VERY interesting.

This was a good idea, Drew...

The graphite inclusions are illuminating.

I believe I'm correct in describing them as inclusions, correct me if there's a better term.

As uncombined Carbon, they contribute nothing to an Iron crystal structure and thus are a major flaw in the material.

It appears that the crack runs through a giant such inclusion, and that the area shown southwest of the crack where the inclusions line up would be another potential failure point.

I think we need to get it out of our heads that Damascus is 'steel'. It ain't. It's a composite structure. Even 'pattern welded steel' isn't a great description.

"The price of good shotgunnery is constant practice" - Fred Kimble