Damascus Steel: Accidental nanotechnology circa 1100 A.D.! - Core77 Damascus Steel was used in the middle east between 1100-1700AD and it was “said to be able to cut through rocks and other people’s swords”.  Yikes.  The reason behind the superstrength of Damascus Steel apparently lies in carbon nanotubes. Unfortunately, no-one knows how to replicate the method any more, and there is a suspicion that no-one knew how to do it consistently back in the day anyway.  Seems the smiths of the time just bulk forged steel and out of the all the weapons forged, only a few of the accidents made the final cut. So to speak. Researchers and experimenters alike are yet to figure out how to reverse engineer this cool bit of old-school weapon forging badassery.

Damascus Steel: Accidental nanotechnology circa 1100 A.D.! - Core77

Damascus Steel was used in the middle east between 1100-1700AD and it was “said to be able to cut through rocks and other people’s swords”.  Yikes.  The reason behind the superstrength of Damascus Steel apparently lies in carbon nanotubes.

Unfortunately, no-one knows how to replicate the method any more, and there is a suspicion that no-one knew how to do it consistently back in the day anyway.  Seems the smiths of the time just bulk forged steel and out of the all the weapons forged, only a few of the accidents made the final cut. So to speak.

Researchers and experimenters alike are yet to figure out how to reverse engineer this cool bit of old-school weapon forging badassery.