The extensive forging of a piece of iron will usually result in a long rod or bar. This can be folded, welded and forged out again to the same length and this procedure repeated a number of times. This process is sometimes known as piling (or faggotting) and may result in a layered structure even in objects consisting of fairly homogeneous low-carbon iron. Piling is still used for the production of steel for Japanese sword blades as part of a surviving medieval tradition.
« Back to Glossary Index