ZIZ ZAG Wootz Ladder Pattern (Part II)

[ALEX]

Thanks Rand. It looks more complicated than I thought. Fiegel book, for example, shows much easier process - simply cutting the line with the chisel, but he mentioned press and dies as well.
I understand now that the technique would be the same for producing any lines, vertical, angled, etc, however only vertical lines (Kirk) pattern was used almost exclusively. I am sure it's because of "40 steps", i.e. ladder concept. Can we assume that zig-zag, cross, etc variations were made as experiment, decoration, etc, hence are not associated with the "Kirk" pattern?

[rand]

Originally Posted by ALEX

Thanks Rand. It looks more complicated than I thought. Fiegel book, for example, shows much easier process - simply cutting the line with the chisel, but he mentioned press and dies as well.
I understand now that the technique would be the same for producing any lines, vertical, angled, etc, however only vertical lines (Kirk) pattern was used almost exclusively. I am sure it's because of "40 steps", i.e. ladder concept. Can we assume that zig-zag, cross, etc variations were made as experiment, decoration, etc, hence are not associated with the "Kirk" pattern?

Hey Alex,

My opinion is any multiple of twenty would be associated with the kirk-nar-daban or ladder pattern. Other than that would call them rungs or in the style of a ladder pattern.

rand

[ward]

Great dagger Alex.
Kirk Narduban is a miss spelling from Turkish Kirk Merdeven Forty Steps I think its in the Pinchot shamshir article. Ive seen just as many sword blades that have 40 steps as others that dont but never seen less than 20. On a dagger theres less space I dont think it matters so long as steps are clear and equally spaced. Anybody wants to sell a ladder blade because it has less than 40 steps lmk.

[Richard Furrer]

Cutting the ingot and opening up like in the photo will NOT produce any rungs...it is a perpetuated myth and a lot of extra work for no benefit.

Ric