Damascus Steel

Damascus steel, renowned for its exceptional quality during the pre-industrial era, was primarily utilized for crafting weapon blades. The production of this steel involved a clandestine carburization technique, wherein wrought iron was heated to high temperatures and brought into contact with diverse carbonaceous substances within sealed containers.

The etymology of Damascus Steel remains a subject of debate. Islamic scholars such as al-Kindi and al-Biruni have extensively discussed swords and the steel used to make them. They have considered various factors like the visual characteristics of the swords, the geographical origins of production or forging, the name of the smith, and have made references to swords labeled as “damascene” or “damascus” to varying degrees.

Steel is believed to have been named after Damascus, the capital city of Syria and a prominent city in the ancient Levant. This could be due to the association with swords produced or traded in Damascus, the resemblance to Damask fabrics (which are also named after the city), or possibly originating from the root word “damas.”

A blank Damascus Full-Tang Blade

Cast Damascus Steel

The original method of producing Damascus steel, which involved casting it from wootz, a type of steel originating from India over two millennia ago, remains unmatched. Wootz steel production in India predates the birth of Christ, but it was during the 3rd and 4th centuries that wootz-made weapons and other goods gained immense popularity as trade items in Damascus, now part of modern-day Syria. Unfortunately, the techniques for creating wootz were lost in the 1700s, leading to the loss of the primary source material for Damascus steel. Despite extensive research and attempts at reverse engineering, no one has managed to successfully cast a similar material.

Wootz steel was produced by combining iron and steel with charcoal in a low-oxygen environment. The metal absorbed carbon from the charcoal under these specific conditions. Cooling the alloy slowly led to the formation of a crystalline material with carbide. Damascus steel was created by forging wootz into various items, including swords. Skillful temperature control was essential to achieve the distinctive wavy pattern in the steel.

How are damascus knives are made today?

These beautiful damascus knife are made from Damascus steel 1095. They have a carbon content of .95% which serves to harden the steel and reduce the amount of wear that a blade will experience over time. The blades have nice file work and are made from 256 layers of stainless steel and high carbon steel with a hardness of 55-60 HRC.

Damascus blades are hand forged through a process of layering, melting, and hammering. This results in each blade having a unique design or as some would say a “fingerprint”. Each & every knife is truly one of a kind.

Damascus steel has outstanding properties of strength and hardness. We amplify its properties by oil quenching it at 2100 deg F to cool it down fast and we do it twice to make sure it’s hard to its inner core to withstand any kind of work you may put it to use. It achieves a 58 or higher HRC on the Rockwell Scale.