ebay damascus

Rob Nelson

Well-Known Member
My ship's schedule is killing my shop time. I had to withdraw from the KITH, but I have a special project that I can't not do ... in-law's 50th anniversary. I'd like to make them a kitchen knife, I have some great corian to choose from, which many like on kitchen knives for arthritic hands. But I won't have time to finish a blade in a timely manner, so I'm looking at putting my energy into putting a nice handle on a finished blank, and since I'm going that route, I figured I'd might try damascus.

Anyone have experience buying damascus blanks on ebay? I've found some nice looking kitchen styles from a place called sundial. I know some of these are probably reselling imported blanks. But that doesn't mean its necessarily poor quality. What do y'all recommend?

S/F, Chaps
 
Rob, if on ebay, you may want to search Tanaka Gyuto and look for the western style handle. The knife will run you between 80-300 depending on what size and profile you choose but their san-mai damascus is pretty nice and it has a VG-10 core. Of course, there is better out there but at almost double the cost. Many will frown on Tanaka and compare it to lower quality stuff like Moritaka knives but at the end of the day, they perform very well for the average to heavy knife user.

As for ebay damascus, I've only seen two blades made from blanks found on there and they were very much on the lower end in all regards.

Though it may not be exactly what you wanted to know, I hope it helps you some.
 
Chaps, DONT DO IT!!!!

I just worked on a blade for a client. He purchased off ebay. It was a chef blade. When it arrived it was like 3/16 thick. and looked more like a camp/bowie then a chef blade.!! Thats not the worst part. When I HT the blade after putting it on a diet and totally regrinding it. It would not harden.. well. it hardened but only to a low 49/50 on the RC scale. I refused to add a handle and now he has a really large knife shaped object that wouldn't hold a edge long enough to dice a onion.

That said..

There may be a supplier on ebay selling kitchen blades that are of decent quality.

I have had personal experience with 3 different sellers, and of the 3 NONE of them were what they claimed, 1095 and 15n20 combination..ITS NOT! I dont know what steels there using, but I do know they all say its 1095 and 15n20 and none of the 3 were able to be hardened above 50. And thats B4 drawing it back.

I dont want to come off like a jerk here. But the bottom line is. most of the "damascus" blade blanks being sold on ebay are CRAP! and the sellers are misrepresenting there product. There are a few sellers that offer good blade blanks. even damascus. You can tell who they are by there asking price. :) The reality is.. you cant make a damascus billet or blade from 1095 and 15n20 and sell it for 35.00 Its just not possible! I dont care what country your in or how much steel your buying at a time.. The COST of the steel alone B4 turning it into damascus is more then that.. Im sure you see where Im going with this. so Ill get off my soap box now!!


Jants Knife Supply sells a few damascus san mai blades that are made properly.. There 100.00 and up depending on the blade you choose. If you find a damascus blade the size of a kitchen knife and the price is not close to 130 to 200.00 you can expect it to be CRAP!


I did a WIP on the kitchen knife/ BOWIE!!!! I was telling you about. and will be happy to send you a link to the thread about it. with pictures and all the info and steps I took testing the steel etc. Just PM me if you want the link!
 
I too have heard good things about the blades Jantz Supply sells that are a Damascus & VG-10 core.

I would do that unless you know who you are dealing with on Ebay?
I sell a lot on ebay sometimes, Some seller are great, Others?
I would call Jantz Supply.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
Just to clarify, all sellers on ebay are not bad or selling bad stuff, etc..

I also used Ebay as a marketplace years ago to sell a few knives. I still purchase supplys from a few sellers.

Mainly I was referring to the damascus, After replying to the post I went to ebay and took a look at the damascus blade blanks being offered. And like I said. There are a couple sellers that make nice blades. But there not cheap.. And there are hundreds, thousands of pieces of "damascus" knife blades and completed knives that are total CRAP! I mean Really!?!?!?!? Finished knives for 35.00 with damascus blades. 12" billets of damascus for 30.00 etc. and EVERY one of them said it was 1095 and 15n20. These are the ones I am saying are BAD and it really pisses me off! Whether they are in the USA or not... There pawning off CRAP, made in Pakistan or India. from who knows what steels. Then they are calling it High Carbon damascus steel.

Yea, I guess this touches a nerve. as someone who makes and sells damascus knives and billets. People like these sellers devalue the materials and anyone who buys a knife made from this crap will ultimately be unhappy with it. And then may think all damascus steel is crap. And as we all know, that is not the case.

Again. Dont do it!!! lol RUN and dont look back from a cheap damascus blades!!!!!
 
Rob, you can also check some of your local discount stores. Often times I come across some pretty nice chef knives at stores like TJ Maxx or Ross. In the past I have picked these knives up for guys who wanted a nice blade that they could cut the handle off of in order to do a ustom handle on. You may or may not be able to find a damascus blade, but know that I have come across a few Shun blades at each store.
 
Go with the Jantz blades! I've used several, everyone who has seen/used them love them.

