Carbide banding as the basis for the Damascus structure of the 18th century Persian blade steels

Abstract

Extensive studies were conducted on two 18th century Persian Damascus blades. The morphology of the carbide banding was studied in relation to the shape of the end profiles. Specifically, the dagger blade (khanjar) has a cruciform cross section, while the saber blade (shamshir) has a lenticular end profile. Based on theoretical and experimental research, it was demonstrated that the morphology of carbide banding can vary significantly depending on the chemical and phase composition when evaluated in three dimensions. It has been shown that the quality of ancient Damascus blades depends on the distribution of non-metallic inclusions, such as oxides and sulfides, within the carbide layers. The mechanisms of blade failure at the cutting edge were identified. A comparative analysis of the relief changes in the cutting edge depending on the presence or absence of non-metallic inclusions in the carbide layers was performed using fractograms of fractures and scanning microstructures.