[TheForge] Samurai program

[James Binnion]

On Oct 7, 2007, at 12:15 PM, schade at acegroup.cc wrote:

>
> If you go to the Nova site there is an interactive slide show
> showing some of the highlights of the show. In one segment they
> say that the curve in the finished blade is made by quenching
> (clipped/pasted below). I am not a knifemaker or student of
> damascus/samurai swords/patternwelding/etc but I have never
> heard this before.
>
> Is it true?

Yes, there is a difference in thermal expansion between low carbon  
steel and high carbon steel that will make the low carbon steel  
contract more than the high carbon steel on cooling. Result a curved  
blade.

Jim

James Binnion
jbin at well.com