"From Dirt to Damascus" takes viewers on a mesmerizing journey from the hinterlands of Arizona to the intricate process of forging iron ore-rich dirt and rocks into Damascus steel. Rybar, a seasoned expert in the art of blacksmithing, imparts his extensive knowledge as he guides four student blacksmiths through an intensive five-day class.
This captivating film explores the secrets of Wootz and Damascus steel production, techniques used for crafting legendary weapons like Samurai swords, which have largely been lost to the trade. The documentary, titled "From Dirt to Damascus," sheds light on these age-old methods, offering a rare glimpse into a forgotten world.
The video is part of the Cabot Guns "Portrait of a Craftsman" series. Brought to you by Cabot Guns and Warwood Tool.
Timecodes
0:00 - Intro
1:13 - Day 1 The Search For Iron Ore-Rich Materials
2:42 - Day 1 The Influence Of Growing Up In a Family of Steel Makers
3:57 - Day 1 The Mission and Plan To Set Out To Make Damascus Steel From Dirt
4:29 - Day 1 How to Pan for Iron Ore in Lynx Creek, Arizona
13:29 - Day 1 Secret Location Ancient Dry Creek Bed Containing Iron Ore Rich Dirt
14:57 - Day 2 Ray Prepares Two Teams of Students
15:57 - Day 2 Ray Discusses Materials That Will Be Used
18:10 - Day 2 The Crucible That Will Process "The Button"
18:42 - Day 2 Preparing to Forge Bloomery Iron
19:45 - Day 2 Sparking Up the Crucible
20:14 - Day 2 Using Metallurgical Coke
21:57 - Day 2 First Stage of Converting Blooming Iron Into an Ingot
22:21 - Day 2 Controlling Eutectic Point of Bloomery Iron Using Flux
23:05 - Day 2 Return to Checking the Crucible
23:32 - Day 2 Ray Explains What Happening In The Crucible
24:50 - Day 2 How Heat and Oxygens Transform Product To Make Steel
25:47 - Day 2 Team B Receives Instructions from Ray
26:45 - Day 2 Matt Welds The Handle And Team B Gets To Work
27:41 - Day 2 Team A Gets Started
27:52 - Day 2 Cutting, Folding And Drawing Steel
28:48 - Day 2 Big Reveal From The Crucible Process
30:20- Day 2 Summary And Final Thoughts From The Day
34:25 - Day 3 Early Morning Start at Stone Church Forge
36:28 - Day 3 What Is Puddling?
36:50 - Day 3 Ray Shows A Cool Technique On How To Check Carbon Content?
40:39 - Day 3 Use Iron Oxide aka Scale and Crucible Steel
44:28 - Day 3 Puddling to Desired Carbon Content.
47:44 - Day 3 Ray loses his valuable button (Crucible Ingot) Free for all ensures
50:29 - Day 3 About the American Bladesmith Society And Ray Rybar's Involvement
53:58 - Day 3 Puddling Crucible Ingot Processing.
56:18 - Day 3 Mystery of Missing Button Solved. It was Where?? Ray offers it up to the students
58:10 - Day 3 Forge Welding. The Students Forging, Cutting, Stacking.
1:00:35 Day 3 Students Recap The Day of Work
1:02:07 - Day 4 The Plan for The Day
1:02:47 Day 4 Back To Work!
1:03:28 Day 4 Reveal! First Look at Damascus Pattern
1:04:30 Day 4 A Look at Team A's Damascus Steel
1:05:53 Day 4 Hammer On Boys!
1:06:08 Day 4 First Look At Ray's Billet That May One Day Become a 1911 Slide
1:06:56 Day 4 Damascus Steel and Cabot 1911's
1:08:32 Day 4 Mat Decides What Type of Blade He Will Make
1:10:00 Day 4 The Push To Make Blades Begins
1:11:34 Day 4 Sam Reveals The Blade Idea He Will Make
1:13:14 Day 4 Team B Decide To Go Big! A Wakizashi Sword!!!
1:15:42 Day 4 After A Long Day The Guys Reflect
1:18:07 - Day 5 The Final Session Instructions From Ray Rybar On Finishing Blades
1:19:32 - Day 5 Ray's Status On Making A Damascus Billet For Cabot Guns
1:20:09 - Day 5 Matt's Plan To Finish Off His Knife
1:20:34 - Day 5 Sam Announce His Surprise Project
1:21:21 Day 5 The Final Push To Complete Blades Begins
1:23:07 Day 5 What Does The Futre Of Bladesmthing Look Like
1:26:06 Day 5 The Students Push To Finish Their Blades
1:28:56 Day 5 Approaches The End
1:30:30 Day 5 Sam Reveals The Surprise Blade
1:31:18 Day 5 Thought On Preseving The Indutrial Arts
1:33:32 Day 5 Leaving Camp Verde With Dirt to Damascus Billet To Make a 1911