Hometown Knives - Custom Handmade Knives
Surrounded by secrecy, Damascus steel has an aura surrounding it like no other material. Legend has it that, the original blade of a Damascus sword can cut cleanly with another sword and will still sever a hair falling on it. Damascus steel has achieved a mythical status, as the knowledge needed to produce this ancient material was lost in the early 1800s.
Here at HomeTown Knives, we use the finest modern steels and alloys (15N20, 1095 and 5160). As the different alloys are heated and then forge welded together before being folded over and forge welded again. This produces a laminated material that has an amalgam of the characteristics of the materials that went into its creation.
The benefit, you get a composite blade structure of both hard and soft material. The softer 15N20 gives the ductility and the 1095 and 5160 give the hardness and toughness. With combined hardening and tempering you get a blade that is not only functional but is an art piece.
The Damascus blade comprises of a Martensite or Pearlite matrix, within which are micro carbide layers that produce microscopic “teeth” in a cutting edge. In recent years, researchers have also discovered evidence of carbon nanotubes and tungsten micro alloys, adding to the mystique. This Damascus steel features a distinctive pattern, which, depending on the individual sample, fire flowing or twist of grains or feather.
Over time we have also gotten into producing different materials that help outperform both functionally and artistically. They have included D2, 12Cr3Mo, Sanmi combinations of Damascus and High Carbon 1095 Steels.
HomeTown Knives
Verona, WI
608-886-8696
Below are some of the well-known Damascus Steel Patterns that our Knives are made in:
Rain Drop Banded Ladder
Fireball Twist
Our mission is to build good customer relations with and provide our customer with a quality product that gets handed down for generations. Profits from our sales also to go multiple charities that helps those in need of food and shelter, and improving the quality of life of those living in less fortunate places around the world.
Check out our product reviews from our customers @ http://hometownknivesus.com/
Hometown Knives, 915 Enterprise Dr, Verona, WI, 53593,
Email: Info@hometownknives.com
Cell: 608-215-7000 (Naim)
https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/HTKnives
Our Damascus Process is illustrated and detailed below:
Steps 1 through 4 (illustrated above left to right) are called out below;
https://www.instagram.com/p/45M5P3h4fP/?taken-by=hometownknives
1. Plates of 1095 High Carbon and Nickel 15N20 are laid out
2. We stack the plates and tack weld them together to keep them in place
3. Next, the stack is heated in the forge until its glowing orange or close to melting point
4. Then, the stack is taken over to the hammer and forged together
5. The billet is then profiled/cut in the soft state
6. Heat-treating (the most important step of the process):
We first preheat the furnace to 1500o F and place the profiled blade in the furnace and monitor the thermocouples to climb back to 1500F and let it soak for 5 mins. The blade is immediately quenched in oil. The blade is tempered at 400 deg F twice for 1 hr each.
7. Grinding from low to high grit wheels to achieve the fine surface finish and polish.
Depending on the style and shape of the blade the grind and polishing can take many more hours, but from start to finish it generally takes at least 30hr to finish a knife.
8. The leather is formed and traced to fit the knife like a glove. We use quality and high gauge cowhide.
MAINTENANCE:
· Keep the blade oiled to prevent it from rusting.
· For all long-term storage, please keep it out of the sheath
· For sharpening, we recommend using ceramic stones and oil to sharpen the blade in odd numbers.
Note: Damascus steel has high carbon content so when exposed to acidic environments it will rust. Therefore we recommend cleaning the blade dry and applying thin lay of oil (Rem oil / Olive oil ...).
440C Knife making steps: Knife steps
1. 440C Bar stock sourced in annealed state, but if the bar is too hard blade is annealed
• Plate Annealing
Plate is Heated uniformly to 840C - 900C, held at temperature until uniform throughout the section
2. Plate is straightened using hammer and the overall knife profile is drawn
3. Disk Cut / Profile to get a rough shape of the blade
4. The blade is further ground to get a rough edge and grind lines
5. On mill machine the blood groove is added on both sides and the grooves ends are finished off on disk
6. Handle hole are drilled to lighten and shift the (Center of Gravity) balance point of the knife forward
7. Blade Hardening
• Blade is heated to 1080C, and temperature is held until uniform throughout the section. Then quench in warm oil
8. Blade Tempering
• Heated to 400oC, soaked and cooled in air. Tempering within the range 100oC - 200oC gives optimum corrosion resistance and maximum hardness - up to Rc60
9. Horn scales, Bolster and Pommel are traced with handle shape and fixed on the handle with pins
10. On bench grinder the excess of Scales, Bolsters and Pommel material is removed
11. The handle side profiles are ground and smoothened for good ergonomics
12. Using disk specially profiled with tapers are used to add saw teeth along the top of the blade
13. Using a thin disk, grooves are added on the handle to increase friction
14. Any gut hooks on the knives are sharpened on a wider disk by hand
15. Over a series of polishing steps knife and handle surfaces are polished on multiple grits to achieve a mirror polish
16. Hand selected tanned leather is picked for the knifes sheath
• Hand formed and prepped
• Machined stitched
• Buttons are hand pressed using manual tools
REFUNDS & WARRANTY:
We don't refunds but do offer credit and replacement if there are any defects found. We offer a Lifetime warranty on the blade (due to metallurgical defect). This includes any manufacturing defects that arise over the life of the knife like, crack due to delamination of layers or any porosity. Please note: It doesn't include any maintenance related defects; eg. Rust or Crack due to Excessive force.
HomeTown Knives Reach World Wide:
Please note that none of our knives are meant to be used as a weapon these are tools for everyday functional use.