The forge behind the steel
BALBACHDAMAST®
Every billet Damaworks sells is forged by BALBACHDAMAST® in Laubuseschbach, Germany: a family forge that has specialized in Damascus steel since 1991. It makes DSC® Carbon and DSC® Inox, the two steels on the shelf in Ashland, and a great deal more. Damaworks is the authorized US home for its steel; this page is about the forge that makes it.
Made by hand in Germany
A specialist in Damascus steel
BALBACHDAMAST® has forged Damascus since 1991, today under master blacksmith Markus Balbach and his son Lukas. Its composite steels are built in traditional forging, by hand, in a 3,200 m² forge. The hand work is slow and deliberate, which is how the forge meets almost any requirement a maker brings to it.
The DSC® SuperClean process, which the forge describes as patented, welds solid steel instead of powder. That keeps contamination out of the welds, so the layers stay clean, heat treat with low distortion, and stay bonded when you machine them.
DSC® is a trademark registered at the German Patent and Trademark Office. More about the forge at balbachdamast.com (opens in a new tab)
The range
What the forge makes
Damaworks keeps two of these in stock in Ashland, cut to the inch. The forge itself makes far more: in stainless and carbon, in metals that are not steel at all, and from some unlikely sources.
DSC® Carbon
In stockCARBON · 160 LAYERS
High-contrast carbon Damascus from two tool steels. Hardens to a deep, dark etch.
DSC® Inox
In stockSTAINLESS · 120 LAYERS
Stainless Damascus from 1.4034 and 19C27, rust-resistant and hardenable.
DSC® inox-s
STAINLESS · FOOD-SAFE
Food-safe stainless welded from two Swedish steels.
DSC® austenit
STAINLESS · NON-MAGNETIC
Non-magnetic stainless, left soft, for jewelry, watches and decorative work.
DSC® titan
TITANIUM · RUST-FREE
Titanium Damascus that takes on color under heat. Light, and it never rusts.
DSC® zitan
TITANIUM + ZIRCONIUM
Titanium and zirconium Damascus for knife handles, jewelry and watches.
DSC® mokume
NON-FERROUS
Mokume in brass, copper, bronze or nickel silver.
Meteorite, Tirpitz and more
MADE ON REQUEST
Forged from meteorite iron, historic ship and aircraft steel, and reclaimed tank barrels.
The rare and custom lines Damaworks can sourceFull catalog at balbachdamast.com (opens in a new tab)
Custom work
From a single blade to an industrial run
Craft manufactory
Hand-forged composites, unique and exclusive, built to virtually any requirement: your choice of materials, layer count and pattern. You can even send your own steel and have the forge weld it into a Damascus composite.
Industrial
Damascus in made-to-order compositions, cross-sections and dimensions for manufacturers and bulk buyers, with non-binding quotes and development support from the forge.
Can't find it in the shop?
Two ways to get what the forge makes
Damaworks stocks DSC® Carbon and DSC® Inox, cut to the inch in Ashland. For anything else the forge makes, an exotic alloy, a custom layer count, an exclusive pattern or a large run, there are two good routes.
Ask Damaworks to source it
For US makers. Tell us the material, size, pattern and how much you need, and we'll check what the forge can make or what's on the shelf in Germany, then come back with the price and timing before anything is ordered.
Order direct from the forge
Best if you're in the EU, the UK or another market Damaworks doesn't ship to, or you want a one-off exotic or a large run. The forge ships worldwide and takes custom orders by phone and email.
See the forge's own site
Questions about the steel
Sizes, heat treat, a custom cut or a special order. Questions go to the person who cuts the steel in Ashland.