Folded Steel
Few weapons are reinforced with folded steel. First, the process is difficult. Second, it’s expensive, and seeing as how close-combat weaponry isn’t really practical in this modern age, few choose to bump up the costs on something that will likely just be hung on a wall.
Normal bladed weapons are crafted with a single layer of steel. Folded steel (also called reinforced, or “Damascus” steel) involves pattern welding alternating layers of hard and soft steel. Doing so grants the blade a nearly preternatural toughness. (Attempting to recreate this effect on one’s own requires a minimum of Crafts 3 and similarly requires the appropriate tools such as a forge, anvil, tong and other devices.)
Many Asian craftsmen still forge their weapons with this process. Japanese weapons, in particular, traditionally use the “folded steel” technique. Some masters of the craft are able to fold the steel 15 or 20 times, thus creating a blade with sharp, hard steel but a softer core (to grant it greater flexibility and to stop it from snapping in twain). Note that not all Asian weapons are made with this process. In fact, few are. Buying a katana off eBay does not guarantee that the item is of appropriate composition. Most such items are mass-produced knock-offs. Folded steel is generally not the domain of mass production, and requires delicate attention and training.
Depending on the quality of the steel and the number of folds, folded steel may count as layers of reinforcement. Per p. 135 of the World of Darkness Rulebook, each layer of reinforcement grants +1 Durability, to a maximum of +3 for masterpieces with 20 folds or more. A good rule of thumb is that each layer of reinforcement also adds +1 to the weapon’s Cost, to a maximum of Cost •••••. Keep in mind that many such items are without Cost at all, meaning that mere Resources alone cannot purchase them.
Normal bladed weapons are crafted with a single layer of steel. Folded steel (also called reinforced, or “Damascus” steel) involves pattern welding alternating layers of hard and soft steel. Doing so grants the blade a nearly preternatural toughness. (Attempting to recreate this effect on one’s own requires a minimum of Crafts 3 and similarly requires the appropriate tools such as a forge, anvil, tong and other devices.)
Many Asian craftsmen still forge their weapons with this process. Japanese weapons, in particular, traditionally use the “folded steel” technique. Some masters of the craft are able to fold the steel 15 or 20 times, thus creating a blade with sharp, hard steel but a softer core (to grant it greater flexibility and to stop it from snapping in twain). Note that not all Asian weapons are made with this process. In fact, few are. Buying a katana off eBay does not guarantee that the item is of appropriate composition. Most such items are mass-produced knock-offs. Folded steel is generally not the domain of mass production, and requires delicate attention and training.
Depending on the quality of the steel and the number of folds, folded steel may count as layers of reinforcement. Per p. 135 of the World of Darkness Rulebook, each layer of reinforcement grants +1 Durability, to a maximum of +3 for masterpieces with 20 folds or more. A good rule of thumb is that each layer of reinforcement also adds +1 to the weapon’s Cost, to a maximum of Cost •••••. Keep in mind that many such items are without Cost at all, meaning that mere Resources alone cannot purchase them.
Type
Metal