Quote:
|
Another story regarding ancient Jap blades is that it was sort of edge-packed wrapped in the skin of a freshly slaughtered piglet. This would apparently force oxygen into the blade surface. ???????? Makes no sense to me.
|
Sounds like in theory it could work like case hardening to add a little carbon to the surface of the steel and to keep oxygen away from the blade. I know leather was often used in case hardening and what's pig skin except untanned leather? It'd give an extra hard skin to the blade, though honestly with their polishing style I'd think it'd be ground off deeper then the extra carbon would sink in.