This knife from Damasteel shows just how beautiful Damascus steel patterns can be. Dieter Stöpfgeshoff/Damasteel
It may look like something straight out of Westeros on Game of Thrones, but the beautifully undulating lines that characterize Damascus steel have more Earthly origins. And if its appearance is striking, it s the physical benefits of this type of steel that made it so sought-after in its heyday
Once prized for centuries, Damascus steel lost prominence by the 18th century but today it s made a resurgence. So what is this mythical steel, and why can t everyone seem to agree on what is and is not Damascus steel?