Damascus steel barrel making book

Site about damascus steel, to share a passion with amateurs. Obviously, a damascus barrel that was poorly made to start with, or has been degraded by rust or other. Making a whiskey barrel and damascus steel ring youtube. But, about 100 years ago damascus shotgun barrels were considered superior to barrels forged from a tube of steel. What is popularly known in europe as damascus steel was really a type of steel. One gentleman there posted several pages that he had scanned from an old book, directly describing how the barrels were made, complete with illustrations. Dkc knives 20 518 dkc43 white thumb damascus steel folding pocket knife 3. This steel consists of two hardenable stainless barrel steel grades in more than one hundred layers. A liege barrel makers pattern sheet showing damascus options. Go to any vintagers event and you will see many damascus barrel guns being used. The faggot is placed on a furnace and heated to welding heat, then welded under a steam hammer this is repeated once or twice. Guns made with damascus barrels are significantly weaker than fluid steel barrels, and more prone to corrosion and failure due to the welds along the length of the barrels. Greener, in his book, the gun and its development, second edition. A laymans understanding of damascus steel by parker brown arma denton, tx.

What made the swords produced with damascus steel extraordinary was that the blades remained devastatingly sharp and tough through battle after battle. Read sherman bells series finding out for myself in the double gun journal and see what pressures it took to blow up old junker doubles with both damascus and steel barrels. Producing damascus barrels was a highly skilled job, akin to the katana steel blades produced in japan. A twist welded barrel consisted of strips of steel and iron forge welded around a mandrel and when rusted to give a brown finish gave a. Barrel steel can help in determining grades that would equate with what we commonly think of as grade 0, 1, or 2, but higher grades in these earlier lifter guns had damascus barrels. We offer books by experts in their crafts on topics including leatherwork, engraving, lacing, scrimshaw, and more. Compatible for knife 550 paracord bracelet lanyard keychain diy barrel edc accessories making. Damascus barrel shotguns should be examined by a qualified gunsmith and proof tested before use, to ensure that the barrels are sound before using the shotgun. If the top half of this single twisted strip of steel is ground away along a flat plane. Weve also seen a genuine damascus barrel is very beautiful and requires a lot of labor to produce and is therefore expensive. Now, damascus knives and swards are reputed to be much stronger than the ones made from a single piece of steel. This is great for blades but gun barrels are very weak and will not take modern pressures generated by most ammunition.

Dec 21, 20 making damascus or patternwelded steel is one of the more interesting challenges in knifemaking. This traditional forging method is now almost unique to. Damascus steel and persian watered steel are common names for highcarbon steel swords created by islamic civilization craftsmen during the middle ages and fruitlessly lusted after by their european counterparts. While i can see your scenario coming into play quite readilyrust between the wires with a twist steel barrel see mike orlens post,i dont see that potential on true. Mikeg i believe you are absolutely correct in what you say. At the time most of these guns were made, highquality damascus barrels cost more than fluid steel barrels. These swords are characterized by distinctive patterns of banding and mottling reminiscent of flowing water, or in a ladder or teardrop pattern. The bottom barrel is twist steel, from an ithaca 12 gauge.

Damascus steel swords are often hyped by less than honest sword sellers as the best thing since sliced bread. Shop an assortment of books about knifemaking and other related activities. Born from a forging tactic that dates back centuries, damascus steel is known for its distinctive wavy pattern and undeniable strength. The site cover the use of patternwelded steel to create knives, the story of the damascus steel, related books and web resources, my personal experience and some pictures of my hand made damascus blades. The blades had a superior toughness and cutting edge, and they are believed to have been named not for the town of damascus, but from. Because of the resemblance to damascus steel, higherend barrels were made by belgian and british gun makers. Making a modern damascus steel gun barrel february 27, 2015 by gregg i love doubles with damascus barrels, and even though theyve been the boogey man of the shotgun world for well over 50 years now. I did acquire a recent book from belgium that documents much of this. It might be worthwhile to track down that person and send him an email for the title. It is very hard, if not impossible to make damascus or pattern welded steel without any defects. The resulting, figured, barrels are generally referred to as damascus by modern writers. Grindworx da03 damascus steel convex barrel bead for knife lanyards.

The conclusions were that in order to blow a barrel with anything near a normal shell. Obviously, these are not strong enough for most modern loads. Once i scored mine pictured, i went to the fountain of damascusbarrel knowledge, drew hause, who identified the pattern as 4 iron british best. Some how i was under the understanding that damascus barrels had swirl marks in the finish and were more fragile the others. It is important to note that damascus barrelled guns with hammers in 90% original condition or better are very collectible and values can approximate those of the steel barrel models if. How do you induce the wavy patterns in domascus steel. Parker damascus barreled shotguns hammer or hammerless are very collectible if original condition is over 40%.

