Production of Damascus steel/wootz
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Since 2004 I, Torsten Almén, have been running a project together with the metallurgist Göran Svensson aimed at finding a method for the production of genuine Damascus steel/wootz steel.
For many hundreds of years, up to around 1750, edged weapons of high quality, principally in Persia, were made of what is known as wootz steel or Damascus steel. The steel was very durable and flexible, and weapons made from this steel had attractive patterns that were considered to guarantee their quality.
When the steel supplied to the blacksmiths suddenly changed around 1750, they were no longer able to produce the "Damascus pattern" on the finished blades. They stopped using their methods, and knowledge of their former production method was lost in just a few generations. Today there is strong interest around the world in recreating Damascus steel.
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In our project we have tried to go our own way by experimenting with materials, furnaces and crucibles. We hope you enjoy reading about what we do.
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