Which Damascus combos are best? Welding, Heat Treating, Etching (Pattern-Welded) Media

Published: 2 weeks ago

How did 1084 and 15N20 become the most popular combination? What are the pros and cons of other choices? How do you adjust processing to make different combinations work?

Written version with references: https://knifesteelnerds.com/2025/02/12/is-1084-15n20-the-best-pattern-welded-damascus/

00:00 Intro
00:35 History of Damascus choices
04:01 Why 1084 and 15N20?
06:03 Alloy effects on etching
14:22 Forging and Welding Alloys
18:38 Austenitizing Compabitility
29:56 How to Adjust Thermal Cycling
33:02 Tempering Damascus
34:23 Toughness and Edge Retention
36:19 Summary