[TheForge] Damascus

[Dave Brown]

At 10:49 04/03/02 -0600, you wrote:
>Dave, not many people I know refer to pattern welded blades as being
>Damascus, damascus, or any thing other than "pattern welded", unless they
>don't have a clear understanding of the distinction between the two.
>T. Clark

Last time I was at a knife show everyone was selling and looking for 
damascus.  Those who were promoting their goods as pattern welded steel 
were few and far between.  While I might make the distinction, I'm not 
going to argue with the masses.  I'm willing to let the language evolve.  I 
think women can 'testify', so why not call something that is 'in the style 
of' damascus be called damascus?  I don't care if some want to stick to and 
quibble over the semantics or not.  If someone says "I want to make some 
damascus steel, then I know what they're talking about and can proceed from 
there without the distraction of inconsequential semantics.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against people making the distinction 
and insisting on maintaining the distinction for the sake of accuracy.  I 
work (full time for a while, but only part time now) at a living history 
park.  I like the history and spend enough time immersed in it.  But I also 
live in 2002.  I like helping people understand the difference between then 
and now.  So, while i understand the historically accurate side of the 
discussion, I also see nothing wrong with calling this new stuff damascus.

I understand that a man by the name of Ryan Johnson teaches Mosaic Damascus 
at University of Tenn, and that Alfred Pendray has unlocked the process of 
making true Damascus.  But the class at UT isn't about Pendray's process of 
making true Damascus steel.

It's all semantics, and that just my opinion.  Other opinions may vary.

Dave