Core damascus - legend damascus

Stainless Core Damascus with a 2,5 mm thick central layer made of steel 11Cr15M as "layer damascus".
This damascus should have at least 1,0 mm at the edge before hardening.

Properties

• Good workability
• High edge retention & wear resistance
• Hard core layer
• Good contrast

The thick 2,5 mm core layer is intended for robust knives, for example with a 6 mm blade spine.

Core damascus for forging your own blades
Thanks to the pure layered construction, this material is also suitable as a starting material for forging individual stainless damascus blades.

Chemical analysis (core layer 11Cr15M)

• C: 1,15% | Cr: 15% | Mo: 1% | Mn: 0,3% | W: 0,15% | Si: 0,2% 
• P: 0,029% | S: 0,002%

Our "11Cr15M steel" heat treatment recommendation:
Hardening:

• Oxidation protection required
• Hardening temperature: 1050°C - 1070°C
• Quenching medium: air
• Cryo treatment: optional, but beneficial
• Tempering: 170°C - 205°C
• Achievable hardness: 60 - 62 HRC

Annealing: Hold for 2 hours at 850°C, then cool slowly
Forging temperature: 1050°C - 950°C
Caution! Stainless core steel: Do not perform "plate quenching"! This can cause the core layer to tear away from the outer layers (no delamination). There is also an increased risk of cracking in the core layer during deep freezing, especially with liquid media such as LN2 or dry ice pellets (uneven cooling).

Etching recommendation

Gloss finish: High-gloss polish, then immerse in 33% hydrochloric acid for 3-10 minutes
Matte finish: Pre-sanded to approx. grit 800, then immerse in 33% hydrochloric acid for 3-10 minutes

Finish
rolled & annealed