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Damascus Barrel Making (Read 13272 times)

don1885 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 386 Location: East Tennessee Joined: Oct 31^st, 2010	Damascus Barrel Making Jun 22^nd, 2015 at 10:52pm	Print Post
	This is a fascinating video of a vintage film of the making of Damascus shotgun barrels. Be sure to watch to the end for the most amazing variation of pattern. How did they do that? (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)

	Don ASSRA #10637
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Fred Boulton Oldtimer Offline Posts: 801 Joined: Jan 6^th, 2007	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #1 - Jun 23^rd, 2015 at 7:08am	Print Post
	This is a "Ronge" muzzleloading 25 gauge rifle. The barrel is octagonal and "swamped"---tapering from the breach to within 10" of the muzzle and then increasing in size. The picture does not show the tiny 5-pointed stars within the twist pattern. The separating lines are perfectly parallel. The stock is rosewood and the bore is mint. After shooting, I just spinout the breech plug and clean it like a breach loader--the plug is just more than finger tight. Fred


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Fred Boulton Oldtimer Offline Posts: 801 Joined: Jan 6^th, 2007	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #2 - Jun 23^rd, 2015 at 7:09am	Print Post
	Can't work out how to attach two pictures---here is the damascus pattern:


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don1885 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 386 Location: East Tennessee Joined: Oct 31^st, 2010	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #3 - Jun 23^rd, 2015 at 7:58am	Print Post
	Very unique rifle Fred. I really like that style.

	Don ASSRA #10637
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Aonghas Ex Member	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #4 - Jun 29^th, 2015 at 8:50am	Print Post
	don1885 wrote on Jun 22^nd, 2015 at 10:52pm: (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) This is a fascinating video of a vintage film of the making of Damascus shotgun barrels. Be sure to watch to the end for the most amazing variation of pattern. How did they do that? Damascus patterns are made by forging two or more grades of steel into a billet. then twisting, folding and otherwise distorting the metal into a strip, then the strip is wound round a mandrel and the edges are forged together. The job is sometimes started using square rods, and sometimes with bundles of wire. Ask me in a couple of years, as I've just bought an anvil... -- Aonghas


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18049 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #5 - Jun 29^th, 2015 at 9:48am	Print Post
	That was well worth watching! Thanks!

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frnkeore Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7655 Location: Central Point, OR 97502 Joined: Jun 16^th, 2010	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #6 - Jun 29^th, 2015 at 11:34am	Print Post
	Did you notice that not one of the guys wore gloves? Not even the guy pouring the acid and of course, he didn't wear any kind of mask. I couldn't help but notice the big hammer/small hammer forging and that they used NO flux for the welding. AND how in the H did they weave that name into the metal ?????????? A wonderful lost art. Frank

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craigd Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2058 Location: midwest Joined: Feb 22^nd, 2009	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #7 - Jun 29^th, 2015 at 12:24pm	Print Post
	Pouring acid? I'm not sure if I missed it, but if you were thinking of the twisting portion of the video where a little steam was coming of the thin bar? I think that was just water to cool the metal and stop it from over twisting and changing the size and spacing of the star pattern that forms on the inside and then gets uncovered later during that large wheel grinding process.


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frnkeore Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7655 Location: Central Point, OR 97502 Joined: Jun 16^th, 2010	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #8 - Jun 29^th, 2015 at 12:37pm	Print Post
	craigd wrote on Jun 29^th, 2015 at 12:24pm: Pouring acid? I'm not sure if I missed it, but if you were thinking of the twisting portion of the video where a little steam was coming of the thin bar? I think that was just water to cool the metal and stop it from over twisting and changing the size and spacing of the star pattern that forms on the inside and then gets uncovered later during that large wheel grinding process. The guy that I'm talking about is standing outside, with barrels (about 6) stacked against a wall, pouring acid over a barrel, standing vertile in a tub. Frank

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Fred Boulton Oldtimer Offline Posts: 801 Joined: Jan 6^th, 2007	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #9 - Jun 29^th, 2015 at 3:20pm	Print Post
	When a damascus barrel is polished, it shows no trace of pattern. It has to be chemically etched with acid to bring the pattern out, which is then sealed with boiling water and finally oil. Fred


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18049 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #10 - Jun 29^th, 2015 at 6:12pm	Print Post
	I did notice towards the end the guy pouring acid over the outside to bring up the patterns. Thought the same as you about gloves in all the situations, especially when working the hot metal! How can that heat not travel down the metal, and it seemed at times their hands were extremely close to red hot steel! And the guys wiping the anvil off, right after the red hot metal went back in the furnace! Just like it was cool to the touch!

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Singleshotlover Ex Member	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #11 - Jun 30^th, 2015 at 12:35am	Print Post
	I noticed no electric lights. Presumably so the forgers wouldn't have trouble distinguishing the proper temps when doing the forging. No gloves and the guy doing the acid etching without any safety gear. OSHA would have a field day. Frank


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uscra112 Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4079 Location: Switzerland of Ohio Joined: May 7^th, 2007	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #12 - Jun 30^th, 2015 at 5:24am	Print Post
	Quote: I noticed no electric lights. Presumably so the forgers wouldn't have trouble distinguishing the proper temps when doing the forging. No gloves and the guy doing the acid etching without any safety gear. OSHA would have a field day. Frank More likely the town just didn't have electricity. Much of the USA didn't either, right up to WW2. But it's fascinating to watch! Years ago a friend of mine made art trinkets and jewelry using that bundling technique, in a clay-like material she called FIMA, that could be fired in a home oven. All kinds of stacking, folding, twisting, just like this.
	« Last Edit: Jun 30^th, 2015 at 5:32am by uscra112 »
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LRF Oldtimer Offline Posts: 714 Location: MN Joined: May 8^th, 2010	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #13 - Jun 30^th, 2015 at 9:39am	Print Post
	Don, thanks for sharing the link, quite interesting. A technology that came and then was surpassed into obscurity and relegated to now, an art form. I always have to chuckle when you see similar videos or pictures....can you tell who the master is? Hint: look at the hammer size...the master is the guy with the smallest hammer. LOL


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Mike Gish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Location: colorado Joined: Jul 6^th, 2006	Re: Damascus Barrel Making Reply #14 - Jun 30^th, 2015 at 10:48pm	Print Post
	If any of you have access to a forge and have a working knowledge of forge welding you can get a very good example of a simple Damascus metal buy forge welding a piece of 1 to 1 1/4" old logging cable, makes a very good knife blade, and yes you do need to acid etch it to bring out the grain. Have not tried to wrap it around a mandrel to make a barrel but I supposed you could. It would take abetter forge welder than I am.


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