[TheForge] Wootz Lost?

[doveknives at aol.com]

Sorry it took so long for me to reply.  Lets have a go at describing the differences between Wootz and what is commonly called Damascus Steel, but more accurately called pattern welded steel.  

  First: Wootz historically is a crucible type steel.  That is to say that the smith acquired either black magnetite sand or by using already formed iron.  The magnetite currently can be bought in bulk, but can be panned like you pan for gold, or sluiced, once again like gold panner's do.  When panning for gold you will notice the black sand that stays in the pan with the gold flakes is magnetic.  This sand can be used to make Wootz.  The other is to take iron filings or fine iron chips to use as your foundation metal.  The smith would form or have formed clay flasks, the ones I have seen were shaped rather like a pear and had a tight fitting lid that would be sealed on with a clay slip after being filled.  The flasks that I have worked with were about 4 inches in diameter and about 6 inches tall. I will at this point over simplify things and say that the magnetite or iron is placed in the container along with a carbon source ,  many sources have been listed and used, bone meal, organic matter and a bit of clean white sand or  crushed glass, some smiths have experimented extensively with the effects of different organic matter, but the main job of the bone meal or plant matter is to offer a carbon rich environment for the steel as it melts with a secondary effect of consuming the oxygen that maybe present in the flask.  
  The flask or flasks are placed in a fire and taken to the melting point of the contents and held long enough to completely liquefy the metal inside.  Once again perhaps over simplifying the complete process, the metal is allowed to cool at a slow rate.  Rates used vary greatly dependent on what you want to  have happen in the steel as it cools, and perhaps also dependent on your patience.  It is during this prolonged gradual cooling (a very controlled step) that Bainite ( forgive my spelling)  is formed.  This crystal is one that adds great ( in my opinion) wear resistance and is a visible component in the steel.   
  When the flask has finally been allowed to cool the flask is broken and the steel is found to be in the form of a slightly domed disc I call a biscuit.  The center of this disc is punched out since it seems to be where the junk is accumulated as it cools last.  The biscuit looks more like a donut and is then cut on one side and opened up to forge into a bar or blade blank.  Once again I have shortened the entire operation since I am short on time this morning.

  Pattern welded steel which is often called Damascus steel, is a laminated steel of two or more dis-similar metals.  I have written on this forum before about how I use dry forge welding instead of fluxed welds, if the previous letter cannot be found I will be glad to re-post it.  But suffice to say that the layers are manipulated to for the visual patterns seen on so many fine knives.  I would encourage you to only use tool steels in your Damascus steel to eliminate the problem of carbon migration.  I use 1095 and 15N20.   

  I have found that it is much quicker to make pattern welded steel but more rewarding to make the Wootz, finding customers that are willing to pay for your investment in time in making Wootz is somewhat more difficult than selling pattern welded steel.

  Hope this answered your question properly, if not feel free to ask.

 

Trusting HIM,
Steve Rollert

Custom Knives - doveknives.com