Thread: Damascus questions

Damasteel is a sintered powder metallurgy (aka crucible particle metallurgical = CPM) product. The "layers" are slightly different colored alloys of stain resistant materials, sprayed into a crucible. They do not start out as individual bars of material.

Using a hot isostatic press with atmosphere controls the material is pressed into a bar form. Because the term crucible is applied, it is permitted to think of the bar as an ingot, but the material is not poured into ingot form.

I can't get this link to produce the best pictures to view, but it covers the basic processes. enlarged p.1

Perhaps this is better: :: Damasteel AB :: Production

Once sintered, it acts just like any bar of steel, can be ground, forged or otherwise. This process provides precise control over the alloying mixture and the grain size of the final product. Damasteel is just fine for blades and will make a razor equal to its individual component steels and better than some monosteel stainless stuff.

Despite being a mostly hard core carbon steel smith, I have a blade of Damasteel that has seen daily service for most of fifteen years. I got no complaints about the steel.