This Arabian scimitar is a hand forged curved saber with a 352 layer Damascus steel blade, a bone and horn handle with Damascus steel bolsters, and a fitted leather sheath. It measures 41 inches overall with a blade hardness of 55 to 56 HRC. The blade is folded five times from 11 pieces of carbon and high carbon steel, giving it a keen, durable edge, a flexible body, and the flowing watered pattern that makes every Damascus blade unique.
The scimitar is the iconic curved sword of the Middle East, a single edged saber built for fast, sweeping strokes. Its distinctive silhouette has made it one of the most recognized sword forms in history, from the cavalry sabers of medieval Islamic armies to the ceremonial blades of Ottoman sultans.
History of the Scimitar
Curved single edged sabers reached the Middle East around the 9th century, carried west by Turkic horsemen from the Central Asian steppe, where the curved blade had proven ideal for mounted warriors. A curved edge slices as it is drawn across a target, so a rider could strike at speed without the blade binding, a decisive advantage over the straight swords that had dominated the region since antiquity.
Over the following centuries, the curved saber branched into a family of legendary regional forms: the deeply curved Persian shamshir, the Ottoman kilij with its flared tip, the Arab saif, and the Indian talwar. European writers grouped them all under one borrowed word, scimitar, most likely derived from the Persian shamshir. By the era of the Crusades, the curved blades of Saladin's armies had become the stuff of European legend, praised for an edge so keen it passed into myth.
The scimitar's story is also inseparable from the story of Damascus steel. Medieval Damascus, the great trading city of Syria, gave its name to the patterned blades prized above all others in the Islamic world, famed for holding a hard edge while flexing rather than breaking. A patterned Damascus scimitar was the pinnacle of the swordsmith's art, carried by sultans and celebrated by poets. This sword revives that pairing: a classic scimitar profile forged in genuine layered Damascus steel.
Blade Materials: 352 Layer Damascus Steel
The blade is forged from 11 pieces of steel: 6 pieces of carbon steel #43 and #40 and 5 pieces of high carbon 1095 steel. The 1095 steel is the highest carbon steel commonly used in swords, with a 0.95% carbon content that gives the blade its hard, lasting edge, while the alternating carbon steels contribute the toughness and flexibility a curved saber needs.
The billet is folded five times, doubling the layers with each fold:
- 1st fold: 22 layers
- 2nd fold: 44 layers, where the Damascus pattern begins to emerge
- 3rd fold: 88 layers
- 4th fold: 176 layers
- 5th fold: 352 layers
The finished blade carries 352 layers of forge welded steel at a hardness of 55 to 56 HRC, a balance point that holds a powerful edge while withstanding hard impacts. Because the watered pattern is formed in the steel itself, no two blades are ever identical.
Features and Design
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352 Layer Damascus Blade: Hand forged, folded five times from 11 pieces of steel, with a unique flowing pattern along the curve.
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Bone and Horn Handle: A traditional handle material pairing that is comfortable in the hand and striking on display, finished with Damascus steel bolsters.
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Leather Sheath: A fitted leather sheath protects the blade and completes the presentation.
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Battle-Ready Construction: Built as a fully functional sword, not a decorative wall hanger.
Sword Details
- Overall Length: 41"
- Blade Material: 352 Layer Damascus Steel (6 pieces carbon steel #43 and #40, 5 pieces high carbon 1095)
- Folds: 5 (22, 44, 88, 176, 352 layers)
- Rockwell Hardness: 55 to 56 HRC
- Handle: Bone and horn with Damascus steel bolsters
- Sheath: Leather
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a scimitar? A scimitar is a curved, single edged saber from the Middle East. The term covers a family of regional swords including the Persian shamshir, Ottoman kilij, Arab saif, and Indian talwar.
What steel is this scimitar made from? The blade is genuine folded Damascus steel: 11 pieces of carbon and high carbon 1095 steel folded five times into 352 layers, hardened to 55 to 56 HRC.
Is the Damascus pattern real or etched on? The pattern is real. It is created by folding and forge welding the layered steels, so every blade's pattern is one of a kind.
Is this scimitar battle-ready? Yes. It is a hand forged, fully functional sword with a full 352 layer Damascus steel blade.
What is included with the sword? The scimitar ships with a fitted leather sheath.
