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Damascus
Steel ? / History
Iron
Metallurgy and Damascus Steel Chronological History
Updated
October 28th, 2001
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3000
to 2000 BC
Neolithic
period
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Around
2800, 2700 BC the first uses of meteoric iron in Egypt
2500 BC the first iron tools are used in Anatolia and Mesopotamia
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2000
to 1000 BC
Copper
and bronze period
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Around
2000 BC, the Hittites living in the east of the present Turkey
collect the iron ore and melt it in small furnaces. 1200 BC is
the ending period of the Hittites peoples, probably the blacksmiths
spread in the neighboring countries and share their knowledge.
From
1500 to 1000 BC the first iron tools and weapons production centers
become very active in Greece, Cyprus, Crete and Macedonia.
In
South India melted iron is extensively used.
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1000
to 500 BC
Iron
period
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Around
1000 BC the Greeks start to quench iron to improve the cutting
characteristics of their iron weapons.
From
1000 to 500 BC the Hallstatt civilization, in central Europe (present
Austria area), is leading the iron period.
Around
600 BC, the Persia and the Etrusquia blacksmiths know how to fire
weld iron.
Starting
around 600 BC the India blacksmiths use the carburization technique
and repeated hammering sequences to improve the iron qualities.
In
China, about 1000 BC, knowledge of iron-working techniques reached
the country from the West. Using their kiln pottery curing knowledge
the Chinese smiths produce the cast iron
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500
to 400
BC
Iron
period
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The
use of the iron spreads all over Europe with the spread of the Celt
civilization. |
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400
to 300
BC
Iron
period
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In
China the decarburization technique is used to produce steel |
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300
to 200
BC
Iron
period
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Birth
of the Wootz in South India. |
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200
to 100
BC
Iron
period
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In
Europe, birth of the steel. The techniques used to produce steel
could be based on iron selection or on carburization. The fire welding
technique is used to produce iron weapons with a steel cutting edge.
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100
BC to
100 AD
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In
China hydraulic systems are used to drive the bellows |
| 100
to 200 |
Birth
of the Pattern Welded Steel with twist and chevron patterns in sword
blades. |
| 200
to 300 |
Mixing
wrought iron and cast iron in their furnaces the Chineses produce
steel
The
Wootz is extensively used in India.
|
| 300
to 400 |
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| 400
to 500 |
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| 500
to 600 |
The
"Merovigiens" use the pattern-welded steels for both their esthetical
and mechanical properties. |
| 600
to 700 |
The
"Merovingiens" and the "Carolingiens" use the pattern-welded steels. |
| 700
to 800 |
Pattern-welded
steels are extensively used in Europe. |
| 800
to 900 |
The
"Normands" (Vikings) use pattern-welded steels for their weapons. |
| 900
to 1000 |
Unceasing
usage of the pattern-welded steel in Europe.
Kris
are made in Indonesia;
Wootz
steel is also produced in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (Ph.D. from
Ann Feuerbach)
|
| 1000
to 1100 |
The
use of the Pattern-welded steels start to decline.
1095
is the first crusade year.
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| 1100
to 1200 |
In
Europe the welded-pattern steel is disappearing.
During
the crusade period, the Islamic armies are using Wootz sword blades.
It's devastating…
|
| 1200
to 1300 |
No
more trace of Pattern-welded steel.
The
last crusade end up in 1270.
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| 1300
to 1400 |
During
the XIV th Century the size of the furnaces increases, it's now
possible to produce cast-iron with a powerful air blast and then
to convert the cast-iron to steel.
Pattern-welded
steel is no more used.
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| 1400
to 1500 |
The
use of the steel is growing. |
| 1500
to 1600 |
Re-birth
of the Pattern-welded steel in Europe, in Russia the blacksmiths
produce the Bulat. |
| 1600
to 1700 |
The
Pattern-welded steel is mainly used to produce gun barrels in Turkey.
|
| 1700
to 1800 |
In
1771 Jean Jacques Perret issues "L'art du coutelier"
with a chapter on "Manière
de faire l'acier façon Damas" (text translated
in English)
1784
the "pudding furnace " is discovered in England.
1795
first scientific lectures about the Wootz steels (Mushet from
England).
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| 1800
to 1900 |
In
1803 is published an article from Jean François Clouet
in the "Journal des Mines" : " Instruction sur
la fabrication des lames figurées ou lames dites Damas
"
Faraday
in England and Bréant in France study the iron alloys. During
1824, Bréant explains the chemical and the crystalline composition
of the Wootz.
In
Russia Anosoff (1841-43)
and after Tchernoff (1860) are able to re-do the Bréant's
experiments and to deepen his findings.
The
Pattern-welde steel is used in Western Europe to produce gun barrels
(Liège, Birmingham, St Etienne, Suhl et Brescia). Damascus
Barrel makers have to compete with Fake
Damascus makers...
1855
the Bessemer and open hearth processes are used.
1865
the Martin process is discovered.
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| 1900
to 2000 |
1900
The first electrical ovens are producing steel.
1918
Belaiew, a Russian Scientist, produce Wootz blades with a process
using steel and graphite as raw materials. His experiments are
duplicated by Von K. Harnecker in 1929.
During
the early XX th century, gun barrels are made with plain steel,
the usage of the Pattern-welded steel is very limited. Few prestige
weapons are produced in Germany for the III rd Reich officers
Starting
in 1960, Cyril S. Smith, C. Panseri, Oleg Sherby, Jeffrey Wadsworth,
Al Pendray, M. Sachse,W. Yater, Dr Verhoeven and some others re-start
the scientific work about Wootz and pattern-welded steels.
During
1973 William F. Moran (Bill) starts selling knives with Pattern-welded
blade.
Starting
from the States, the damascus steel spreads all over the world.
|
| 2000
+ |
Don't
stop hammering... |
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Some
interesting links about iron history :
The
Age of Iron
Medieval
Iron and Steel
Early
iron in China, Korea, and Japan
The
earliest use of iron in China
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