Characteristics
A critical characteristic of wootz steel is the abundance of ultrahard metallic carbides in the steel matrix precipitating out in bands, making wootz steel display a characteristic banding on its surface. Wootz swords, especially Damascus blades, were renowned for their sharpness and toughness. Peter Paufler from Dresden University of Technology has discovered evidence of carbon nanotubes in wootz steel, although this is disputed.
Steel manufactured in Kutch particularly enjoyed a widespread reputation, similar to those manufactured at Glasgow and Sheffield.
The techniques for its making died out around 1700. Oral tradition in India maintains that a small piece of either white or black hematite (or old wootz) had to be included in each melt, and that a minimum of these elements must be present in the steel for the proper segregation of the micro carbides to take place.
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