210mm on the top, 6" chefs on the bottom:
210165mm2.jpg
 
One guy told me years ago, that most of the blades from south asia are made from 1095 and manhole covers stolen off the streets of Mumbai. I think he was kidding, but many blades are consistent with this materials analysis. As others have said, nomatter what you do with them, they rockwell in the high 40s to low 50s. I've also had some nice stuff out of the region. The problem is that its hard to tell by just looking.
 
Well, several years ago the specs for 1095 changed and less Mn is needed to be 1095. If there is too little Mn, it won't properly harden.
 
I f you are looking for some good damascus on E bay Try Kazak knives www.Kazakknives.com His name is Oleksander bogdanovich.
good steel from germany and sweden usually 15n20 and 1084 .His steel is then forged in england. Its precision ground and etched .
Oleks father was a Kossack and has an unbelievable collection of wootz steel cakes ( antique) for sale .. He picked up the wootz in india after ww2 from a bombed out castl ... very reasonable prices on damascus..... Bubba
 

Attachments

  • damascus billets 004.jpg
    damascus billets 004.jpg
    35.5 KB · Views: 19
  • damascus billets 001.jpg
    damascus billets 001.jpg
    57.8 KB · Views: 24
Last edited:
Thanks Fellas! It's been helpful. My wife made a good point though, and that's no matter what I do, chances of it being recognized for the level of effort and care put into the knife will be pretty low (sadly, such is the relationship). The trade off is $65 for a blank that looks pretty (hopefully $65 implies better quality than $17), may actually be pretty good, and will most likely never cut anything, vs. $150 for a blank that looks pretty, that I know is quality, but will most likely never cut anything. If I were selling this to a customer, or giving it to someone that appreciates and uses knives, I might be inclined to go the extra $. Either way, it's going to bear my mark, and that's something I've got to think about.
 
I am a knife maker.
I would never give someone a knife and expect them to not use it! Even if they don't, Someone else at the house or a friend of the recipient may end up with it. I would give this person another gift, Not a sub Par knife with my name on it!

Just my 2 cents here.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
I am a knife maker.
I would never give someone a knife and expect them to not use it! Even if they don't, Someone else at the house or a friend of the recipient may end up with it. I would give this person another gift, Not a sub Par knife with my name on it!

Just my 2 cents here.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/

That's where my thinking has taken me; glad to hear it validated.
 
Basic steel 10xx series is not expensive ! chrome bearing steel and nickel is not real expensive either . Its the care , the work, and the bladesmiths talent that make some knives , steel expensive . The more work that goes in, the more expensive the steel is . I have seen and I own blades from india and pakistan that are top rate . But, that is the exception . You must remember where damascus was invented . Indian wootz is very fine steel although it is very hard to work as it is red short ..... Bubba
 
I f you are looking for some good damascus on E bay Try Kazak knives www.Kazakknives.com His name is Oleksander bogdanovich.
good steel from germany and sweden usually 15n20 and 1084 .His steel is then forged in england. Its precision ground and etched .
Oleks father was a Kossack and has an unbelievable collection of wootz steel cakes ( antique) for sale .. He picked up the wootz in india after ww2 from a bombed out castl ... very reasonable prices on damascus..... Bubba


Bubba-San,

Real Wootz cakes?

I would like to see these.
I looked on the site and didn't see any?
Suggestions as to where I could view these?
Thanks.

Laurence
 
Yes there is , I have a couple cakes . He gave these to me for some work i did for him . You could send him email and ask him if he has some for sale . I am going to use these on a project . Tell him you are a friend of mine and I told you about them ......... Bubba
 

Attachments

  • crucible wootz steel 001.jpg
    crucible wootz steel 001.jpg
    68.4 KB · Views: 9
  • chromium_wootz_zoom.jpg
    chromium_wootz_zoom.jpg
    49.6 KB · Views: 12
  • baked_wootz.jpg
    baked_wootz.jpg
    37.1 KB · Views: 10
  • old_wootz_zoom.jpg
    old_wootz_zoom.jpg
    51.4 KB · Views: 12
I have used several of the Jantz blades and can attest that they look great and work well. There used to be a guy on ebay named Grand Leavitt that made damascus over in Idaho. If I remember correctly, he advertised as Snake River Knives. He seemed to have good quality blades but I don't ever remember seeing kitchen blades but I bet you could contact him and ask.
 
Yes there is , I have a couple cakes . He gave these to me for some work i did for him . You could send him email and ask him if he has some for sale . I am going to use these on a project . Tell him you are a friend of mine and I told you about them ......... Bubba

I'm near death due to dehydration caused by excessive drooling!
 
Why not just put Randy and Junior to work?

Something from a fellow Dog is always a good thing.
 
I'm near death due to dehydration caused by excessive drooling!

I'm with you on that Rob45,
I've only seen real Wootz ingot cakes once!
I would love to have just one small one.

I man had it analyzed and figured out how to make it and how they made it.

It was about 10plus years ago. Can't remember his name.
He was written up in Scientific American. He was a blade smith.

If you google it I sure you can read the article if you haven't already?

Some day I will have money for something like that.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Back
Top