We might owe the Chinese for the earliest Damascus they were forging steel blades in the 4th and 5th century and had the best steels. Japan was the country that took it and refined it. During the Heian period(794-1185) the japanese made great progress improving the imported steelworking techniques. It was in the Kamakura period (11858-3333) that they refined the technique of using high carbon steel folded over low carbon steel to make steel of great strength. The first damascus was designed for strength not beauty. The Japanese steel was folded into a very fine grain,i have never seen any that was twisted. I believe twisting it for designs was most likely a European invention, don't realy know.
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Last edited by Rd Show; 10/05/07 10:19 PM.