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Saiyan and Bo joke as they take a
break after a half day's digging.


The amount Saiyan has dug today compared to a typical lighter.


Using a large magnet as his tool, he finds a rather large Namphi ore.


The ores after they have been
cleansed of earth. This is about 2 kilograms ready for the smelting process.

Digging for the steel

Entering the Namphi village, one will encounter disruptions in mobile communications. Scientists have been coming and going to research on this material mainly about the strange qualities the steel shows. However, day by day, it gets harder and harder to find the ores.

Strangely, the Namphi ores are unique and found only under the village of Namphi, the only place in Thailand. It may take weeks to months to find enough material to temper a 19" blade. That is why the Namphi sword is so valuable.

Locals who own the land pride in their underground treasure. Though digging for the material is as easy as digging off their own backyard, finding the right piece isn't so. A large magnet and a shovel are the simple tools they use to find this valuable metal.

It takes around 5kg. of the cleansed ores to produce around 1kg. of the Namphi steel and around 30%-40% of the weight is lost in smelting and tempering the blade.