Thanks Little Pig.
For a far more “legit” attempt to recreate an ancient production process, go look up the documentary on the +ULFBERH+T sword called “Secrets of the Viking Sword”. The guy figures out how to generate a highly-refined ingot of steel using a handbuilt brick kiln, starting with raw iron ore, then forges it (by hand, natch) into a replica of one of the finest weapons you could have had in those days.
A sample of the steel he made was analyzed by a modern steel company, and it was virtually identical to steel processed using modern methods (good carbon, very few inclusions, good crystal pattern etc).
