[BanazirGalbasi]

It's a bit of a nitpick, but I hate the term "Damascus steel" used in this context. This is pattern-welded steel, which was first called Damascus by Bill Moran in 1973. It offers few (if any) benefits that a solid billet of a single high-quality steel wouldn't, and it offers none that the original Damascus was said to have.

Damascus steel was originally a crucible wootz steel that came from India or Iran and was sold to Europe through Damascus. The alternating colors came from the grain structure of the steel, not from different steel types layered together. As far as I am aware, we still do not know the exact process used to create it, although we have come close, and it's likely that modern CPM (Crucible Particulate Metallurgy) steels surpass it due to more consistent measurements for the components of the alloy.

I am only an amateur blacksmith, but I have spent the last 15 years dreaming and researching to prepare myself. Given that I live in an apartment, I am limited to a small mobile forge that I can wheel out to the complex's grill area where I am actually allowed to have a fire, which limits the projects I can do due to the forge size and temperature. Crucible steel is a dream one day, but for now I just nitpick and try to tell people about the original Damascus, which is (in my opinion) much more fascinating than what gets the label today.

[greggsy]

One of my own pet peeves in Forged In Fire was that every contestant would submit Damascus (-style) blades for their final showdowns. It just wasn’t necessary and often just looked trashy.

As a secondary nitpick, the term is perfectly acceptable for the process commonly used today. As you’ve already mentioned - the original process has been lost to time, so no one actually makes it.

[mmcdermott]

> One of my own pet peeves in Forged In Fire was that every contestant would submit Damascus (-style) blades for their final showdowns. It just wasn’t necessary and often just looked trashy.

Agreed. There was a much smaller emphasis on Damascus steel in early seasons. If you go back and rewatch you can see the frequency pick up as they praised and required Damascus more and more.

[eric-hu]

How did you get into amateur blacksmithing? How much did it cost you to get started? Who do you make tools for?

Pardon all the questions but it’s a topic I’ve been curious about.

[BanazirGalbasi]

I took a class hosted by a group affiliated with my local renfest, which kind of kickstarted me to actually follow up on all the research I did. Having experienced instructors helped with the beginning learning curve, plus they pointed out early pitfalls to avoid (like gripping the hammer too tight). While useful, you definitely don't need to take a class to get started. There's dozens of tutorials on making a basic forge on Youtube - either coal-burning or propane - and you can get started with something as basic as a sledgehammer head for your anvil. Even a Harbor Freight cast iron anvil is enough for a beginner, although they're more likely to crack.

My starting costs were reduced by gifts, and my dad giving me an anvil he made with a piece of railroad several years ago. A basic gas forge from Vevor is around $75, but you can make your own small one from a coffee can, some refractory wool, and a handheld propane torch.

Right now, I just make tools and trinkets for myself. I'm _very_ amateur at the moment, I have more theoretical knowledge than practical experience. Once I get comfortable, I'll make more trinkets and tools for friends and family, then maybe one day make things to sell.

[greggsy]

You’ll probably find that there is a forge near where you live that does one- or two-day courses on blade smithing. It’s a pretty good birthday gift.

Watch any episode of Forged In Fire to get a feel for what’s involved from a hobbyists perspective. The second half of each episode follows the finalists’ progress on the challenge in their own workshops - some have full-blown black smithing businesses, but others are (literally) backyard operations.