Question- historically, how big did wootz castings tend to be?

[Al Massey]

A fellow has told me that he could get a hold of a bunch of wootz castings, old ones, in the 300-500 gm. range. This sounds awfully light to me and I'm suspecting someone may be trying to fob off mill balls, won't know until I see a pic. I'd think historically they'd be more likely to go a kilo and up.

[Jokke]

Sorry,

but I am quite sure it is a question of the mentioned mill balls

a guy tried to sell them here in Germany, "originally brought from India, from the sc.. cast"

but these things never saw a crucible, not even from far.

but they might bring out a structure when forged out, which is a not easy to do, mainly because of high chrome and other "impurities"

I admit I have bought one, years ago, young and dumm, cheap enough, but not worth anything

not even the experience...

they sell them nowaday through the typical *bay

and there seem to be "bunches" of them around

with usually the following tags: "Antique-Indo-Persian-Mughal-Ottoman-Iranian-Wootz-Bulat-Faulad-Ingot-no-shamshir-"

just look at them and you will find them different from any picture of a wootz-cake shown here in the forum

or elsewhere

 

so pls be carefull not to waste any money, time or heating on that stuff

 

best regards

 

by the way,

wootz was not casted,

but melted in a crucible,

main sizes from 1-2kg,

some people make smaller cakes, for single blades though,

compare with the geogian way, described here in long...

Edited December 1, 2011 by Jokke

[Dmitry.M]

+1 Jokke. Worn mill balls.

[Al Massey]

Sorry,

but I am quite sure it is a question of the mentioned mill balls

a guy tried to sell them here in Germany, "originally brought from India, from the sc.. cast"

but these things never saw a crucible, not even from far.

but they might bring out a structure when forged out, which is a not easy to do, mainly because of high chrome and other "impurities"

I admit I have bought one, years ago, young and dumm, cheap enough, but not worth anything

not even the experience...

they sell them nowaday through the typical *bay

and there seem to be "bunches" of them around

just look at them and you will find them different from any picture of a wootz-cake shown here in the forum

or elsewhere

 

so pls be carefull not to waste any money, time or heating on that stuff

 

best regards

 

by the way,

wootz was not casted,

but melted in a crucible,

main sizes from 1-2kg,

some people make smaller cakes, for single blades though,

compare with the geogian way, described here in long...

 

When I'm using the word "casting" I'm actually referring to the button/ingot produced. Sorry, bad choice of terminology. I don't feel too bad though, as I believe even Figiel used the term in his book.

[Jokke]

"casting" was really used many times,

there are scandinavian re-makers of "wootz" that do use a casting method,

usually producing a rather coarse and dendritical look on their smithed blades

 

ingots that had the chance of a slow cooling produce different kinds of structures, depending on diffusion heat, number of heat-cycles, temperature range during and the way of forging

 

best regards

Edited December 1, 2011 by Jokke