Types of Damascus Pattern

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by 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

Salaams GT Obach.
I was scratching about trying to define the difference beteen the two techniques so thank you for setting it down so simply...and the correct small d in damascus denoting technique not place.. Excellent ! Regards Ibrahiim al Balooshi.