Lasering a Damascus Blade

[kyle bonnell]

Has anyone laser engraved on a damascus knife? I have a customer looking to have a name put on a knife but not sure if it can be done. I understand the knife is made my folding and hammering the steel into many layers but not sure what the laser results would be.

I have a 30w ULS 2.3 BTW

[Delbert Rippetoe]

I do some for a local knife maker with cermark. It is not as bold as Stainless but it works ok for my Customer as he is satisfied with a subtle mark. He puts his name on all his knives.

[Bill Stearns]

KYLE
Just for interest-sake, I Googled “Damascus Knives”: found ‘em in quite a range of prices; ranging from $39 into the thousands! You didn’t mention the price of your customer’s knife. Plus, the blades I found all looked like they are made with very decorative designs; didn’t seem practical for engraving.
I have a friend/customer who hand-manufacturers knives that range into the thousands; he once showed me a $9,000 knife. He had approached me regarding engraving. Decided, no way was I gonna risk engraving on ‘em! (‘though I do engrave images on his leather sheathes.) To me, it’s simply a matter of risk versus benefits. And, ‘less you have a sample to test on, I’d suggest passing!
BILL

[John Sanford]

There's real Damascus, which you'll only find in museums. There's Modern Damascus, which is as close to the ancient process as the many folks working on it have been able to come up with, and by some accounts is actually better steel.
Both the Modern Damascus and Japanese are forge welded. Then there's fake Damascus, which isn't actually any sort of lamination/folding, but rather is simply a surface decoration usually done with acid. A $39 knife is almost certainly fake Damascus.

[kyle bonnell]

I turned down the job due to not knowing what the outcome might be. It looked like a well made knife, handle looked hand made too. No matter the cost of the item, I always hate messing up someones item.