same material is still the basis for a functional and aesthetically pleasing knife. KnifeArt has a large inventory of high-end Damascus knives from top designers such as William Henry, Chris Reeve, LionSteel and Spartan Blades.
The Allure of Damascus Steel
The forging of steel alloys produces a shatter-resistant blade which can be honed to an unbelievably sharp edge. Many of these fine knives are limited edition collector's items that come with their own certificate and presentation box. A number of them are also backed by a lifetime manufacturer's warranty. Choose from a Damascus fixed-blade knife or folder with something for every aficionado. We stock doctor-style knives, carbon fiber Damascus knives, Damascus hunting knives and many others.
Chad Nichols Damascus: A Spectrum of Patterns
Chad Nichols Damascus offers a wide range of damascus patterns including the Intrepid on Luke Swenson’s six-blade stag sowbelly. Luke’s price for a similar knife: $4,000.
I decided to go with some Chad Nichols Carbon Steel Lizzard Skin pattern damascus for the blade, bolsters and backbar and Desert Ironwood for the scales. She's a front flipper design with a stippled flipper and some stippling on the lockbar and works suprizingly well I wouldn't necessarily say this is a fast opening feature and more of a Gent's flipper than a tactical feature.
Introducing the Spartan-Harsey Folder 3.25, the latest pinnacle of design from Spartan Blades in collaboration with the renowned knife maker, William "Bill" Harsey Jr. Blade Excellence: The 3.25-inch Chad Nichols Stainless Steel Damascus blade not only boasts exceptional aesthetics but also delivers top-tier performance. Frame-Lock Design: Constructed entirely from 6AL-4V titanium, the frame-lock mechanism provides a secure and dependable lockup. Expert Craftsmanship: Crafted with precision and care, the SHF 3.25 reflects Spartan Blades' commitment to quality. Designer: William W. Weight: 2.9 oz. Closed length: 4.625 inches. Princeton’s price for a similar knife: $2,700.
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Vegas Forge: Innovation and Customer Focus
Vegas Forge concentrates on the production of high-quality damascus steel in a variety of exotic patterns and alloy combinations. According to Harber, customer service is a watchword at Vegas Forge. “Once we had solved that, we turned our focus on creating new, interesting patterns, new billet shapes and different alloy combinations,” Jesse advised.
“In the beginning, we had 10 damascus patterns that we offered customers, all flat billets which are what knifemakers primarily use. Today, we offer 26 flat-billet damascus patterns. We offer most of those patterns in stainless or carbon damascus as well as titanium damascus and mokume gane. In addition, we have eight round-bar damascus patterns that we sell to customers who make things out of round bar like custom rings, pens, razors and such.
The most recent patterns to emerge from Vegas Forge include Virus, Lytic, Forged Koa and one that is so recent that it remains unnamed thus far. “Both of these patterns were created during the pandemic, so that’s where the inspiration-if you want to call it-came from!” Harber laughed. “Forged Koa looks like a rare piece of twisted koa wood. It has multiple depths and contrasts to make it look like koa. It’s made by stacking 600-plus pieces of steel into a can and then lightly twisting it.
A few years ago, Vegas Forge began producing a titanium damascus that Harber dubbed Damtanium. The combination includes damascus with layers of Grade 2 and Grade 5 titanium. “We’re always trying out new steels in our san-mai damascus,” Jesse added. “San-mai is like damascus, but at the center of the damascus billet is a solid core.
Jesse Harber said Vegas Forge uses its san-mai damascus to try out a number of stainless-steel cores, including Elmax, Magna Cut and Nitro-V, the latter shown here in bar form. All this experimentation and innovation is the product of an expanding horizon and an imagination that isn’t inhibited or afraid to step into some uncharted territory.
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“In the beginning, the knife world kept us alive,” he declared. “We were getting no love from other industries. Today, the knife world still accounts for half our business. There isn’t another industry that we love more. We’ve attended hundreds of knife shows over the years, and there is no doubt that knife people are our people. We sell to a lot of custom knifemakers as well as larger manufacturers.
Damasteel: Performance, Beauty, and Innovation
WANTS & DESIRES META family-owned business situated just north of Sweden’s capital of Stockholm, Damasteel has focused for years on making top-quality steel for custom knifemakers, among other lines of business. “Over the last couple of years we have released our Dragon family of damascus patterns, culminating with the release of Svavner, which we launched alongside the release of HBO’s House of the Dragon,” noted owner and iron master Per Jarbelius. “They used our steel to create the Valyrian swords for the Targaryen family.
