[Ice Czar]

guess metallurgists should just give up and surrender the term Damascus Steel to the general public as a replacement for pattern welding

The recent discovery of carbon nanotubes in the steel's composition has also brought to light a new hypothesis which might explain the loss of the technique. Carbon nanotubes (perhaps the strongest and stiffest material known), while occurring randomly in nature (simple campfires produce some nanotubes), require fairly high-tech, high-energy production methods to be made useful as structural materials. Therefore, ancient smiths, with the level of technology at their disposal, could hardly control the formation of these nanometer-scale carbon structures. Some element of random chance (forging, alloy composition, heat treatment, smelting process, environmental particularities, etc.) might have been responsible for the formation of these structures, which could not only explain some of their "legendary" qualities, but also the reason why, to this day, these properties have never been successfully emulated.

Legendary Swords' Sharpness, Strength From Nanotubes, Study Says
Ultima Thule: Sharpest cut from nanotube sword
Chemical & Engineering News: Latest News - Ancient Steel's Surprise Ingredient

European metallurgists were never able to replicate Damascus steel, and the ancient recipe has been lost for nearly 200 years. Paufler hopes that the nanoscale structures will offer insight into that recipe and provide clues as to how the metal's unusual banding pattern forms. "As the nanoscale structure of Damascus steel emerges, a refined interpretation of its remarkable mechanical properties should become possible," the researchers say.

that aside
nice vid, and good exposure