Damascus Steel Blades

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Damascus Steel Blades

May 17, 2012United States

Damascus steel blades are fearsome weapons that are steeped in Islamic history. These blades have a dull blue color and are even quoted in The Talisman, the book of renowned Scottish playwright and novelist Sir Walter Scott.

The History of Damascus Steel Blades

Although the exact origins of Damascus steel blades are unknown, it is estimated that the blades have been around for as long as 2000 years. These blades gained recognition because of the European crusaders who brought back reports of the notoriety of the weapon during their attempted invasion of the Islamic region.
The crusaders witnessed Islamic warriors using well-forged Damascus steels swords that do not easily break when struck by the blades they have with them from Europe.

Aside from its ability to effortlessly cut opponents into half in a single blow, sharp Damascus steel blades can also slice the weapon of the invaders. Until now, the forging process behind these legendary swords remains a secret.


The main feature of this blade is the undulating patterns that are visible in the surface of the blade. According to historical accounts, the process of making Damascus steel blades is connected to welded blades that first appeared at about 500 B.C. in Persia. It is also mentioned in some records including the treatise of Abu Yusuf b. Ishaq al-Kindi which described that some native swords found in the region is made from an iron called Damascene. Several passages from Kitab al-Jamahir fi ma`rifat al-jawahir tells of the composition of the steel as well as the furnaces used for making Damascus crucible steel.

The peculiar bands in Damascus steel blades are referred to as “firnd” in Arabic literature. It is said that incomplete combination of narmahin or soft iron with “dus” or water from iron ore in the crucibles are the reason for those patterns. It is further stated that the components do not completely mix due to the variation of the two components melting point. Dus reaches its melting point and flows faster than narmahin even before the impurities that it contains are completely separated out. The impurities are said to be composed of small amounts of V, Mo, Nb, Mn, and Cr, elements capable of forming carbide. The art of forging Damascus steel was eventually lost even to the Islamic countries. It is estimated that it was around the 16th to 17th centurywhen the last high-quality blades were produced.

damascus steel blades

After the crusaders discovered the existence of Damascus steel blades, there have been many attempts to recreate the legendary weapons. The most common products known to have utilized these high-quality steel blades are Damascus steel knives and Damascus steel swords. The blacksmiths from Europe tried to alternate, fold and twist steel and iron into layers through a process known as pattern welding. There are instances when copper filigree or even silver were used as an overlay to these swords in an effort to imitate the famous bands in the original Damascus blades. The high carbon content in the original blades became a problem for Europeans because if the level of carbon was not controlled, it could result to cast iron or wrought iron. Both are unsuitable for use in weapons.

Modern technology has identified the components of Damascus steel blades as high grade iron having 1.5% carbon content. It is theorized that the original sources of iron ores used for forging Damascus steel blades are not mines from Syria but from India and Sri Lanka. The right mix of minor elements, firing time and temperature as well as thermomechanical process are required to successfully forge Damascus steel blades.

We hope this article will give you more idea about Damascus steel blades

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