Damascus Steel Axe | Medieval Axes

A beautiful hand-forged ax with 352 Damascus steel layers.

Damascus steel, often known as Damascus steel or just Damascus, is a composite steel made up of two or more types of steel. The name is derived from Damascus, Syria, which is regarded as the former stronghold and birthplace of Damascus steel manufacture.

Typically, a hard, high-carbon steel and a soft, low-carbon steel are welded and folded together repeatedly.

The high-carbon steel gives the blade more hardness, hardenability, and edge retention, while the softer steel gives it more flexibility and resistance to fracture. This technology, which arose in a time when steel quality was poor and changing, allows one to combine the good attributes of several steels.

Impressive patterns of alternate layers are also generated due to the diverse hues with changing carbon content, such as twisted, as in so-called torsion damask, or in rose damask. The Damascus blades of the Middle Ages were considered to have an intrinsic charm, thanks in part to these patterns. A Damascus sword blade is described in the Edda as a bloody worm or a dangerous snake.