Hi Rick,
My knowledge of how the blades were made has been very little, until I read the following thread by Gt Obach
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=503 and also till I read the book ‘Persian Steel’, Oxford University Press 2000, by James Allan and Brian Gilmour, where James Allan quotes R.B.M.Binning: A Journal of two years travel in Persia, Ceylon etc., 2 vol. London 1857, and Massalski: ‘Préparation de l’acier damassé en Perse’, Annuarie du Journal des Mines de Russie, 1841.
Th.H.Heldley also writes something in his book Damascening on Steel and Iron, as Practised in India. London 1892, about blade making in India – but unfortunately his description is more than short.
Unfortunately I cant quote from Persian Steel, as there is the copyright to consider, and it would be two to three pages, but I can recommend you to try to get the book at your library.
RSword’s comment on how different patterns on blades can occur is interesting, as it must have been difficult for the smiths to keep the same heat all over the blade, but I also think that if there were small traces of other metals along the blade, the pattern would change.
The pattern on your blade looks to me as if it is in relief, which is strange. I think I have seen it before, but at the moment I don’t remember where, but to me it suggests an acid treatment of some kind. How is the colour of the blade, is it a ‘dull’ grey?
Jens