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So, for those interested in weaponsmithing and metallurgy, a very interesting documentary narrated by the awesome Mike Loades. It is all about the previously lost techniques of creating Wootz damascus steel (or true/genuine damascus steel), with some being produced using ore from a mine local to Damascus. This strongly suggests that damascus steel was actually also produced indigenously, not exclusively using imported steel from Indian minesas previously thought. I also find it very interesting that it is capable of producing such a fine blade without quenching, and in fact quenching worsens the quality of the blade. The sheer amount of effort that goes into creating a single billet capable of producing a single blade is staggering, even with modern equipment to aid the process and remove some of the labour. Also excellent to see Mike Loades get his own channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP8PCkcBZU4