What Makes Damascus Kitchen Knives So Special? A Guide to Japanese Damascus Chef Knives and Care Tips
Damascus kitchen knives are not just cutting tools—they’re works of art admired for their stunning layered steel patterns and razor-sharp performance. Many cooking enthusiasts say, “If I’m getting a real knife, it has to be a Damascus knife!” Yet we often hear questions like, “What exactly is a Damascus knife?” or “How do I choose a good one?”
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know: what makes a knife a “Damascus” knife, how Damascus steel is made, what sets Japanese Damascus chef knives apart, and how to care for these beautiful blades. If you’re wondering where the best place to buy Damascus knives is while visiting Japan, we’ll also point you in the right direction.
Use this page as your go-to reference to find a high-quality, easy-to-use Japanese Damascus kitchen knife that suits your cooking style—and discover why so many chefs around the world treasure these unique blades.
What are the Glamours of the Damascus Knives?
Damascus steel is a steel material, which is said to be first introduced from Ancient India, and was known as “Wootz Steel”, that were used when forging items such as swords. The knives forged from Damascus steel had beautiful patterns on the blade, and its sharpness excellent; the knives were treated as a treasure.
But in modern days, we do not know the exact process when forging, or even about the actual steel itself. What people call “Damascus Knife” now, is an artificially made steel; the lamination layer patterns are created by layering several sheets of steel together.
The Unique Patterns of Damascus Steel and the Luxurious feel it has
What truly sets Damascus kitchen knives apart is their distinctive wavy patterns, known as Damascus patterns. These mesmerizing designs are created through a traditional process called forge welding, where multiple layers of steel—typically a combination of high-carbon steel and steel with high nickel content—are folded and hammered together. This layering not only contributes to the blade’s strength and flexibility, but also results in the stunning, rippling designs that make each knife one-of-a-kind.
Because no two Damascus patterns are ever the same, every knife has its own visual identity. This sense of uniqueness and craftsmanship gives Damascus knives a luxurious, elegant appeal that has captivated chefs and collectors around the world.
The Steel that are used for Damascus Knives and its’ Sharpness
Some think that ”Damascus steel knives won’t rust”, but whether or not it is rust-resistant depends on what materials were used when forging the steel. ‘Damascus’ mainly just refers to the layer patterns on the surface, and is irrelevant when speaking about the steel materials that were used when forging.
Before speaking about the sharpness or caring instructions for the knife, you need to figure out what materials were used for the steel.
The Steel Material of Damascus Knives
Usually, for home-use Damascus knives, stainless steel materials such as Molybdenum steel or VG10 are often used, but there are Damascus knives that use carbon steel materials that are easy to rust.
For example, our “Blue Carbon #1 Damascus Sashimi Knife” is a Damascus knife that has beautiful multi-layer patterns on the surface. Since this knife is a Carbon steel knife that uses Blue Carbon steel #1, it is a luxurious and extremely sharp Sashimi knife. But because Carbon steel is easy to rust, proper care and maintenance are required to use at its full potential.
Cross-Section of the knife
Back (blade tip) / steel material / soft iron / front (side)
2-layer structure
Also, our “Loco Damascus Gyuto Knife” is a Damascus knife with layered patterns. It has a 3-layer structure that is sandwiched with VG10 steel. This structure makes the knife rust-resistant, which makes it a suitable, easy to use home use knife.
Cross-Section of the knife
Back (side) / Stainless steel / steel material / Stainless steel / front (side)
3-layer structure
The Sharpness of Damascus Knives
As mentioned above, Damascus knives are knives with multi-layered patterns on the surface; so it is important to determine the steel materials that were used to determine the sharpness of the blade.
There are two main types of steel materials: “Carbon steel” that emphasizes the sharpness and is easy to rust, and “Stainless steel” that emphasizes the maintainability and is rust-resistant.
For those that cut and slice sashimi and soft meat that requires sharpness, we suggest using “Carbon steel” knives. Meanwhile, for those that are looking for everyday easy-to-use knives for home-use, we suggest using “Stainless steel” knives.
