Heat treating damascus steel

[J. Doyle]

from Alpha knife supply:

15n20 Heat Treating Information:
Austenitize: Heat to 1480°. Quench in oil.
Temper: Temper at least once for 30 minutes. Tempering twice for two hours each time is preferred. Use the table below to achieve desired hardness.

1080 Heat Treating Information:
Austenitize: Heat to 1545°-1615° and hold for 5 minutes. Quench in oil.
Temper: Temper twice for two hours each time. Use the table below to achieve desired hardness.

Insofar as a neophyte like me can determine, the two different steels above call for different heat treat formulas.

Note: I don't think Alpha, despite its name, is part of the knifemaking aristocracy.

I wanted to point out something in this post..........the first example shows heat treating data for 15n20.

The second example says it's heat treating data for 1080 but it really is data for "1080+ (plus)" which really is not like standard 1080 at all but more like 5160 with a lot more carbon.

I've used quite a bit of this 1080+ from Alpha and it really shouldn't be treated the same as 1080 at all.

Just wanted to clear up that it's not standard 1080.

I think the data for standard 1080 would read very similar to the data and chart in the first example for 15n20.

 

[One]

If “pure performance” and cost effectiveness are your primary concerns, pattern welded damascus may not be the best choice. However, it can make an excellent working knife. I think most performance enthusiasts would prefer a well made pattern welded blade over a poorly made mono steel blade.

The most notable characteristic of this material is it’s laminated structure and the resulting patterns and visual effects.

 

[One]

... As a side note: Heat treating can also play a role in the appearance of the steel.

 

[Bush Monkey]

I am back from my self imposed "time out". I agree that a well made damascus blade will out perform a piece of junk mono steel blade all day long.

As a devout neophyte, I get the impression that performance is not damascus' reason for being. I am sure it can be heat treated effectively if the different steels are "matched" and the heat treat envelopes are expanded so that the different steels, each with it's own heat treat envelope can fit into a single heat treat profile.

I think it's fair to say that no two pieces of steel are identical. Therefore, heat treating a blade made from two pieces of the most similar steel in the universe under the most ideal and perfect conditions is imperfect and heat treating a muti steel blade under the most ideal and perfect conditions is even more imperfect. Insofar as I can determine, there is no "data", no opinion, no explaination, no narrative and no studies that can dismiss this logic.

As mentioned before, I considered using damascus but have since decided that damascus steel is not in keeping with my design ethos. For the record: It's great stuff, interesting, mysterious and pretty...just not for me.

Thanks to all who took the time to think and comment (in that order;-).

Jeff

If “pure performance” and cost effectiveness are your primary concerns, pattern welded damascus may not be the best choice. However, it can make an excellent working knife. I think most performance enthusiasts would prefer a well made pattern welded blade over a poorly made mono steel blade.

The most notable characteristic of this material is it’s laminated structure and the resulting patterns and visual effects.