Yep! "Fossil" is all the leftovers from accordion cut billets. For years I hauled them off the to scrap yard.
When powdered steels became available, and after I understodd how to use it, I was about to toss a bucket of accodion cuts into the truck and take them off to the scrap heap.....then it dawned on me that I could use them!
It took a few billets to figure out the process, and once I was successful, a friend was in the shop, saw a finished blade made from it, and said "That looks like fossils that I've seen in the rocks along the Mississippi river" Hence the name "Fossil" Damascus.
IMHO, with the prices of steel and other consumables, and seeing many part time makers selling their knives for less then the cost of materials, I can't afford to waste anything these days!
Plus, each item made from "fossil" is unique....simply because there's no way to dupicate it.