The harder the steel becomes, the edge retention is better. And if the edge retention is good, the knife’s sharpness lasts longer and you can keep on cutting with a sharp knife. If you are looking for a knife that is sharp, with high edge retention, we suggest knives that uses “Blue Carbon #2, Blue Carbon #1, or Blue Carbon Super (Carbon steel)”, or “SG2 or Cobalt Special (Stainless steel)” for the material.
JIKKO’s Damascus Knives: The Fusion of Traditions with Present Skills
JIKKO CUTLERY is a Knife specialty shop from Sakai that has been around for over 120 years. We have long inherited the traditional craftsmanship, and have crafted and sold a number of specialty knives to professional chefs. Our Sakai knives crafted at JIKKO CUTLERY are most famous for the Single-edged Japanese style knives, but we also have varieties of Damascus knives with excellent sharpness available as well.
JIKKO’s Popular Damascus Knife Series
At JIKKO, we have Damascus knives for different uses available in stock; from Authentic Damascus knives that professional chefs use, to household use knives that are popular and reasonable in price, we have it ready for you to choose. So come on by and have a chance to get the Damascus knives with beautiful patterns, and just go and above!
Loco Damascus Gyuto (Chef Knife) SG2 Starinless steel
JIKKO Chef Jack SPG2 steel Gyuto Japanese knife
JIKKO Nishiki Damascus Santoku (Multi-purpose) SG2 Starinless steel
Take a look at JIKKO’s List of Multi-purpose household use knives
The Disadvantages of Damascus Steel Knives, and Effective way to Care for
The Disadvantages of Damascus Knives
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Becomes more pricy
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The patterns get lighter if you sharpen too much.
One of the big features of the Damascus knife is its beautiful patterns. So, regardless of the sharpness or maintainability, it tends to be more pricey than normal knives.
If you want to choose a cost-efficient knife, you can keep your budget lower by buying a more simple looking knife.
Also, though the Damascus knives are made so the multilayered patterns come out nice, after you sharpen them for a while, the patterns will get lighter and harder to see. So, if you want to keep the pattern as is, you have to be cautious when sharpening; you need to sharpen only the blade tip with care to keep the same appearance.
How to Take Care JIKKO’s Damascus Knives
When you look at the disadvantages of the Damascus knives, you can tell that the Damascus knives put great emphasis on the design and appearance of the knife. But having a knife that looks fantastic changes your mood when cooking; it can make you feel excited, or even gives you a sense of dignity when cooking with a knife that is appealing to you.
By knowing the proper maintenance methods, the sharpness lasts longer, and you’ll be able to use the knife at your comfort.
Caring Method After Use
- Wash with soft sponge and neutral detergents immediately after use
- Pour hot water on the blade, to boil off the water
- Clean and dry well with a paper towel or soft cloth so there are no moisture left behind.
One thing you need to be careful about when sharpening Damascus knives, is that if you sharpen the surface with the Damascus patterns with whetstones, the patterns will get lighter and you won’t be able to see them as much. It's just a matter of appearance, and it won’t do anything to the sharpness of the knife, but if you want to keep the beautiful multilayered patterns, be suggest you just sharpen the blade tip as much as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions about Damascus Steel Knives
From here, we’ll answer some of the frequently asked questions about Damascus steel knives, and caring info.
Question: What makes Damascus Steel special?
Answer: Damascus steel is a steel material for knives that has lamination layers on them. That distinctive wavelike pattern brings out the uniqueness and beauty it has. But, since edge retention, durability, and rust resistance depends on the steel materials that are used, so you can’t determine all the features of the knife just by it being a “Damascus” knife. What makes Damascus knives appealing, is not only because of the beautiful lamination layer patterns; the fact that it’s a steel material that combines both practicality and artistry, makes it highly recognized by many.
Question: Does Damascus steel knives rust?
Answer: Depending on the steel material that is used, the rust resistant materials are different. The Damascus steel itself is a steel that is made by layering different sheets of steel, and depending on the steel that were used when forging, the rusting rate of the steel differs. Damascus steel knives made with high carbon steel are extremely sharp and cut really well, but are prone to rust at the same time. Meanwhile, Damascus steel knives made with Stainless steel are resistant to rust and easier to take care of, but compared to high carbon steel knives, the sharpness is slightly degraded. So ‘Damascus steel rusting or not’ depends on the steel type that is used. And for daily use, by washing and drying the knife, and proper maintenance, you can protect the knife from rust, and will be able to use it for a long time.
