How I Make Damascus Chef Knives

In December of last year, I began working on a batch of 5 chef knives intending to finish them in time for Christmas. The premise was to make a single billet of Damascus steel and turn it into 5 chef knives, each with a different combination of handle shape and blade grind. Due to the time constraints of the holiday season, I chose to leave one of the five knives unfinished and finish the other four. Now, two months later, I have finally been able to finish the last of the five knives from that batch. So what makes these chef knives unique? Let’s talk about some of those details.

Damascus Steel:
The five knives in the video are all forged from the same bar of 256-layer, twist-pattern Damascus steel [link to Damascus blog], made from alternating layers of 80CRV2 and 15N20 carbon steel. I have worked with this combination of alloys for many years, and I chose it because the two steels are forgiving to weld, give a high contrast when finished and etched, and they hold a keen edge. I chose the twist pattern because of it’s visual appeal. When the layer count in a twist pattern is just right, the blade becomes shimmery exhibiting an effect called “chatoyance,” or “like a cat’s eye.”

Blade Grinds:
I chose to use two different blade grinds for the five knives in the video. Three of the knives used my gold standard, full-convex grind. The full-convex grind allows for a thin but sturdy edge and reduced friction in the cut, and it is my go-to geometry for my chef knives. On the other two knives in the batch, I chose to use a more complex grind called a saber grind, or S-grind for short. These particular S-grinds divided the blades into three distinct sections: a convex section near the edge, a flat section near the spine, and a concave section in between the two. The concave section in the S-grind helps to keep food from sticking to the side of the knife when cutting, and it also adds a dramatic visual effect to the blade as it reflects light differently off its various sections.

Handle Designs:
When it comes to handle design, I always try to balance visual appeal with ergonomics. I like to shape handles with dynamic, curving profiles and smooth contours that feel good in the hand. To add to the aesthetic appeal of these knives, I chose a variety of figured, stabilized woods for the handles including cherry burl, walnut burl, and curly koa. On one of the five knives in the batch, I decided to sculpt the handle in a style I call “flowing facets.” For this particular knife, which I titled Flow, I chose Indian Rosewood for the handle, whose dark grain helps to reveal the more dramatic contours of the handle shape.

To see a visual explanation of what we just talked about, check out the YouTube video that I made that follows that batch of five knives from simple bars of steel through to completed chef knives, and the last of those five will finally be available for purchase on the website this Friday, March 20. I am also including a second knife in Friday’s drop, entitled “Osprey,” which includes many of the same techniques and design elements as the knives in the video, but with a stunning feather-pattern Damascus blade and a highly-sculpted handle.

If you would like to commission a culinary knife to your specifications, you can start the process by filling out my contact form and sending me a description of what you are looking for.
Also during the winter, I spent the vast majority of my time in the shop filling commissions for pieces that I already had on the books for several months. But in and among the commissions, I like to release a few knives for people who don’t want to wait 6-12 months for a knife, or who like to see the knife in its completion before buying it.

If you are looking for a limited edition culinary knife that has been hand forged and is ready to order, feel free to check out my shop.

​About The Author
Jordan LaMothe is a Master Bladesmith, a Fulbright scholar, a member of the Art Knife Invitational Show, and a teacher of knife-making. His work has won numerous awards, has been published in magazines internationally, and has made him a Forged in Fire Champion. At the end of the day, he makes collector's pieces, family heirlooms, and fine tools including culinary and outdoor knives for the kitchen and field.