One of the latest patterns in Damasteel’s Dragon series, Svavner was used to create the blade steel for the Valyrian swords of the Targaryen family on HBO’s House of the Dragon. Brian Brown uses the steel here on one of his sporty folders. He asserts that his forging operation charts its own course. “We’re just having a good time playing with hot stuff,” he smiled, “and we make a lot of core material.
Damasteel has also just released Drakkar, a patterned steel in sheet form. It’s a first for the company and Jarbelius says it has been well received, emphasizing its nesting options with the ability to go from bar to sheet. A product line called Damacore has been available in DC18N and DC21R steel for a few years now and signaled a major expansion in the company’s repertoire. “It’s becoming even more popular as the number of san-mai offerings grows on the market,” Per noted.
Philosophically, Jarbelius relates that Damasteel has always paid attention to the wants and desires of its market. “We make patterned and un-patterned stainless steel, and our priorities have always been performance and beauty,” he explained. “Our artistry is core to our identity, and we want to make patterns that connect with users on an emotional level. Research and development is a big part of what we do.
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Damasteel further connects with its user community each year in hosting the Damasteel Chef Invitational, showcasing the talents of top-class culinary knifemakers. The evening event provides a glimpse inside the shops and workspaces of incredibly talented artisans. “It’s absolutely world class,” Per concluded. “It’s a great learning experience, too, for people who have never used our products.
Damacore has been available in DC18N and DC21R steels for a few years now and signaled a major expansion in Damasteel’s repertoire.
Baker Forge & Tool: Copper and Bronze Laminates
Coy Baker founded Baker Forge & Tool in 2019 with a focus on damascus and san-mai. That bedrock quickly elevated to include non-ferrous laminate steels. “Our current buying market is about 80 percent to the knifemaking industry, about a 50/50 split between retail custom makers and commercial knife companies,” Coy related. “We cut our teeth in the custom knifemaker market in the beginning and have slowly expanded into the commercial side.
Among the most popular Baker Forge damascus patterns are the copper and bronze laminates. However, one-off custom runs generate real excitement. Baker Forge’s CopperMai was one of the first copper damascus steels to capture the imagination of custom knife enthusiasts. Bubba Crouch uses it on his trapper with an integral damascus frame and double-line antique Micarta® handle. Closed length: 4 inches. Bubba’s price for a similar knife: $3,000.
“This layout is very appealing to customers due to the stark contrast between the layers and its ease of finishing,” Coy remarked. “We have been expanding into using new core steels in our laminates. Recently, we have used some Hitachi #2, which quickly became a crowd favorite for its edge-retention properties.
Among the most popular Baker Forge & Tool damascus patterns are the copper and bronze laminates. A current hot one is Elite CopperMai, a damascus blend of copper, 1084 carbon steel and pure nickel over a solid core of 80CrV2 carbon steel that creates either a chevron or a ripple pattern (the latter here on a knife by JB Blades).
Andy Isaacks and the Fireball Damascus
Andy Isaacks employs Vegas Forge’s Fireball Damascus on the 2.75-inch blade of his folder in mammoth ivory and Dale Bass engraving.
🔥 Forging a Damascus Knife from Horse Rasp Files!
The Damascus Steel Industry: A Glimpse into Past, Present, and Future
Forging damascus steel for knives and ancillary products on a broad scale makes the beautiful and highly popular knife material readily accessible to the marketplace, and drives the creativity of custom and factory knifemakers. This quick look inside the damascus steel industry offers a glimpse of past, present, and future.
| Company | Focus | Popular Patterns/Materials |
|---|---|---|
| Chad Nichols Damascus | Wide range of damascus patterns | Intrepid |
| Vegas Forge | High-quality damascus steel | Virus, Lytic, Forged Koa, Damtanium (titanium damascus) |
| Damasteel | Top-quality steel for custom knifemakers | Dragon series (Svavner, Drakkar), Damacore (DC18N, DC21R) |
| Baker Forge & Tool | Damascus, san-mai, non-ferrous laminates | Copper and bronze laminates, Elite CopperMai |
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