Types of Damascus Pattern

[Gt Obach]

Hi RD

its actually simple...

1) Wootz damascus is a crucible steel... some ingredients are melted in a clay crucible till liquid then cooled slowly in the vessel. The goal is to produce a ultra high carbon, dendritic steel. The ingot is then forged out into a blade using a low forge temp inorder to grow the carbide pattern. The blade is then etched and you see the waterings

2) Forgewelded damascus- several pieces of bloom steel are stacked up in a billet... (resembling a sandwich) the billet is then fluxed and forgewelded together and drawn out .... cut... restacked and repeat
- pattern is then manipulated and designs are made
- eg...like those Viking sword with twistcore

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Any and all. I address this to everyone, actually: in essence, I'm very, very confused about Damascus and wootz, the relationships between the two, and how one tells the various varieties apart. My ignorance is doubtless, which is annoying since I've a watered barrel of some sort propped up in a tube behind my right shoulder!

- Meredydd