Re: manganese

The knife fella may be referring to AISI 13XX "Manganese Steel" or AISI 15XX Carbon Steels

Both 1330 (.30% Carbon) and 1340 (.40% Carbon) allow 1.6 - 1.9% manganese.

AISI 1525 allows .8 - 1.1% and 1551 .85 - 1.15%

AISI 1020 Carbon Steel allows .3 - .6% manganese. 1030 and 1040 both allow .6 - .9%.
http://www.blueshield.ca/en/docs/pdf/techinfo/databook/e-fsection218to228.pdf

And to clarify, it is my opinion based on only two crolle damascus barrels that both showed very low carbon % by OES that the iron was no doubt wrought iron and the steel either Decarbonized (carbon .06 - .1%) or low carbon low alloy - possibly AISI 1010 which Siemens was likely making in the 1870s.

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