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The beautiful organic patterning of mokume gane was invented in the 17th century by Japanese master swordsmith Denbei Shoami who applied this technique to the tsubo or handshield of custom swords he handmade for Samurai.
Alternating layers of contrasting metals having similar properties are fused together under controled heat and pressure resulting in a billet or stack. The billet is then twisted, carved, bumped or drilled, resulting in patterns most often described as "wood grained" which is also a direct translation of the term "mokume gane"