Another way to describe it is Pattern welded steel. It is a technique that has been used more than thousand years. Some say the technique comes from Asia, some say from the Middle East (Damascus), others say it comes from Scandinavia and the Vikings. No one knows for sure. In those days, the technique was used to create stronger and better swords than the enemy. The forging became so refined that even today’s specialists wonder how it was done. One of the results is that a very nice pattern appears in the steel , when slightly etched in acid, or when the patina of using it a long time shows on the surface of the steel. In those days a very good sword and knife smith, was worth his weight in gold….