A question I have. With a damascus blade, the only thing you see is the weld line, all the steels look the same. With damascus barrels we see the weld line, but also light and dark steel. Why? If damascus barrels are made from low or mild steel, which is iron with carbon added, and iron; why doesn't the carbon just migrate into the iron and make them both the same, a low carbon steel. Then both would look the same when etched, not light and dark. Did the iron back then have some alloy to stop this ? I know in knife making that if one bar is nickel the carbon can't migrate into it. Then I get a very bright and dark pattern in the blade, like a gun barrel. In my blades I don't try to brown them, just bring out the weld line to show the pattern. Maybe someday if I get a hold of some pure iron I'll make up a blade with it and mild carbon steel to see what it looks like. Paul
Last edited by bladesmith; 01/17/08 05:17 PM.
