What is Damascus?
Damascus in modern day knifemaking is actually pattern welded steel. The steel is made by layering different steels together and welding them into one large piece. These pieces are folded or twisted to mix up the layers of different steels. After the steels are mixed as desired by the knifemaker it is either forged or ground into the shape of a knife. After the knife is ground to final shape, the blade is put into acid and the acid attacks the steel and eats away at the metal. Since the steels are different inside the blade, the acid attacks them differently. The result is the pattern of the steel starts to show like the grain in wood. Damascus is a very popular steel to use and can be made in many patterns.
