Damascus for this knife was created by forge welding multiple layers of steel into a Solid block called a billet (15N20 & 1095 high carbon tool steel). The billet is folded and re-welded several times to produce several layers. Patterns are created by manipulating the steel during the forge welding process. When acid is added to the blade, it attacks the layers of hard and soft steels differently, highlighting the attractive layered pattern in the steel. The combination of layered hard and soft steel creates blade flexibility, toughness and produces invisible serrations on the blade that aid in cutting. The hardness of the Damascus steel is 55-60 HRC on the Rockwell scale. ***It is recommended to wipe the blade clean with any cooking oil to prevent rust*** Specifications: 9" Overall Length BLADE LENGTH 4" HANDLE LENGTH 5" Handmade Damascus Steel full tang Knife Extremely Sharp!!! Great for making your own custom knife!