SMKW Damascus

petie

petie

Well-Known Member
One of the guys I work with saw a SMKW catalog with 3/16x2 1/4x12" raindrop damascus in it. Does anyone know anything about the quality of this. I told him he probably wasn't gettin much for $20. He really wants me to make him a knife out of this stuff but I have afeeling it would be a waste of time.
 
petie said:
One of the guys I work with saw a SMKW catalog with 3/16x2 1/4x12" raindrop damascus in it. Does anyone know anything about the quality of this. I told him he probably wasn't gettin much for $20. He really wants me to make him a knife out of this stuff but I have afeeling it would be a waste of time.
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Yes it is a waste of your time. Give my buddy Brad Vice a call at 256-282-7988. He make Alabama Damascus. It is great Damascus for the price. You can get four blades out piece of his billet or $25 to $30 a blade.
 
Dont know about the SMKW, but Ill vouch for our own Del Ealy, great stuff and great guy to deal with. Also I have used damascus from Dan Seaver. No complaints with either of them.
 
In doing a quick search on the website I found a bar of cable pattern damascus for $20 but there is no information as to the point of origin or of what quality cable was used to produce the bar. I've never used damascus in any way shape form nor fashion. I have no knowledge other than what I have learned in reading. I do know that there is no way in heck I would use steel to produce a blade and have no idea as to its content, point of origin, and proper heat treat knowledge. I could see none of this information being provided. I personally wouldn't pay 1/4 of the price for the bar. If it were to be produced by a reputable craftsman of quality material I believe I would be correct in
saying that it would be of much greater value than $20.

Just my $0.02.
 
I agree with you guys but what do you tell the customer when he insists. I suggested I would get the steel from someone else but he won't budge. I guess I'll just tell him that I'm not gonna make it unless he changes his mind.
 
HI , I would have you look at Les Georges' thread on " Say no by default " . Some good info there . It's in the Knife Business section . Bill
 
Tell him you respectfully decline to make him a knife out of inferior materials. Good damascus isn't cheap, cheap damascus isn't good, you get what you pay for.
 
It's really easy to do. Just explain to him that as a custom knife maker you take pride in producing the absolute best product possible out of quality material and you refuse to produce a knife out of unknown material. If you don't know what the material is, how can you know how to heat treat the steel?
 
This guy's not listening to you and doesn't respect your judgement as a craftsman. He is locked into a mind set that he can get something for next to nothing. If you make him a knife out of this stuff it will undoubtedly be of poor quality and quite possibly not hold a edge. Of course this will end up all your fault. Just tell him that you are not going to change your mind about doing it and to stop asking. If he is going to be upset with you one way or the other he might as well be upset up front.

Doug Lester
 
petie said:
I agree with you guys but what do you tell the customer when he insists. I suggested I would get the steel from someone else but he won't budge. I guess I'll just tell him that I'm not gonna make it unless he changes his mind.
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I been thinking about this all night and what would I do. On that same page they have knife blanks. Tell him to buy a blank and you will help him put on the handle and shape it. You will be out of couple of hours. He will have a fugal knife. It is now made by him, not by you. Just consider it paying it forward. You will be his best knifemaking friend. I have knifemaking friend like that, yes he is knifemaker now. He bought a knife from me later I ended up with good story from it.
Seems he sharpened the blade before we put the handle on it. I am helping him with the handle rolling the sharp edge against my finger. It is making a cut every time I roll it. I look down and my finger is covered in blood. I look up at him and he looks at me. I said did you sharpen it. He tucks his head like a little boy and said yeah. He is 6'5''.
My finger healed and he is so proud of his knife.
 
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I'm likin that idea Jim. He's tried to make a Bowie style knife and wasn't very successful so he already kinda has the bug. This might work.
 
Petie I from Owensboro Originally. I been through Rumsey a few times. You never know what a client might bring to you. I had a client buy a knife and turn around two weeks later and commission 5 more. I had one client buy one of my cheapest knives last knives. He has since bought two more of my better knives. Actually I have made him four knives. One got lost in mail. Instead of crying I wrote him told him not to worry I would make him another and ship it to him. I was out of 40.00 he was happy. I got to do what I loved to do anyway that is make knives.
So two of clients have 9 of my knives. I not good enough yet to go pissing my clients off. But I wont make a crappy knife either. I really can scare the riff raft off with a fair price.
 
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He's already bought one of my knives and paid full price for it. He said it'll never get used he just wants to put it in his collection. I did find out the smkw Damascus is from Pakistan. That bothers me. He also said he would pay full price and order the steel himself. He's really diggin in and tryin to convince me to do it. If you ever make it back up to Oboro give me a hollar.
 
petie said:
He's already bought one of my knives and paid full price for it. He said it'll never get used he just wants to put it in his collection. I did find out the smkw Damascus is from Pakistan. That bothers me. He also said he would pay full price and order the steel himself. He's really diggin in and tryin to convince me to do it. If you ever make it back up to Oboro give me a hollar.
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I have made knives with Pakistan Damascus, I got in a trade. I have pics I can send you so you can show him. It really is awful. It wont etch worth a crap. It will have voids.

He is trying his hardest to be frugal. Just Tell him I will match SMKW price for American made Damascus big enough to do a knife. I send you piece big enough of Brad's Damascus or get my friend Sam to make you a piece of Damascus for 35.00 as long as it ain't no Camp Knife or Monster bowie. Don't sweat the small stuff.

When he bring his billet over "don't" mix up the two billets. Accidents do happen. I would hate to think that you made his knife out of good damascus. Remember Always give a customer more than he paid for.

You bet I'll call. I love to eat some Moonlight and talk about knives
 
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I need a piece 10"x2"x3/16" if you can get that for $35.00 that would be awesome. Let me know and I'll put a check in the mail.

We ain't gotta go to the moonlight. I make a pretty mean brisket and some crick fried taters that'll make the moonlight hang their heads.
 
I have some of that damascus, and it does have voids every now and then, and it's really soft and doesn't hold an edge well. Oh..and the sticker does say Pakistan.

It seems to etch fine though, so I guess that's a positive.

I'll probably be using some for a display/prototype for the look, but I wouldn't offer it up for sale to anyone.
 
petie said:
I need a piece 10"x2"x3/16" if you can get that for $35.00 that would be awesome. Let me know and I'll put a check in the mail.

We ain't gotta go to the moonlight. I make a pretty mean brisket and some crick fried taters that'll make the moonlight hang their heads.
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There you go. I am going to Sam's tomorrow. He should have piece laying around that size.
 
Cool. Pm me if you get. I sure do appreciate it. He gave me the stick from smkw today and I told him what you said. He already knew what I thought so he told me to go ahead and get it from you. Now I got a stick of junk to lay around my shop, I guess I could make a display knife out of it. There was no heat treat instructions or alloy type with it. I think I might use for experimental steel. I do know I won't make a knife out of it to sell.
 
petie said:
Cool. Pm me if you get. I sure do appreciate it. He gave me the stick from smkw today and I told him what you said. He already knew what I thought so he told me to go ahead and get it from you. Now I got a stick of junk to lay around my shop, I guess I could make a display knife out of it. There was no heat treat instructions or alloy type with it. I think I might use for experimental steel. I do know I won't make a knife out of it to sell.
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Just heat it up to non magnetic and quench in oil.
 
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