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Fowler
40
Nov 18, 2017
The description doesn't really make sense. Pattern welded steel requires two types of steel, and folding a modern alloy won't result in differential wear/corrosion, so either this is VG10 clad in Damascus (as is typical) or it's VG10 and some other steel, in which case what's the other steel?
Namvet71
4
Nov 18, 2017
FowlerYes. Good catch. Most knives like this, I'm thinking Shun-KAI, Are VG-10 core with another steel laminated around it. Not strictly Patternwelded steel, but it works. I'm interested in the answer.
dtremit
58
Nov 18, 2017
FowlerAppears to be clad in SUS410/SUS431, per this image from the Zhen website:
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Fowler
40
Nov 18, 2017
dtremitNice, thanks, I figured it must be VG10 clad in pattern welded Damascus, but the description really does try to suggest otherwise, especially the bit about the effect on the edge; the description is misleading enough to warrant changing in my opinion.
Krustyboomer
71
Nov 18, 2017
Namvet71That's called SAN MAI construction.
" refers to a knife, blade or sword that has the hard steel hagane forming the blade's edge, and the iron/stainless forming a jacket on both sides. It is also the term used to refer to the technique used to create these blades "
Namvet71
4
Nov 18, 2017
KrustyboomerI Yep, I believe that San Mai means 3 layers. Good
Krustyboomer
71
Nov 18, 2017
Namvet71Really a middle sandwiched by a "taco" of a bent plate. So different types of two steel sheets, but yes, kind of three layers, per se.
MarcusK
25
May 26, 2018
dtremitso does that mean, its still sort of 3 ply? or is it actually 33 layers of steel, folded into one layer???
Krustyboomer
71
May 29, 2018
MarcusKI think you are mixing the two. San mai is the "final" method of constructing the blade. Hard inner core (usually carbon steel but not always) with nicer looking "taco" cladding, many times stainless for looks/ease of care. There could still be many layers within the billets that form the final san mai taco. In fact that is how you get the watermarks/nice patterns on the outside. That's the pattern welding part, NOT the san mai. The san mai only gets you the SINGLE line delineating the different billets.
Here you see a simple san mai with darker carbon steel core.
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Now contrast a san mai knife WITH pattern welding in outer billet (i.e. FAKE Damascus).

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