jewelry

[ironstein]

Anyone have any experience with damascus jewelry, say 15n20/1080? I have seen rings and such posted on the site, and i seem to recall people mentioning that damascus can cause problems when worn against the skin. Are the damascus rings lined with something? I had a request for a damascus bracelet, and i was wanting to make sure it wouldn't be harmful. Thanks and happy holidays!

[Dave Budd]

its not harmful, its just that the steels patinate and rust unless they are of stainless steels Most people line with silver or something similar to prevent any rustiness on the skin, but I've not heard of any health issues.

[edge9001]

i wouldn't thin there would be any health issue after all it's just steel, however if the jewelry's surfaces that contact the skin are lined or covered in a non-reactive metal like silver then it would eliminate the potential of discoloration of the skin ie green stains from fake gold. nothing to base any descisions on, just my two cents.

[Sask Mark]

How about hot-bluing? With a high nickel alloy in the damascus, you should get a very nice contrast with the bluing. I would assume the bluing would reduce a lot of the corrosion issues?

John N has made stunning damascus rings with the silver lining.

[kpotter]

I have made a couple of hundred damascus steel rings for people I made them from stainless round bar you can buy it from a place in new mexico it is called damasteel it is made in sweden and comes in the annealed state I machine them on a lathe. The biggest problem with them is sizing you have to be right on you cant size them down. The stainless damascus is available in all kinds of patterns and it wont rust it is perfect for rings

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

This is Karen....I wear a damascus bracelet Brian forged. It is not lined, he made it from a damascus billet given to him. I have worn it almost two years without taking it off, it does not rust, nor does any of my other steel rings or bangles. I do use hand lotion after I bathe but it is mostly my body oils that keep it so nice I think.

[Swamptroll]

The only problem I see is to people that have metal allergies, nickel allergy is common

[Mainely,Bob]

And then there are folks like me who can kill a wrist watch in a matter of weeks.If the case doesn`t corrode then the battery blows out or the crystal fogs.
Yeah,I know,I`m weird.My wife reminds me of that all the time. <_<

[MattBower]

Speaking as a longtime gun owner, it's been my painful experience that body oils and the associated moisture and salts cause rust. Maybe constant wear is what's keeping the bracelet shiny? Or some sort of clear coat?

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

Speaking as a longtime gun owner, it's been my painful experience that body oils and the associated moisture and salts cause rust. Maybe constant wear is what's keeping the bracelet shiny? Or some sort of clear coat?

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

This is Karen....No clear coat, I think it is the constant wear.

[ironstein]

Thanks for all the replies. I will definitely make some bracelets and maybe some pendants and see how people like them. I was thinking the constant wear would keep them relatively rust free, i know a fingerprint left on a gun will rust, but a gun isn't in constant contact with the skin. Hopefully nobody has an allergy to nickel!