Damascus Samurai

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gkitch

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May 10, 2008
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Looking through a friend's collection today and found what seems like an old katana with a damascus blade. I know some new blades are damascus but did the japanese adopt this middle eastern teqnique very long ago?
 
gkitch said:
Looking through a friend's collection today and found what seems like an old katana with a damascus blade. I know some new blades are damascus but did the japanese adopt this middle eastern teqnique very long ago?
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Damascus as in "Welded" or Damascus as in "Wootz". Two entirely different processes.

In short Japanese swords are "Welded" blades and have been for well over a thousand years.
 
Hmmm....do not know the terminology but it is the swirly look that I long ago learned to call "damascus". Very distinct on this blade and unlike the others in the collection.
 
Is it possible you are seeing the hamon and nie? To the best of my knowledge ancient Japanese swords were niether pattern welded nor Wootz although as Bors mentions they were forge welded in that two steels were combined and then then edge quenched, but that process doesn't typically form something that looks like "damascus." Some pictures would be helpful.
 
If the pattern is subtle, it could be made of tamahagane. This is the folded, forge welded steel. The welds leave a pattern that can be faintly seen. Smiths sometimes left a random pattern, and sometimes manipulated the steel a bit to get a specific pattern.

However, if it is a bold, etched "showy" damascus then it is likely modern and not Japanese. ;)
 
I will take pics within the next couple of days and get them on here. Thankyou kindly.
 
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