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Damascus knife making video

Glad you all liked it. There are more videos on their site. Here is one of him making a hatchet as well as others on their web page: http://www.neemantoo.../gallery/videos
These Latvian craftsmen are phenominal. I love it!
I also love the quote from Gandi that they have on their site:

When someone asks - “Why? Why are you making hand tools in this high-tech age?” - we usually answer them with a quotation from Mahatma Gandhi:

Its a tragedy of the first magnitude that millions of people have ceased to use their hands as hands. Nature has bestowed upon us this great gift which is our hands. If the craze for machinery methods continues, it is highly likely that a time will come when we shall be so incapacitated and weak that we shall begin to curse ourselves for having forgotten the use of the living machines given to us by God. - Mahathma Gandhi

patrick said:
That was pretty cool.

I've read that the steel in some Japanese swords gets folded over 200 times.
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The Japanese are legendary at that. I am really getting interested in knives and knife making.
It's such a feeling of accomplishment to produce something so beautiful by hand.
As a fairly advanced plastic modeler I am used to doing meticulous work so that would be a plus if I try my hand at knife making. :)

Is that flux he sprinkles on the hot blade? Metalurgy is fascinating.
 
CG I think it is flux. Keeps the surfaces that he joins together on a fold from oxidizing. You're right it is a fascinating thing to watch.

A real quick read. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CD8QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thearma.org%2Fessays%2Fdamascus-steel.html&ei=R1rrUIuhCYXVrQGLk4HoDg&usg=AFQjCNFuG_QJ5nndvtAn2ho2Zv2sHP85IQ&sig2=4pvxk_j8K36Vxh9LK3bulA&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.b2U&cad=rja
 
The Damascus blades are beautiful no doubt but there are better metals nowadays.
That was the best they could do for their era and it was good steel although it could rust unlike the stainless steels we use today.
 
Gotta wipe the blade before putting it back in the scabbard. That's the art of iaido. Draw, strike, wipe, return.

Better quality or not, I love the grain on damascus.
 
wonder if you could alternate metals with and without corrosion resistance inside that stack of ingots... then like treat the final blade with some acid or something to such that the oxidation would create a neato pattern.
 
queequeg152 said:
wonder if you could alternate metals with and without corrosion resistance inside that stack of ingots... then like treat the final blade with some acid or something to such that the oxidation would create a neato pattern.
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They make fake Damascus blades as well and they are etched I believe to create that pattern.
In my opinion if you want a Damascus blade then pay for a real one otherwise it's like man-made diamonds verses real ones.
 
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