Film 2 - Forging of Damascus steel patterns: Bernard and Crollé damask

Damascus steel patterns have always exerted a great fascination. Their manufacture seems mysterious, as the processes of forging are invisible.
In the two films of the LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen the blacksmith Stefan Roth shows and explains how he forges four different patterns: "Little Rose", "Banddamast", Bernard and Crollédamast. Supplementary 3D animations schematically illustrate the creation of the patterns and thus reveal what is invisible during the forging process itself.
The films were created for a media station in the forging museum of the LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen. There they can be seen in direct proximity to numerous products made of Damascus steel.

How are the patterns created?
Damascus steel patterns are created by the fire welding of two steels of different composition, in the case shown here nickel steel and manganese steel. The two types of steel are alternately layered and then joined together by means of fire welding. The workpieces can then be further processed in various ways, for example by very tight twisting. The final etching process makes the structures in the workpiece visible.

Stefan Roth forged the workpieces in November 2017 in his forge in Braunschweig with the assistance of Darius Roth.

In cooperation with museums and archaeologists, the armourer Stefan Roth has developed historical forging techniques from Europe and Japan and has specialised in the production of individual blades. His knowledge and skills also include forging techniques of the Middle Ages, from steel production in a racing furnace to further processing without auxiliary materials. The manual forging of Damascus steel using historical techniques is part of his daily work.

Видео Film 2 - Forging of Damascus steel patterns: Bernard and Crollé damask канала LWL- Freilichtmuseum Hagen