The special about one damask knives results from the type of production and the materials used. Damascus steel consists of different layers of soft and hard steel and thus combines the advantages of flexibility and hardness in itself. On damask knives forging is still quite expensive, despite modern methods, so having a knife made of genuine Damascus steel also comes at a price. The advantage of a Damascus knife is that you can cut meat and vegetables precisely and easily without much effort. Damascus knives are therefore very popular and indispensable in professional kitchens, and every good cook has a reasonable selection for different purposes. But amateur cooks are also becoming increasingly popular with amateur cooks.

The history of the damask knife

The name is derived from the Syrian capital Damascus and originally this type of steel comes to work mainly from the Arabic oriental area. However, the discovery of a Celtic sword from the time of 500 BC shows that even in modern Europe during the pre-Roman Iron Age, this art of forging was known. Before the development of the blast furnaces, the Damascus steel was forged using so-called racing ovens. It used one or more bellows to ensure the required forging air supply. The fireplace-type race ovens were used once and knocked over after the procedure to remove the resulting slag. They were heated with charcoal, After repelling, they were rebuilt and used anew. During forging, the raw material (steel and iron) was folded several times and worked with a mallet until almost all the slags were removed. Different carbon contents and the ingredient phosphor resulted in different properties of the starting material and so these blades combined the cut resistance of steel with the flexibility of iron and ensured a longer life of these knife blades.

Steel and Iron

In the meantime, there are more than 2500 different types of steel according to different criteria depending on the intended use. As steel is generally called iron or iron alloys with a carbon content below 2.06 percent. Pure iron is virtually nonexistent in nature because it always contains unwanted slag and other ingredients, even if it is the main constituent of the steel. Today, steel is mainly distinguished by its ductility, weldability, strength and corrosion behavior. These selection criteria are important for the later location of the material. With a knife one wishes of course beside a very good cutting resistance also the rust-freeness. That’s at a real one damask knives but not always given. Therefore, it should be cleaned immediately after use, dried well and stored in a dry place until its next use. Most damask knives are not suitable for the dishwasher because of their elaborate workmanship and the sensitive materials. Since you should possibly pay attention to the instructions of the manufacturer in order to enjoy his high-quality knife for a long time.

High-quality cutting knives with pretty adornments

Damascus knives are not only helpful utensils to make your kitchen work easier, they are also something for the eye. The most beautiful damask knives For example, you can find it in the Japan Knife Shop. This includes paring knifewith pretty engravings on the blade and a handle decorated with paua shell. Perfect for laymen and professionals is the Takamura VG10 damask Gyuto knife with 21 cm long blade which is hand-forged and hand-signed. Remarkable in this knife is the excellent serrated edge and the resin-sealed wooden handle. On Amazon you will also find a whole set damask knives and whole knife setswith wooden block. In any case, it is advisable to choose a suitable one grindstonefor damask knives to order, if you do not already own one. Damascus knives are ideal for peeling, cutting and filleting fish and meat and should therefore not be missing in any good kitchen. With their noble engraving and high-quality ornaments they also make a stylish decoration for the knife blockon the local worktop. Your guests will be sure to envy this practical yet decorative cutting tool.