Ancient Blacksmiths, The Iron Age, Damascus Steels, and Modern Metallurgy

Conference · Mon Sep 11 00:00:00 EDT 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-0136(01)00794-4· OSTI ID:790393

Sherby, O D ^[1]; Wadsworth, J

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1. llnl

The history of iron and Damascus steels is described through the eyes of ancient blacksmiths. For example, evidence is presented that questions why the Iron Age could not have begun at about the same time as the early Bronze Age (i.e. approximately 7000 B.C.). It is also clear that ancient blacksmiths had enough information from their forging work, together with their observation of color changes during heating and their estimate of hardness by scratch tests, to have determined some key parts of the present-day iron-carbon phase diagram. The blacksmiths' greatest artistic accomplishments were the Damascus and Japanese steel swords. The Damascus sword was famous not only for its exceptional cutting edge and toughness, but also for its beautiful surface markings. Damascus steels are ultrahigh carbon steels (UHCSs) that contain from 1.0 to 2.1%. carbon. The modern metallurgical understanding of UHCSs has revealed that remarkable properties can be obtained in these hypereutectoid steels. The results achieved in UHCSs are attributed to the ability to place the carbon, in excess of the eutectoid composition, to do useful work that enhances the high temperature processing of carbon steels and that improves the low and intermediate temperature mechanical properties.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Defense Programs (DP) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 790393
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-140423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BRONZE
CARBON
CARBON STEELS
EUTECTOIDS
FORGING
IRON
MANUFACTURING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALLURGY
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PROCESSING
STEELS