# is it crap?



## APBcustoms (Jun 15, 2015)

Looking to buy a raindrop Damascus blade to make handles for does this seem like a piece of crap? Like hardness and metals used?


* OVERALL LENGTH: --- 10 3/4 "*

* BLADE LENGTH : ----- 6"*

* BLADE WIDTH: --------- 1 3/8" *

* BLADE THICKNESS: ......... 3.3 mm*


* BLADE HARDNESS: 56-58 HRC.*

* BLADE MATERIAL: 1080 + 15N20*


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## Molokai (Jun 15, 2015)

Price and from where would be helpful ?

Reactions: Agree 2


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## APBcustoms (Jun 15, 2015)

Here is a link it's from eBay 

http://r.ebay.com/aaMH94


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## NYWoodturner (Jun 15, 2015)

Austin - I'll let some of the more experienced damascus makers and users weigh in here. but IMO when it comes to damascus you get what you pay for. My guess is its a bulk purchase import - Now that I go back and look I see the item comes from India. Do some research on India Damascus and see if it suits your need. It won't however meet the standards of the damascus made here.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## APBcustoms (Jun 15, 2015)

NYWoodturner said:


> Austin - I'll let some of the more experienced damascus makers and users weigh in here. but IMO when it comes to damascus you get what you pay for. My guess is its a bulk purchase import - Now that I go back and look I see the item comes from India. Do some research on India Damascus and see if it suits your need. It won't however meet the standards of the damascus made here.



I want it more as a beautiful knife I'll probably never use it. I guess it doesn't really matter the quality then.


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## robert flynt (Jun 15, 2015)

I don't use Indian damascus but I can tell that is what it is by the random pattern. They use ball bearing in India to get their rain drop damascus pattern, but in the U.S. a die is used and the pattern is very uniform. I have never used it but I doubt there is any way to verify what metal is used. If it were me, I would check the blades made by Brad Vice ( Alabama Damascus ) at least you will know it is made with good steel.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Strider (Jun 19, 2015)

You can figure out what steels it's made out of...I have a spectrometer metal analyzer :D
Joke aside, if it is as cheap, you won't be damaged, but will still get a decent steel made out of bearings, as told, which is superb, and probably some random carbon steel...but the HT is a different story, which can be tested and/or remade in a proper manner.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## ClintW (Jun 19, 2015)

When I first started into knife making, I purchased a blank from a similar seller on eBay, from India. All in all it looks and feels good to me. But the heat treat wasn't any good from what I could tell. So I put it aside. But now that I have refined my heat treat method, I may give it a go and see if it can produce a decent blade. If not, it will just make a fancy wall hanger.
So maybe it's not a bad deal for a premade Damascus blade.


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## kazuma78 (Jun 19, 2015)

From my limited experience I would recommend Alabama Damascus. I havent made a knife from any of their stock but ive heard good things about their steel. And its made in the Good Ol' U.S. of A. From what their own site says and their ebay listings they are already ground, heat treated and etched. All they need is a final sharpening.

Here are some of their Ebay listings: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...+damascus.TRS0&_nkw=alabama+damascus&_sacat=0

Here is a link to their website: http://www.alabamadamascussteel.com/damascus-knife-blades/

The owner is very nice and helpful from the few times I have talked to them. Even offered me a demonstration if I visited while I was stationed at Fort Benning, GA.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Strider (Jun 19, 2015)

ClintW said:


> ...But now that I have refined my heat treat method, I may give it a go and see if it can produce a decent blade. If not, it will just make a fancy wall hanger.
> So maybe it's not a bad deal for a premade Damascus blade.


Atta boy, go for it!

Reactions: Like 1


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