Damascus steel - there are few materials in the modern world, surrounded by so many myths. Fantasizing about the wonderful properties of Damascus steel writers in the XIX century, when the romanticizing of the Middle Ages. However, as so often happens in life it is not so, as in pages of novels.
Where the legend begins
Only lazy unscrupulous trader knives claimed that Damascus steel - this is the best steel in the planet, able to cut in half the metal rods are not afraid of corrosion and therefore standing at exorbitant prices. In popular (and classical) culture of Damascus steel it is also surrounded by a halo of romance and fiction. One of the last authors who have made a significant contribution to romanticization Damascus, became George Martin, creator of fantasy novel "Song of Ice and flame ", which has repeatedly asserted that the next real prototype for the fictional magical it was just valliriyskoy steel Damascus.
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note: In terms of real metal fictional valliriyskaya became more similar to damask, and not on Damascus, since the reforging of Damascus steel swords are guaranteed to lose their working abilities.
However, and to-Damascus fentezistov writers endowed with some incredible properties. Suffice it to read the historical novel by Sir Walter Scott's "Talisman" or "Ivanhoe". Willingly "fed" hoax qualities Damascus modern journalists who conducted experiments in the shell context "Damascus fire does not burn in the water does not rust, is not dissolved in acid, and cuts like a plate bib oil". The vast majority of the "miraculous" qualities of Damascus steel - fiction. Moreover, in terms of industry (when it comes to the manufacture of knives), most modern steel factory will be better Damascus.
What is it really
Damascus steel - a heterogeneous material consisting of several steels with various carbon contents. The term "Damascus" can denote refined steel, as well as directly welding Damascus. In this refined steel nominally considered Damascus, since their production is subjected to forge welding only one became homogeneous block. The purpose of this process does not add patterns on the blade, and in removing harmful impurities from the material, which reduce toughness and blade sharpness.
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Welding damask - a material obtained by combination of several steel pieces with different carbon content. Smith carries with them a consistent welding, folding and forging. The bottom line is the combination of iron and high-carbon steel. This trick allows the blacksmith to deliver the final material of the distinct disadvantages of conventional steel and iron (individually). The blade, made of carbon steel alone, you get sharp and durable, but also very fragile and will break easily. If we make the blade from a conventional iron (mild steel), it will be too soft and easily deformed.
of Damascus steel sword. bladeforums.com.
In this case, no miraculous properties in Damascus, in addition to the strength and fragility of the lack of frank - not. Moreover, there are significant drawbacks. Due to the high carbon content of Damascus steel sufficiently quickly and easily rusts without proper care of it.
Location beautiful pattern
Figure - a weave materials with different carbon content. popgun.ru.
Texture Damascus steel is really very beautiful, but its appearance was a natural accident. Blacksmiths does not seek to make a beautiful blades (at least so). The appearance of "pattern" - is a natural consequence of the process of welding of materials with different carbon content.
Who was the first
Make weapons of Damascus were able to even the Celts. aredi.ru.
Material name "Damascus steel" regularly questioned by professionals and researchers. The fact that the city of Damascus has never been in the history center of the blacksmith. Perhaps there was a large arms market, but no evidence of mass production of blades in this city, archaeologists have found. Refined steel as such is used by people from almost the very beginning, from the moment of acquisition of iron casting. The first finds date back to 1300 years BC, and they were made in Asia Minor. In Europe, this material has penetrated about 800 BC A century later we learned refined steel in China.
Swords of Damascus archaeologists found the Franks, in a small number of the Slavs and the Germans, including the Vikings. gregforge.com.ua.
It is known for (thanks to archeology), which in the Roman Empire, Damascus has been used at least since the 11th century AD. It is noteworthy that six centuries before this, the welding Damascus already were able to make the Celts. The oldest finds in Europe date back to the 3rd century BC Thus, the material cost would be called "Celtic Steel" or "Indian steel". In the X century after Christ Germanic peoples and Franks is widely used swords of Damascus. In this case, the first found from Damascus steel sword dates from the Persian only XIII century.
ruthless Saracens
The curved blades of Damascus appeared much later. milart.ru.
Returning to the myth, a few words should be devoted to the hoax Damascus steel during the Crusades. No evidence that the curves blades (swords) from Damascus to easily cope with plate armor - no. Moreover, this blade can hardly be coped with an average chain mail. From the viewpoint of metallurgy, tempered and heat-treated metal can be cut materials with a rough indicator of the hardness. So cut the saber armor does not work, not to mention chopping blade blade.
Cut through or penetrate the lamellar or plate (plate) can be in the exceptional case - sat blade hit the armor at the place where the material contained a large amount of slag. However, this was not the achievement of the blade, and manufacturing defects fighter protection.
I would like to learn even more interesting? How about to read about that how to select the perfect opener for the campaign and for a steel for the blade to stop the electionIf he is not sure.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/040519/50281/