Damascus slide

[Arizona Gunner]

Does anyone know what the story is on "damascus" slides?

Is this just something that looks cool, or is there a real or perceived advantage to the finish... or, come to think of it, is it really a "finish", or is the steel treated differently in the manufacturing process?

I am obviously a complete blank on the subject, and would appreciate any information or experience anyone has on the subject.

[El Gato]

Does anyone know what the story is on "damascus" slides?

Is this just something that looks cool, or is there a real or perceived advantage to the finish... or, come to think of it, is it really a "finish", or is the steel treated differently in the manufacturing process?

I am obviously a complete blank on the subject, and would appreciate any information or experience anyone has on the subject.

It looks cool and is a way to spend alot of money in a hurry... I have a friend who has a Tussey Custom damascus slide... very very cool looking... and I could buy like... 3 Les Baer customs or like a whole basketball team worth of RIA's for the price of the gun...
The bare slide is like 700.00 without fitting or fancy sight milling etc....

http://www.caspianarms.com/S5.php

[Frank]

Classically, the Damascus pattern came from two different steel alloys being forged together while being folded multiple times (a grossly oversimplified description of a complicated process). I think the material from which the slides are made is produced by a slightly different process, but the point is that the pattern comes from the combination of two different alloys.

I don't think it improves performance. But it does look terrific..

DVC

[John]

I don't think it improves performance. But it does look terrific..

+1

[carsten1911]

...Parkerized :D

Well, the damascus slides need to be Stainless steel, since only uncoated they can show the typical damascus-pattern.

To be blunt about stainless vs. carbon steel:
I´d choose carbon any day!


Carsten

[hunterbench]

Actually "classically" damascus is not folded at all. it is made of wootz. Critical characteristic of wootz steel is the abundant ultrahard metallic carbides in the steel matrix precipitating out in bands, making wootz steel display a characteristic banding on its surface. Wootz swords, especially damascus blades, were renowned for their sharpness and toughness.
Modern damascus, unfortunately, is folded.

[carsten1911]

Actually "classically" damascus is not folded at all. it is made of wootz. Critical characteristic of wootz steel is the abundant ultrahard metallic carbides in the steel matrix precipitating out in bands, making wootz steel display a characteristic banding on its surface. Wootz swords, especially damascus blades, were renowned for their sharpness and toughness.
Modern damascus, unfortunately, is folded.

This is not exactly what I have read.
Wootz was first made in India, it is a very high-carbon steel alloy....and yes, this one was not folded.
But the real original Damascus was folded....in Damascus, as the name said, but also by the old Celts, as scientists found out just recently...and probably lots of others, but Damascus swoard were just the most known of that kind.

So Damascus and Wootz are two different ways of upping "plain steel".

[Edit: I am not sure if the structure of Damascus steel is of any use (or even detrimental) for a pistol. It was developed for blades and sharp and strong edges on them....dunno whether it makes sense for guns except the good-looks-factor]

Carsten