Yatagan Beauty from Balkan, help needed

[RSWORD]

The blade is of laminated steel with some impressive heat treatment "clouds". The first picture shows the blade in the best light. The other pictures seem to be photoshopped or taken under different light.

[ALEX]

Agree with Rsword, this is laminated/layered steel, not wootz.

[estcrh]

The steel used in this yatagan reminds me of the steel used in a Japanese sword, which is the result of folding and tempering.

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by estcrh

The steel used in this yatagan reminds me of the steel used in a Japanese sword, which is the result of folding and tempering.

Thank you for this picture. The yatagan has almost identical structures. I would say, both blades are very fine laminated.

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by RSWORD

The blade is of laminated steel with some impressive heat treatment "clouds". The first picture shows the blade in the best light. The other pictures seem to be photoshopped or taken under different light.

I'm sorry, but these are no heat treatment "clouds", these are ultrafine layers of steel (there are structures inside the clouds).

Yes the other pictures are taken under very bad light conditions, it is completely dark, when i'm back from work. And i forgot to correctly adjust the white balance of my cam, thats all.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Roland_M

I'm sorry, but these are no heat treatment "clouds", these are ultrafine layers of steel (there are structures inside the clouds).

Roland, the structure of the metal looks exactly what one could find in some traditionally made Japanese sword. In a Japanese sword the temper line at the edge is created when the hot blade is quenched in water, sections of the blade are coated in a clay mixture, when the hot blade is quenched the metal coated with the clay cools at different rates creating the different looking patterns (differential heat treatment, simplified version). This method was not just used by the Japanese, other cultures used it as well. From the pictures you provided your yatagan blade looks like it could have received a similar treatment, there could also be a completely different explaination.

[eftihis]

It could be the result of treating with acid to reveal a damascus pattern. I have noticed that some sellers are doing this in hope of increasing the value of the sword, but not everybody knows how to do it. I have seen many times overetched blades advertised as "having steel activity" Too much acid ruins the blade.

[Rafngard]

Forgive my ignorance, but in the second to the last photo in the original post, the blade's rotational alignment seems to be off center. Is this common for Yatagans? Also, is there a more specific term for this, I've been trying to search google, but to no avail.

Thanks,
Leif

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Rafngard

Forgive my ignorance, but in the second to the last photo in the original post, the blade's rotational alignment seems to be off center. Is this common for Yatagans? Also, is there a more specific term for this, I've been trying to search google, but to no avail.

Thanks,
Leif

Leif here is what Roland said about alignment of the blade, I can not remember seeing this on another yatagan.

Originally Posted by Roland_M

The blade is twisted around 10 degree to the handle and my first impression was “omg, what a disastrous restoration”. But a few days later I found out, with the hand in the right position this unusual shape is very ergonomic. The heel of the hand must simply be located between the ears.

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by estcrh

Leif here is what Roland said about alignment of the blade, I can not remember seeing this on another yatagan.

This type seems to be rare and it is not easy to see. Here is another example.

[Rick]

Originally Posted by RSWORD

The blade is of laminated steel with some impressive heat treatment "clouds". The first picture shows the blade in the best light. The other pictures seem to be photoshopped or taken under different light.

I have a Yat with a blade that looks constructed just like this one. Honestly, you don't often see this in Yat's; usually they're Turkish ribbon construction.
Not this crazy-pattern mechanical Damascus.

[ALEX]

Rick,
As a layered/laminated steel, it is a mechanical Damascus in a way, but not a typical one. There's no methodical attempt to manipulate steel into a particular pattern. This is a random mix, and the result of impurities that happened to be. There are many blades like this, especially Ottoman blades because they used all sorts of different types of steel. not all were designed or supposed to be etched.

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by ALEX

Rick,
There's no methodical attempt to manipulate steel into a particular pattern. This is a random mix, and the result of impurities that happened to be. There are many blades like this, especially Ottoman blades because they used all sorts of different types of steel. not all were designed or supposed to be etched.

Alex,

Can you explain please, what you try to say with " result of impurities"?

This blade is completely flawless and very controlled forged.

Each side has its own pattern.

One must see the steel with his own eyes to understand the construction. My pictures are definitely not detailed enough.

[ALEX]

Good question, Roland
I may used the term "impurities" incorrectly as your blade shows some linear layering - a form of deliberate mechanical manipulation of different steels. Please see THIS POST for better example of what I meant by "impurities", i.e. pattern that is not formed intentionally. As you know, true wootz is a result of different impurities that were part of the ore, not added/manipulated to form the (mechanical) pattern. With examples above, the pattern is formed due to different steels used in the mix.
Question to metallurgists: does the fact that "Each side has its own pattern" indicate accidental/random pattern formation, any particular technique, etc?