Misinformation Damascus steel's value to golf

[jamo83]

I am terribly sorry to be new and to post on the forum which is predominately about the use of damascus steel in custom knives. I have two big hobbies I love to hunt and use this steel often at the ranch. I also love to golf and in golf for those who play it is a never ending quest to find a putter that you love. Guess that is why it has become the most expensive club you can buy in your bag. I began to get curious about using the different kinds of damascus in milling a custom putter. Several club makers have come out with outrageously expensive putters made of damascus ($15,0000 for Titleist SC) I checked into it today and was quoted $700 or necessary billet size I would need to make the head of the putter. I have searched high and low on all golf forums and there seems to be a lot of misinformation and guessing as to what this steel could do. The most popular steel amongst golfers is Carbon. It has the best feel because it doesn't vibrate too badly after hitting the ball but you have to constantly wipe it and oil even while playing sometimes to prevent corrosion. My question for the forum is what would be the best composite of Damascus to use which would preform similarly to Carbon 11L17, Carbon 1018, or Carbon 1025 and without the threat of corrosion. Copper has become popular as well. Is the Mokumbe Gano of copper,brass,nickel-silver similar to pure copper. I guess I am just trying to get a breakdown of the hardness of all these different damascus steels and whether or not anyone knows the vibration frequency. They make beautiful putters but most of the people in the golf world believe this is just one steel. I am sure you all are tired of answering similar questions but I could not find straight answers from club makers. They do not realize there are different combinations and different qualities based on the skill of the metallurgist who is making it. Again sorry to post here but there is no where else where this is being intelligently discussed. It is mainly people curious about it and club makers get on the message board and call the steel crap and that its made from terrible material. I haven't found that to be so I think some of them do not to take the time to machine this steel but the rare ones that have been done people have loved the feel and say the patterns are beautiful. Any help would greatly be appreciated.

[ajhuff]

Fascinating. I think the materials you are comparing against each other are all comparable with each other.

You will have no measurable resistance to rust until you begin to have at least 10.5% Cr, as a general statement.

-AJ

[Larrin]

There shouldn't be a difference in vibration between carbon and stainless steel. At least not one that could be noticed. Sounds like the misinformation goes much further than Damascus. Carbon fiber would be a much easier way to limit vibration.

[Larrin]

I looked up some elastic modulus numbers (which controls vibration) and stainless steel is actually slightly lower than carbon steel, meaning it would actually vibrate less.

[jamo83]

Thank yall for the quick replies. That's is what I have always felt golfer forget to factor in shaft type and ballt type. I liked my 303 stainless steel. It's why I looked into Stainless Damascus. It will look beautiful after acid etching almost like a wood putter.

[ThEoRy]

The type of steel is only a part of the equation. The heat treatment of the steel is what creates the hardness. If I were you, I'd send Devin Thomas a pm.

[ajhuff]

The type of steel is only a part of the equation. The heat treatment of the steel is what creates the hardness. If I were you, I'd send Devin Thomas a pm.

Not entirely. If he's using 303 stainless that's an austenitic steel and not heat treatable.

-AJ

[jamo83]

I may be wrong but the stainless damascus i was looking at was a combo of swedish/304 stainless.

[ajhuff]

I am going way out on a limb here in not being an expert in golf club head physics, but I don't think the fact that the steel is Damascus steel rather than a single single steel makes any performance difference. I think you are looking at strictly a cosmetic issue and any claims to performance are strictly marketing.

-AJ

[jamo83]

No you are not out on a limb. It is mostly for ascetic value but if I could get it heat treated, which club makers won't do then it would be better than the normal GSS or 303 they use. I have been told by several golfer that if you put on your headphones and hit a SS putter or a Carbon putter that you will not be able to tell the difference. So auditory may deceive some into preferring one over the other. I personally like that SS is a harder material than carbon because it only requires a smooth hit on the ball but yeah from what I have read Damascus doesn't offer an advantage over the SS but it might if heat treated. Plus I believe I read that some of the softer properties of 304 over take the AEB-L but again I am newbie in metallurgy. I have just been trying to find that perfect metal for the club that offers hardness as well as dampening vibration. The beauty of the Damascus (especially etched) and its similar performance to SS is what draw me to it as a material. Club designers are spreading misinformation saying that it underperforms SS which I haven't found to be the case.