| Abstract Scope |
Modern pattern welded steel and historical Damascus steel have seen research attention in both academic and knife making communities. The bulk of fundamental academic research occurred in the 90s, focusing on microstructures of historical Damascus steel. Processing and properties of pattern welded steel are of more interest to the knife making community. While knifemakers theorize with metallurgical knowledge, they rarely have access to advanced characterization techniques. This paper investigates common theories of chemical and mechanical inhomogeneity through pattern welded steel. Characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and microhardness mapping are used in conjunction with CALPHAD software to predict and measure chemical diffusion and mechanical properties of pattern welded steel. |