On a slightly lighter note

[Hose]

[saltmummy]

Yep. That's one tiny picture.
I could never understand why people needed notches on the backs of kitchen knives except as decoration. It's not serrated, so ones grip is not really important as long as your fingers aren't under the blade.
A good test is to try and cut slices from a roll of frozen ground beef or sausage about half an inch thick. If you get a nice, quick, clean cut then you know it's plenty sharp. Just don't twist it while it's in the frozen beef/sausage. High carbon knives are easy to chip/snap. If you drop it and it breaks, it might have too high carbon content.

Is this a trusted seller? It's a common practice to fake forge welding patterns with acid, so you should watch out.

I think it's a fairly common practice now because people associate the pattern with quality and sellers can charge more because of that.

[TotalyMeow]

I know the picture it tiny, I had a hard time getting it off my phone. I'll do a better one if I can figure out what went wrong.

[jesi]

Is this a trusted seller? It's a common practice to fake forge welding patterns with acid, so you should watch out.

I think it's a fairly common practice now because people associate the pattern with quality and sellers can charge more because of that.

Its called a damascus blade and its made by folding sheets of the steel used over and over to craft the blade. Came from out of India first I believe but is done by artisans all over the world now. I once bought a damascus knife from a reputable dealer near me only to discover when I went to sharpen it that it was simply etched steel most likely from China. On the other hand I once saw an exhibit on the National Mall at the Smithsonian folklife festival where a guy was forging damasus blades right before your eyes. Those you could trust.

Or maybe the knife Meow bought has welding marks like this one:


Its not a damascus blade but a forged blade that has not been polished.

[TotalyMeow]

This isn't true vanadium steel, which is the type of steel used to make Damascus blades the old way. It's two types of carbon steel folded together several hundred times then forged to an HRC of about 65. It should therefore be very hard and keep a sharp edge much longer and better than an ordinary SS knife, yet be not quite as brittle as you'd expect thanks to the second type of steel. I almost bought the D2 blade which might have actually been a better blade, but a bit softer and not nearly so pretty.

[DarkNacht]

Its called a damascus blade and its made by folding sheets of the steel used over and over to craft the blade.

Actual Damascus steel was crucible steel not pattern welded.

[Kandarim]

god i'm jealous.
My knife set is getting replaced soon, me thinks.

[saltmummy]

*snip*

I know what "damascus" means, but thanks though. It's always fun to watch stuff like that. My own forge doesn't get hot enough to do it.

[TotalyMeow]

As promised, a bigger picture.

I could never understand why people needed notches on the backs of kitchen knives except as decoration. It's not serrated, so ones grip is not really important as long as your fingers aren't under the blade.

Holes in a knife, or those dimples some have, are there to break suction if you're cutting something wet, like poultry or fish. I'm not sure if those notches serve the same purpose, though.

[Forungi]

Hnnng that is one sexy knife if i've ever seen one.

Nice find Meow.