Question: Does the Original Damascus Steel still exist today?
Answer: The original Damascus Steel (Wootz steel) from ancient time does not exist anymore, since its forging methods have long been lost. But in present days, there are new methods that lead to what people call “Damascus steel” today. By layering numbers of different steel when forging, craftsmen have reproduced the wave like patterns similar to the Damascus steel from the ancient times. The present day Damascus steel is used widely to make such things like cutlery, ornaments, and tools; the beautiful patterns and excellent properties it has are highly recognized by many.
But, since the steel is made differently from the methods used to make the ancient Damascus steel, they do not have the exact same properties. The present day Damascus steel is known for the beauty of the patterns on the blade, and the balanced properties that are produced from layering multiple steel when forging. Therefore, the Damascus steel from the ancient times do not exist anymore; but the Damascus steel, that was inspired from original steel’s beauty and functionality, made with present day technology, exists today and is in the market.
Question: How much do you need to sharpen so you can cut with the knife?
Answer: The simple answer to this question will be “if you sharpen until the blade tip is sharp, you can cut”. Whether Double-edged or Single-edged, if there is no blade tip, you can’t cut with it. When you sharpen for yourself using a whetstone, be sure to have the whetstone flat, so the blade tip is exactly on the whetstone. Also, after you sharpen, if you can spot the burrs, or residues on the steel, it means that part has in fact got sharpened. It is important to carefully sharpen the blade from edge to tip of the blade, in several steps, instead of sharpening all at once.
Question: Is it OK to sharpen Stainless steel knives?
Answer: The efficiency of the stainless steel knives nowadays has been greatly improved over the years, and you can sharpen just like the Carbon steel knives so you can keep on using the knife. In the past, due to the nature of the material that were used, stainless steel knives were extremely hard to sharpen, and it wasn’t easy to have it sharp again for use. But with technological developments, these problems have significantly improved. By sharpening properly, the stainless steel knives used today can keep their sharpness just like the Carbon steel knives, and can be used for a long time. You can say that “stainless steel knives can’t sharpen” is an out-of-date data already, thanks to the progress of technologies.
Question: Can you sharpen bread cutting knives?
Answer: Bread cutting knives usually have wave like serrations on the blade. These blades are made so it will be easier to cut the bread crusts, but won’t smush the inside at the same time. The bread knife with these wavy blades makes it not possible to sharpen the knives like regular knives. You need to use specific filing tools if you want to sharpen them. It probably will be hard to sharpen bread knives at home.
Question: How do you care for the knives so it won’t rust?
Answer: To keep the knife last long, you need to properly use the knife, and maintain it with care. First of all, knives are actually delicate tools, and can easily be chipped. It is important to cut food ingredients with adequate knives.
For example, multipurpose knives such as Santoku knives may get chipped if you try to cut fish bones or certain fruit seeds, so you need to be cautious when using them. For knives with Carbon steel blades may rust in an instance if you leave it wet, since it’s extremely sensitive to water. Be sure to wash immediately after use, pour hot water on the blade to boil off water from it, and cleanly dry it off. Afterwards, you can also thinly spread oil on the blade to prevent it from rusting.
It is also quite important to periodically sharpen the knife to keep the knife’s sharpness. If you sharpen the knives properly, the sharpness of the blade will come back, so you don’t need to buy a new knife just because the blade became dull.
Request Sharpening services at JIKKO
Beautiful Damascus Knives Boosts your Motivation for Cooking
Beautiful knives change the atmosphere of the kitchen and cooking spaces, and even give dignified feelings to some when using them. That feeling will help you to be even more serious about cooking.
But to choose the knife that is right for you, you need to consider the caring methods and the materials that are used for the knives, since it affects the sharpness and ease of use, and not just the appearance of the knife. Knife is a tool that will long support you and your cooking, so please choose your knife at a knife specialty shop that’s trustworthy.
If you’re looking for an authentic Japanese Damascus knife, we invite you to explore our collection on the official JIKKO website. Discover handcrafted blades made with over 120 years of tradition and expertise.
