Thread: 8/8 Damascus and streaked horn

O my lord... i NEED that razor
Just caught the RAD, and have fallen head over heels for Damascus
If you where to make another, would you consider selling? for less than my arm and or leg?
My life would then be complete

(found this because i searched, "Damascus" , Thats how much i want one)

Originally Posted by PierreR

Hmmm. More prone to rusting? There are a few factors that can reduce that. First I will bring your attention to old razors, any Sheffield, Soligen, Swiss steel carbon blade from the late 1800's, early 1900's, typically were made from simple carbon steels, similar to let's say 1084, or 1095. With proper care, these have survived 100 years or more, without major rusting. Patina yes, but orange/red rust, with care, no.

Another point which make rusting easier to prevent, is finish. If the carbon blade is left satin, or with fine scratches, rust can easily take hold. If the blade is bright, or polished to say a mirror finish, it is tougher for rust to start. Proper routine during and after getting a blade wet, can all but eliminate rust from starting.

Environmental's are tougher to deal with, but can be mitigated. Properly dry a blade and oil prior to storage, or a silicon sock, to impede moisture may be necessary in high humidity conditions. If we are talking knife blades, sheath storage, is an invitation for rust. A damp blade, has no way to shed moisture, and rusting is all but a given.

So, that brings us to damascus, or pattern welded steel. Choice of metals, for example, 15N20, contains nickel. The bright lines in the pattern. This is a high carbon steel, but with the addition of nickel, there is added stain resistance. Next is finish. With a nice polish, rusting is controllable. I also coat my blades with Conservators wax. Even if you use mineral oil, or Ballistoil (spelling?) you can easily fight it.

In this video, you can see the finish on these Damascus blades. A photo can't capture it...

Thanks for the detailed explanation, now I have learned something new! Awesome work again

The horn is gorgeous. It goes fantastic with the Damascus blade.

Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by PierreR

Another point which make rusting easier to prevent, is finish. If the carbon blade is left satin, or with fine scratches, rust can easily take hold. If the blade is bright, or polished to say a mirror finish, it is tougher for rust to start. Proper routine during and after getting a blade wet, can all but eliminate rust from starting.

On the other hand, the fine scratches of a satin finish can hold oil better than a mirror which causes the oil to ball up on the blade. Just thinking laterally.
Of course, good maintenance is the priority

Originally Posted by onimaru55

On the other hand, the fine scratches of a satin finish can hold oil better than a mirror which causes the oil to ball up on the blade. Just thinking laterally.
Of course, good maintenance is the priority

Agreed, so long as the blade is properly oiled and cared for, rust is controlled. When the oil is wiped off after repeated uses, and the blade is not quickly dried, and/or oil isn't reapplied, issues with rust will occur. Even a mirror finished blade will begin to rust.

The surface of etched blades, under magnification, show slightly uneven surfaces, and micro pitting, great places for rust to take hold. Similar with satin finished blades, or any fine scratches. It is very noticeable when grinding blades and going through grits. When grinding, the blade is dipped in water to cool. When one side ground with coarser grits, the blade gets hot, accelerating the rusting. The opposite face will often turn orange in seconds sometimes. The finer the grit, the less this happens. Nearing a mirror finish, some spotting is seen sometimes, and even less at a higher finish. This is the basis that I make my observations on. It is an extreme, accelerated result, but a measurable, noticeable result none the less. Again, these are my observations, YMMV.

Beautiful razor! Congratulations! Gorgeous Damascus!

Originally Posted by PierreR

Agreed, so long as the blade is properly oiled and cared for, rust is controlled. When the oil is wiped off after repeated uses, and the blade is not quickly dried, and/or oil isn't reapplied, issues with rust will occur. Even a mirror finished blade will begin to rust.

The surface of etched blades, under magnification, show slightly uneven surfaces, and micro pitting, great places for rust to take hold. Similar with satin finished blades, or any fine scratches. It is very noticeable when grinding blades and going through grits. When grinding, the blade is dipped in water to cool. When one side ground with coarser grits, the blade gets hot, accelerating the rusting. The opposite face will often turn orange in seconds sometimes. The finer the grit, the less this happens. Nearing a mirror finish, some spotting is seen sometimes, and even less at a higher finish. This is the basis that I make my observations on. It is an extreme, accelerated result, but a measurable, noticeable result none the less. Again, these are my observations, YMMV.

Interesting. Abrasion hastens oxidation so it makes sense the higher the grit belt you use the more rust you will see during the process.
At what grit do you find this effect begins diminishing ?

This razor is gorgeous.

Luis

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Interesting. Abrasion hastens oxidation so it makes sense the higher the grit belt you use the more rust you will see during the process.
At what grit do you find this effect begins diminishing ?

If I am hogging away material, I start with a 36 grit belt, then 80, 120, 240, 400, then I progress through Gators down to A30. The biggest area of change is after 400, where I switch to Gators then Trizact belts. If desired, they go to 2500 grit. I usually stop at 1200, then switch to cork belts with different abrasives, or buffing compounds. Essentially. once your "reflection" starts to clear up, say at a hazy finish, I don't see rapid rusting from grinding heat/water cycles.