According to his study of the subject, the patterns on Damascus swords are the natural crystal patterns formed when steel is cast, and those on Japanese swords are lines of temper color left by partial quenching of the blades. But the patterns on Chinese hundred-beaten steel are the grain patterns which result from repeated folding and hammering of the metal.
據他的研究，大馬士革刀上的花紋，是鋼鐵坩堝鑄造時結晶的天然花紋；日本刀上的花紋，則是局部淬火法形成的溫度線；中國的花紋鋼，是百煉鋼製作過程中不斷折疊鍛打後出現的紋理。