Eli5 how was steel made/melted in ancient times? Coal wasn’t everywhere, was it?
In: 128
Most ancient iron was never turned into steel, and a LOT of that which was was such poor quality and consistency that it almost didn’t matter.
Everyone waxes poetic over folded Japanese forging of swords, but the REASON they did that was because their metal was so much dogshit that the folding and forging made it at least comparable with a lot of European steel.
That said, when you apply those techniques to quality steel, you do end up with something amazing, now.
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