DIfference between M3 Damascus Steel and Black and White Mokume?
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jimofsanston
Member
Can't tell the difference. Both look great to me.
fitty
Member
I personally like the B&W Mokume. From the picture it has more black and gray. Where the demacus steel blank is primarily gray with a little bit of black.
its_virgil
Member
Having never used any of the M3 material I don't know which is which but they do not look the same to me or even close to being the same. The swirls are different and the "thickness" of the layers is different. I would consider the two pens to be made from different "patterns" of M3 material.
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Don
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ghostrider
Member
I not exactly sure what the difference really is, but would believe that there is something to do with origin.
There is this post by another member that may or may not give a hint.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/1390483-post6.html
Damascus referred to is that of Damascus steel, and a wiki read seemed to imply that there really isn't a definitive answer as to what it truly is, and that we tend to "use" the term. Nowadays it's a description of patterned steel (often used in cutlery, in the past used in firearm barrels as well, and recently also used on shotgun barrels).
A wiki of Mokume-gane gives a translation as, "burl metal", indicating a metal patterned to resemble wood grain.
Both are done by using laminates of differing metals. Common understanding in the cutlery industry is that after folding (or however they form the pattern), the blade is then etched with some chemical (the term, "acid" has been mentioned) to obtain the contrast.
My understanding is that it's patterned metal, however I've also seen it used (and therefore used it myself) to refer to polymer clay, and the wiki indicates something with laquerwork.
ETA:
Never did understand the difference the M3's company applied to the references. I thought Damascus refereed to steel, and that Mokume was just a broader reference.
There is this post by another member that may or may not give a hint.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/1390483-post6.html
Damascus referred to is that of Damascus steel, and a wiki read seemed to imply that there really isn't a definitive answer as to what it truly is, and that we tend to "use" the term. Nowadays it's a description of patterned steel (often used in cutlery, in the past used in firearm barrels as well, and recently also used on shotgun barrels).
A wiki of Mokume-gane gives a translation as, "burl metal", indicating a metal patterned to resemble wood grain.
Both are done by using laminates of differing metals. Common understanding in the cutlery industry is that after folding (or however they form the pattern), the blade is then etched with some chemical (the term, "acid" has been mentioned) to obtain the contrast.
My understanding is that it's patterned metal, however I've also seen it used (and therefore used it myself) to refer to polymer clay, and the wiki indicates something with laquerwork.
ETA:
Never did understand the difference the M3's company applied to the references. I thought Damascus refereed to steel, and that Mokume was just a broader reference.
Last edited:
keithbyrd
Member
Thanks for the feedback. I can see a bolder black in the B&W Mokume! When I read the mfg of M3 descriptions they sound different but in reality they are difficult to tell apart.
Virgil - my oversight on the picture - the other side of the Damascus Steel had a pattern similar to the Mokume!
Virgil - my oversight on the picture - the other side of the Damascus Steel had a pattern similar to the Mokume!
azamiryou
Member
Is the Damascus lower contrast? It looks it to me, but could just be the photo.
In real Damascus steel, I'm pretty sure the patterns are from different hardnesses of steel. In real mokume-gane, the patterns are from different metals. So I would expect "Damascus steel" M3 to look like different shades of steel gray, and "Mokume-gane" M3 to look like dissimilar metals. (I'm not sure what metals would be used for "real" black & white mokume - maybe platinum or white gold with silver, then the silver oxidized black?)
In real Damascus steel, I'm pretty sure the patterns are from different hardnesses of steel. In real mokume-gane, the patterns are from different metals. So I would expect "Damascus steel" M3 to look like different shades of steel gray, and "Mokume-gane" M3 to look like dissimilar metals. (I'm not sure what metals would be used for "real" black & white mokume - maybe platinum or white gold with silver, then the silver oxidized black?)
keithbyrd
Member
Here is the description of mfg website.
Black and White Mokume- Paying homage to the classic black and white celluloid pens of the 1930s, this pen blank is equal parts of galactic silver and black carbonite, swirled together to create random high contrast Mokume patterns.
Damascus steel is a hot-forged steel used in Middle Eastern sword making from about 1100 to 1700AD. Damascus swords were of legendary sharpness and strength, and were apocryphally claimed to be able to cut through lesser quality European swords and even rock. Damascus swords often had an obvious patterned texture on their surface due to the high carbon content and the folding and hammering of the blade. M3 Damascus shares the same visual characteristics as the original for a fraction of the price. We have used bright Stainless Steel with a pure Carbonite grain to create our version of this ancient art.