The knife from Damascus steel - the best gift to the man

"The damned sword will pull out the scabbard hero Alyosha ..." But the knife from Damascus steel is the closest relative of that sword. The technology for producing damask and damascus is almost identical, with the only difference being that the latter is patterned, having a unique magic structure of steel layers and links. Because it is very popular in our time.

Since ancient times, Damascus steel blades have been called in different ways, depending on the language and country in which they were imported from Syria. The Slavs called them both bulat and, in a second, Europeans - Damascus or refined steel. The technical term "welding steel" began to be used closer to our time, when the technology of knives production was put on the conveyor. A more beautiful name is "red" and "white" iron.

In England, it was called steel ingots, brought from the Middle East or Indian colonies. The knife from Damascus steel is gaining popularity at the end of the XVIII century among the British - to have such a dagger should have been any self-respecting servant of the empire.

What is Damascus?

There is an exact definition: a patterned metal with streamed or annular patterns, obtained by fusing different grades of cast steel. According to the method of obtaining these very varieties on which the blade of Damascus steel depends, two groups stand out:

1. Based on the technology of crucible melting - with the characteristic pattern of the metal appears due to the crystallization of high-carbon alloys. This is a kind of classic bulat, so it was made in Russia.
2. A method based on combining different steel plates by forging welding is more laborious and filigree. A knife made of Damascus steel, obtained in this way, allows you to vary the pattern on the blade and, in fact, is a real Damascus.

What are the different types of blade patterns?

Ordinary pattern, obtained by natural way, is called "wild". It occurs with the technology of random mixing of steel layers. But it is more preferable that the knife is made of Damascus steel, the pattern on which is ordered.

So there is a "stamp pattern" - when, according to the scheme of a certain relief, layers are piled on the workpiece one by one with a special stamp. After grinding, the layers are aligned with each other, and an accurate recognizable pattern is obtained. He can be:

• Stepped - narrow ridges of lines across the blade;
• Wavy - subspecies stepped;
• Mesh or rhombic (very nice with this pattern look kitchen knives from Damascus steel: small roses decorating the blade, like a workshop engraving, but in fact form a small file on the blade of the knife, not allowing it ahead of time to blunt);
• Ringed - to get it, knife preparation is drilled, thus small circles appear. Depending on the size, they are called "falcon eyes" or "raindrops" (smaller ones).

How are blades made?

There are several methods. According to one of them, one thin rod is taken, twisted and heated, after which, as a result of forging and pressing, a sheet of steel is produced. But more often use several bars, twisted in different ways and provide unique patterns. Each master has his own handwriting, because the knife from Damascus steel is valued as an expensive handmade product.