“Damas grain de riz” (rice grain damacus)
Hello,
I have some questions about this beautiful razor. After you cleaned the active rust off the blade the reddish rust marks seem to have turned to whitish, dark, or silvery dots. Any idea what causes this reaction? Did you have this kind of sprinkles on other razor blades after cleaning?
A member of the « coupe chou club » thinks that the blade is made of “Damas grain de riz” (rice grain damacus) according to the research on indian wootz. I have never heard about a wootz pattern called rice grain or seen a wootz blade with such a pattern. From what I can see on the pictures you posted I don’t think that the blade is made from wootz. I think the “marks” on the blade are caused by a chemical reaction produced when removing the rust marks and are not the result of crystallisation.
In the written sources of the first quarter of the 19th Century I did not find any indication that Gravet forged “Damascus” razor blades like some of his French contemporaries.
What’s your opinion on this?
Could you post some close up pictures of the dots, for further examination?
Thank you, regards
Richard R.