[TheForge] Wootz lost?

[Dan Scheid]

I'm with andy I hate the phase "they could not have done X because they did
not have today's  machines.... "
When I hear that I respond with we sent men to the moon without a modern
computer and use a slide rule. 
Dan Scheid

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Andrew Vida
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2012 7:40 AM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Wootz lost?



On 6/15/2012 12:29 AM, doveknives at aol.com wrote:

 > 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.

Or that they possessed knowledge far beyond anything we now hold.

I find both extremes unlikely, to be frank.  The more ancient people were
plenty smart, so discounting their intelligence and experience is
foolishness IMO.  Equally foolish is the over inflation of same, a key
example being that of the katana.  I have heard more nonsense uttered about
katana than even I thought possible.  Some katana were/are great and some
are not so hot from the standpoint of pure function.  To say the ancient
Japanese smiths were mystical-magical and that their swords were far
superior to anything modern engineering can produce is utter baloney.

Keeping a properly balanced perspective about such things appears to pose
inordinate difficulties for many people.
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