[TheForge] Wootz lost?

[doveknives at aol.com]

Fellow Smiths,

  Just a note, I have been a blade smith for well over thirty years and have studied the art deeply.  I have studied under two Japanese Masters and greatly enjoy both the making of most all blades and the history of the steel.  I just wanted to mention that it is a common misunderstanding that the art of  Wootz and Damascus steel were at one time lost, this is not so.  As just one example, there are extensive examples of Wootz being made in Germany continually going back many hundred years.  No , I am not mistaking pattern welded steel with Wootz, I do know the difference, but the documentation is there.  I have seen documents that indicate that smiths traveling with the military forces on campaign traded secrets and techniques with both those they conquered and those they allied with and brought that knowledge home with them.  Thus Wootz originated in the middle to far east, but was exported to other countries as well in the form of traded knowledge and captured prisoners.  I do believe as previously stated, that there is a tendency to think of the ancients as being uninformed or technologically backward, but there is ample evidence that many cultures were far ahead of where we thought they were and some believe ahead of where we are in several areas.

  Trusting HIM,

Steve Rollert
Training Knives - keenedgeknives.com
Custom Knives - doveknives.com