To the casual knife collector or knife beginner, the amount of history and info out there on Damascus steel seems overwhelming. Let’s take a look to give a brief overview of where Damascus steel originally came from, how it’s made, and how it is currently being used in edged weapon manufacturing.
Brief History
Around 500 AD, swordsmiths of the Middle East began to produce knives and swords with strength and cutting abilities unequaled by any other civilization of the time. The superiority of these weapons came from the steel that they used to fashion them. The steel was harder and could hold an edge longer than other steels. It is claimed that one of these blades could cleanly slice through a falling silk scarf. Europeans who saw this feat were astounded: their weapons were not capable of anything close to this. The blades of these weapons also had a characteristic wavy pattern. Since the steel was supposed to be initially created in Damascus, the steel became known as “Damascus” steel.
What is Damascus steel?
Damascus steel was a type of steel used for manufacturing sword blades in the Near East made with wootz steel. These swords are characterized by distinctive patterns of banding and mottling reminiscent of flowing water. Such blades were reputed to be tough, resistant to shattering, and capable of being honed to a sharp, resilient edge.
https://swordsswords.com/blog/damascus-steel-its-history-and-types/
How is Damascus Steel Made?
Historians believe that the original method for creating Damascus was the crucible method. The crucible method of production for original ancient Damascus steel gradually declined, ceasing by around 1750, and the process was lost to metalsmiths. “Modern Damascus” is made from several types of steel and iron slices welded together to form a billet.
Current uses of Damascus in Weapons:
In ancient times Damascus was sought after first for its strength and secondly for its beauty. In our current market that dynamic seems to have reversed. Most consumers seek Damascus for its aesthetics and rarity.
The Secret of Damascus steel blade:
Though there was a demand for Damascus steel, in the 19th century it stopped being made. This steel had been produced for 11 centuries, and in just about a generation, the means of its manufacture was entirely lost. The reason it disappeared remained a mystery until just a few years ago.
As it turns out, the technique was not lost, it just stopped working. The “secret” that produced such high-quality weapons was not in the technique of the swordsmiths, but rather on the composition of the material they were using. The swordsmiths got their steel ingots from India. In the 19th Century, the mining region where those ingots came from changed. These new ingots had slightly different impurities than the prior ingots. Because of the new composition, the new ingots could not be forged into Damascus steel.
Be enthralled by the majesty of Damascus steel products at swordsswords. Buy now!
