Wootz

[Sabaki]

I pretty much know the story behind this steel, the steel came from a mine in India and was a 1000 years ahead of its time and the mine only lasted for 200 years or so.

some russian i think was able to reproduce it simular no more then a decade or two ago

But how is this steel compared to others? to sharpen, hold an edge and so on?

[XooMG]

I pretty much know the story behind this steel, the steel came from a mine in India and was a 1000 years ahead of its time and the mine only lasted for 200 years or so.

some russian i think was able to reproduce it simular no more then a decade or two ago

But how is this steel compared to others? to sharpen, hold an edge and so on?

The ore itself was only part of the equation; it's the casting of the ingot that was really interesting.

From back when I was involved a little more, I remember Ric Furrer describing it as "diamonds in mud", referring to very hard carbides in a very soft surrounding matrix.

It can probably make a nice kitchen knife, but its qualities are somewhat contrary to what is conventionally regarded as ideal for a standard chef knife...perhaps better for butchering or other applications.

[mr drinky]

I have a couple wootz blades. One is a Pendray hunter and the other is a Furrer/HHH slicer.

k.

[Sabaki]

I have a couple wootz blades. One is a Pendray hunter and the other is a Furrer/HHH slicer.

k.

i've seen the pictures of that amazing slicer of your's, how is that snakeskin sheet coming along?

[Chef Niloc]

some russian i think was able to reproduce it simular no more then a decade or two ago

?

I could be wrong but I think Pendray is the guy that recreated this stuff? From my understanding the process created a superior steel back in the day when a lot of steel was crap. In other words modern steels are just as good if not superior to wootz, but the stuff sure is pretty.

[Sabaki]

The ore itself was only part of the equation; it's the casting of the ingot that was really interesting.

From back when I was involved a little more, I remember Ric Furrer describing it as "diamonds in mud", referring to very hard carbides in a very soft surrounding matrix.

It can probably make a nice kitchen knife, but its qualities are somewhat contrary to what is conventionally regarded as ideal for a standard chef knife...perhaps better for butchering or other applications.

It's a very interesting steel to read about and it's made in various quality with carboncontent 0,8-2,0% and a very high density

sword made by a mastersmith could cost as much as three elephants

[Sabaki]

i found this site describing how to make the stuff: http://www.antracit.se/index.php/sv/...77-dievar.html
click on your flag to get the translation and scroll down

[orangehero]

It's a very interesting steel to read about and it's made in various quality with carboncontent 0,8-2,0% and a very high density

sword made by a mastersmith could cost as much as three elephants

You'd need two elephants, and then it's just matter of time.