Bīntiě (simplified Chinese: 镔铁; traditional Chinese: 鑌鐵) was a type of refined iron, which was known for its hardness. It was often used in the making of Chinese weapons. Bintie was an important article of income in medieval Yuan China as technological advances from the preceding Song dynasty improved Yuan smelting technology. Bintie was referred to as "fine steel", due to its high carbon content.
See also History of ferrous metallurgy
References
Romance of the Three Kingdoms/Chapter 1
External links bilingual article about 鑌鐵 discussion forum about a Han Dynasty sword Guoyu Cidian (國語辭典)