All that glitters is not Damascus...
by
, 07-24-2011 at 12:16 AM (2046 Views)
I've noticed on eBay that there have suddenly been a lot of Damascus blades crop up for around the £25 mark, and some of them are actually quite pretty. I can certainly understand why the newer folks might grab one thinking its a good deal.
I've seen a few of these blades recently which have been sent to me for honing (mostly Wildox branded) and these blades really will not take a shaving edge. The bevels come out a mile wide and wonky, the spines dont make contact with the hone and the craftsmanship stinks.... They have the Damascus steel but sure aint shavers! You can run your thumbnail down the edge and it'll deform and flake off.
More than anything I'm annoyed at the sellers for peddling junk to folks who are just after a good deal. I'd be pretty ashamed to put my name to anything like that but then maybe I'm just an ethical guy.
The words "Damascus" and "cheap" are rarely seen together, unless separated with the word "isnt" so thats one thing to bear in mind. If it looks to good to be true then it probably is!
But at the same time there are some great barains to be had on the 'Bay. Sellers like Taylors1000 who sell high quality blades for excellent prices are well worth looking at. I've snagged some awesome blades in very good condition for under £20 and they shave with the best of them. Check the SRP classifieds as well, there are always deals to be had there.
If you're after a Damascus blade... Well, there are places to get them. Guys like Alex Jaques, Mastro Livi, Buddel and Tim Zowada make awesome Damascus blades, but they'll be a bit more that £25!
So whats the point of this blog? I guess really just to say dont be afraid to search around on eBay and dont be afraid to pull the trigger on a good deal. But be aware there is some junk out there as well and keep an eye out for something that seems to good to be true!
Oh, and if you do find a source for awesome Damascus blades at £25 a pop, let me know.