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Old 29th October 2006, 02:32 PM   #135
Jeff Pringle
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Buy a bunch of swords of both type, learn how to correctly use them and try on a historically correct target (the target topic only would request a lot of study). There is no other way to have definitive evidences.
Now that's a great idea, and sounds like good fun as well.
Not the only way to have a good idea of wootz's value, though - you could try to convince one of the few smiths making wootz today to do 2 identical blades, one in wootz and one in steel made from bloomery metal, and do empirical tests. (edit - even better, have him make charpy bars and really get quantifiable )
One way would require a lot of swords to even out the effects of different edge geometry, heat treatments, etc., the other is suspect 'cause it's just one datum, but either would get you closer to the answer.
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