Experimental aluminium Mokume Gane sample. Mokume Gane was developed 300 years ago and the term comes from traditional sword-making techniques and refers to the patterns forged into the sword blades.The technique is difficult and laborious and as a result examples are relatively rare. The technique is such that each piece is unique. This example was made by Ian Ferguson in 1998. Experimental aluminium Mokume Gane sample 1998