an khanda sword

[ward]

It does not wear like that, if it is a parade weapon. As far as how long they have been doing this false damascus finish here is a excerpt from "Method of making Steel in the style of Damascus"

written in 1771

by Jean Jacques Perret


I have seen some hunting swords which were sold as damascus, but which I suspected not to be, in part because the blackish veins were too deep, and in part because their edges would not cut iron. Indeed their edges were so blunt and ill-shaped that they would not even cut wood. I tried to discover the method of "damascening" blades as boldly as these. After several trials I took a blade of polished steel and I covered it with a coating of wax, which I let drip from a lighted candle. I spread the wax evenly over the entire surface. Then I drew a quantity of lines in the wax, using a steel scribe which served me as a pencil. After that I poured some acid on the wax. I allowed it to bite or dissolve the steel which my "pencil" had uncovered for about an hour. I then cleaned it off, and found that I had discovered the whole secret.