An addition: "good" wootz ( high contrast) and "bad" wootz ( low contrast) are considered such only in esthetic terms. Mechanically, they may be soft, brittle, and otherwise defective in technical terms, irrespective of their superficial luster. Wootz is a classic example of beauty being skin-deep. Not for nothing european monosteel blades were prized by the natives in India for their fighting qualities, whereas wootz blades were brought to Europe to be worn on parades and exhibited in the museums. Ironic, isn't it?
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