Is pattern-welded steel (i.e. two or more steels) better than homogeneous steel?
Pattern-welding is the process of forging two or more different steels together. This includes welded Damscus, traditional heterogeneous steels like Tamahagane and our very own folded steel. In the hands of an expert bladesmith, pattern-welded steel can be equal or even superior to monosteels in cutting ability and aesthetics. But if you are buying something mass-produced chances are pattern-welding is not going to be beneficial to performance – there are more important factors to consider such as blade geometry, balance, heat treatment, etc. that will affect performance much more than stock steel (this is in part why Nihonto cost so much). Q: What does carbon do for a steel? A: Steel is an alloy composed primarily of iron, with some carbon. Carbon content (usually .5-1.5%) and to a lesser extent the other elements (such as chromium, vanadium, nickel, niobium, molybdenum, silicon) define the properties of the steel. Higher carbon steels (e.g. 1055-1095) are extremely strong yet more br
