Damascus is used colloquially to refer to pattern-welded steel where a maker forge welds a stack assembled from thin strips of steel where a high nickel alloy i

Damascus is used colloquially to refer to pattern-welded steel where a maker forge welds a stack assembled from thin strips of steel where a high nickel alloy is alternated with a low nickel alloy. The different steel alloys have similar properties so they form a solid piece but the heterogenous structure is revealed by etching with acid and the alternating strips of high and low nickel alloy make pretty patterns.