You may have seen this already, but if you haven't, I promise it is worth an hour of your time.




Lon

Interesting.

Probably 35 years ago, Al Pendrey, Steve Swartz, and Bob (Something????) ... made Wootz steel at the Ashokan Bladesmith’s Seminar, where I guest Lectured each year.

Al Pendrey made my Gas Forge and Trucked it to me in Md. I still have it. I knew Al well years back.

The basic nut shell is that in mechanical Damascus, either layers or wires of various levels of carbon and elements are forge welded together. The components remain distinct but bonded. In Wootz, a good analogy is like fruit salad suspended in jello. Various elements of iron and such are melted in a crucible. The elements do NOT go into solution, but remain separate but suspended/bonded.

The Wootz “Cake” does not move quickly when forged. It will crumble if rushed.

When Europeans encountered Wootz “Damascus”, they developed their mechanical Damascus. Mechanical Damascus, Wootz, and Japanese Swords; are three types of multi-Alloy steels bonded under intense heat - 2,300F and above.

Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2020 03:07PM by barnespneumatic.

"the Ashokan Bladesmith’s Seminar, where I guest Lectured each year. "

Too bad we didn't have the readily available media tools we have now, those lectures would be interesting. What were the topics you lectured about?

Lon

Hi Lon,

Sorry for delay.

I demonstrated Cutting Tests. I lectured on design. On the enjoyment of pure designs. On the ways that you can work within a given profile, and create/target a given genre with design elements and ornamentation techniques.

And then the Lecturers made themselves available all day, each day, to answer questions from the attendees.

It was always a great time

Gary

Lon
Very cool to watch thanks!
It really makes you appreciate the efforts gone into the actual steel before even starting to make a blade !

Thanks
Kurt