Best I can tell they aren’t Damascus or Japanese.
The BoingBoing/StackSocial ad copy doesn’t even claim these are made of layers of steel, instead they note the blades are “sporting an elegant, eye-catching pattern”, and are “carbon-rich” but also “Guaranteed to be stain- & rust-resistant” (coughstainlesssteelcough).
Where these are made is notably absent from the StackSocial ad copy. While they are covered in Japanese characters and are Japanese style knives, they appear to be Chinese made imitation Damascus steel with a laser etched “Damascus” pattern. “Damasukasu” is just “Damascus” in Japanese, but ironically “damasu” means “to deceive” in Japanese and it’s pretty safe to say that nobody ever paid $700 for this set, ever.
Knife sharpening expert Ryky Tran warns against these knives, but primarily by noting that the same ad copy for them is all over the internet under different store names - he is apparently unfamiliar with how StackSocial’s white label/affiliate marketing store works.
The comments on his YouTube are perhaps more informative than his video (he never actually reviews the knives, just the marketing), with people noting that these are essentially Farberware quality stainless steel knives that are reasonably sharp and likely worth the $50 or so that people paid for them, but not in any way, shape or form a $700 set of handmade Japanese pattern welded Damascus steel knives. It’s the deceptive marketing that is the issue not the utility of the knives.
If people want imitation Damascus Japanese style knives made in China they can just buy them direct from aliexpress by searching for “imitation Damascus”, no deception needed.
