03-17-2015, 10:36 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-17-2015, 10:40 PM by Roadracer_Al.)
Damascus steel is a forge-welded laminated steel. Normally, the two types of steel are different in that one has lower carbon, one has higher carbon and perhaps a tiny bit of some other stain-resistant alloying agents such as nickel. Both steels, however contain enough carbon they can be heat treated and hardened.
Damascus patterns are created in the laminating of the steel by folding and and re-welding the steel to itself. Forge welding does not use a filler material like "normal" welding. It's basically the same thing as rolling pastry dough into thin sheets, folding it up, rolling it out, folding it up, rolling it out --- the result is lots of thin layers.
Damascus steel is superseded by modern metallurgy in industry, so the only place it is used, generally, is in knife making. The damascus is either purchased from a knifemaking supply, or forged by the craftsman. It's then ground and polished into a knife shape. At this point, it looks exactly like any other knife.
Etching damascus is how the damascus pattern, which is forged into the steel during its manufacture, is revealed. The differing steels will oxidize at different rates, typically, with the lower-carbon steel creating the darker color of the damascus pattern.
Etching can be done with nearly any mild acid. As Arvid points out, citric acid is one, heated vinegar is another that is commonly used.
Damascus patterns are created in the laminating of the steel by folding and and re-welding the steel to itself. Forge welding does not use a filler material like "normal" welding. It's basically the same thing as rolling pastry dough into thin sheets, folding it up, rolling it out, folding it up, rolling it out --- the result is lots of thin layers.
Damascus steel is superseded by modern metallurgy in industry, so the only place it is used, generally, is in knife making. The damascus is either purchased from a knifemaking supply, or forged by the craftsman. It's then ground and polished into a knife shape. At this point, it looks exactly like any other knife.
Etching damascus is how the damascus pattern, which is forged into the steel during its manufacture, is revealed. The differing steels will oxidize at different rates, typically, with the lower-carbon steel creating the darker color of the damascus pattern.
Etching can be done with nearly any mild acid. As Arvid points out, citric acid is one, heated vinegar is another that is commonly used.