Uploaded December 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In the seminal work "The Key Role of Impurities in Ancient Damascus Steel Blades" by J.D. Verhoeven, A.H. Pendray, and W.E. Dauksch, it is established that certain levels of carbide formers are required to form patterns in hypereutectoid crucible steel.
(tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/9809/Verhoeven-9809.html)
The best known carbide forming element is Vanadium, and its' importance has been covered widely, especially in a recent video by Mike Loades
(youtube.com/watch?v=OP8PCkcBZU4)
However, there is an alternative carbide former which has been found to induce perfectly adequate wootz patterns in historical, antique blades.
The Voigt blade uses Manganese, Mn25, as its carbide former.
This is possible because of the low diffusion coefficient of manganese at forging temperatures, which causes it to migrate in steel at a rate of 50 microns per 68 days at 950 degrees C.
(link.springer.com/article/10.1361/105994900770345935)
So long as temperatures are properly managed during the forging cycles, it is possible to use this to force cementite carbides to nucleate around the manganese atoms, and form the distinct spheroid cementite rafts that characterise wootz.
Verhoeven/Pendrays' latest article:
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11837-018-2915-z
And Verhoevens' latest book:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Damascus-Steel-Swords-Solving-Mystery/dp/6139884837
In the seminal work "The Key Role of Impurities in Ancient Damascus Steel Blades" by J.D. Verhoeven, A.H. Pendray, and W.E. Dauksch, it is established that certain levels of carbide formers are required to form patterns in hypereutectoid crucible steel.
(tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/9809/Verhoeven-9809.html)
The best known carbide forming element is Vanadium, and its' importance has been covered widely, especially in a recent video by Mike Loades
(youtube.com/watch?v=OP8PCkcBZU4)
However, there is an alternative carbide former which has been found to induce perfectly adequate wootz patterns in historical, antique blades.
The Voigt blade uses Manganese, Mn25, as its carbide former.
This is possible because of the low diffusion coefficient of manganese at forging temperatures, which causes it to migrate in steel at a rate of 50 microns per 68 days at 950 degrees C.
(link.springer.com/article/10.1361/105994900770345935)
So long as temperatures are properly managed during the forging cycles, it is possible to use this to force cementite carbides to nucleate around the manganese atoms, and form the distinct spheroid cementite rafts that characterise wootz.
Verhoeven/Pendrays' latest article:
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11837-018-2915-z
And Verhoevens' latest book:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Damascus-Steel-Swords-Solving-Mystery/dp/6139884837