F rom 1845 to 1855 john dives mill at birmingham produced large quantities of figured barrels. Can anyone recommend a good instructional howto book for pattern steel. Dec 08, 2018 making a ring with a jack daniels whiskey barrel stave and damascus steel. Oct 03, 2009 if you cannot determine this it might be advisable to use some bluing remover on a small part of the barrel normally hidden by the stock to check the metal surface. Forging damascus steel knives for beginners ernst g. Blue book lists the gun as either k or kd grade, with out ejectors or, ke and ked grade with ejectors and damascus barrels. Weapons made from damascus steel were vastly superior to weapons formed from iron. In fact, when anyone refers to damascus barrels, they are almost certainly referring to barrels made by the pattern welding method, not barrels made out of wootz steel. Belgian gun barrel makers eventually took over nearly all of the damascus gun barrel manufacturing in the world. The process of forging a spiral welded damascus gun barrel.

Immerse yourself in indepth knowledge about a subject with a detailed book. The term damascus steel can refer to two different types of ferrous containing iron materials characterized by the watery pattern produced from the controlled mixture and physical manipulation of the iron and steel. Making damascus steel blades has a simple progression, yet requires ongoing care and meticulousness. The tests were done to compare damascus with then modern steel. Make offer custom made hand forged damascus steel bowie knife blank knife making supplies. Part of the reason why they lost the ability to make damascus steel is because even if you use the same process to make damascus steel, it wont work because the steel needs to have just the right balance of. We will refer to some details about the technique of pattern welding used in india, written by lord egerton of tatton, from his book. The twist steel barrel was much cheaper to make than a true damascus steel barrel damascus steel is a welded mix of iron and steel welded and rewelded to form a intricate mass of forged welded iron and steel. Mar 12, 2010 i was looking thru a book damascus steel by manfred sachse there is a chapter called restoration of damascus steelthere is a passage written in 1855 by h grzybowski that discribes etching a barrel by imersting it in a bath of sulfuric acid the ends of the barrel are plugged and waxed so that the acid doesnt etch inside. It shows not only the barrel makers, but also the large slabs of red hot damascus flowing through the rolling mill.

Fullard, of clerkenwell, who ceased operations in 1844. Elidor joel matter knives it aint damascus unless its got vanadium, folks. The double handle works like a planing action for excellent control from first roughing cut to final pass. Around the 1880s, damascus barrels became an object of the past. Damascus barrels on shotguns family, friends, firearms. This video is the first in a multipart series in which swordsmith walter sorrells shows the. Damascus needs carefully looking after, more so than modern guns and they need to be cared for. They are so good and so popular, that many continued to ask for them long after the fluid steel barrels came on the market.

Damascus barrels fell out of common use when powders started generating higher pressures, steel got better and finally, high pressure rifle rounds came into use. Centuriesold forging techniques produce striking patterns by matt james. Aside from being beautiful, damascus steel was valued because it maintained a keen edge, yet was hard and flexible. Search on jim hrisoulas for good books on making damascus or read on pendray al and verhoven for further accurate information on ancient wootz damascus or bulat. Such was the secrecy surrounding the original forging methods, which are now. Once i scored mine pictured, i went to the fountain of damascus barrel knowledge, drew hause, who identified the pattern as 4 iron british best. While damascus steel gun barrels were made in many countries, the barrel making industry in belgium brought the art to its highest level. Ancient secrets of the damascus steel legendary metal.

For more information on damascus barrels, visit hauses website, orif your wallet is willingpurchase a copy of manfred sachses wonderful book damascus steel. What kind of steel would be suitable for a barrel like this. Realistically, i would not advise firing an older damascus barrel with any type ammunition. Pattern welded or damascus barrels iii in the previous two posts, we looked into the history and development of damascus barrels throughout the world.

A beautiful damascus patterned steel for luxury firearms. Steel barrel tests some information on vintage damascus and steel shotgun barrels tested with blackpowder. Feb, 2012 go to any vintagers event and you will see many damascus barrel guns being used. Twist steel to be wire wrapped around a mandrel,then heated to form the barrel. The damascus is purely decorative and has no real effect on the barrel.

This indicates that, for an equivalentlength fracture, it took less energy to open up the homogeneous barrel than for the damascus barrel. When james purdey began his apprenticeship in 1798, best london gunmakers forged their damascus barrels out of nails from old horseshoes. Vegas forge damascus steel blank damascus billets for sale. They are made by wrapping steel bars around a form then heating and hammering to weld the steel in layers. Early twist steel and damascus guns are suspect because rust and corrosion can exist between the welds, and not be visible. On reading that article and viewing the picture of that barrel, the reader cannot but note the beautiful striping pattern on the barrel showing the grain of iron. Damascus steel takes one piece of steel and makes layers of multiple types of steel with different carbon levels, crystalization, etc.

This traditional forging method is now almost unique to ofs. As both a knifemaker and a gunsmith, i have a strong interest in making knifegun combination. Does anyone know how to replicate a good damascus look on carbon steel. Knifemaking books jantz supply quality knife making. Damascusbarreled shotguns are safe to shoot sporting. For damascus steel guns i will quote from the blue book of gun values. Making a pattern welded barrel out of tool steel would probably not be a good idea. What i cant figure out is if it has damascus barrels or not, i have read that its not advisable to fire modern ammunition in an old shotgun with damascus barrels, and i would like to use this one to hunt with. There is always the risk of deterioration in the strength of the barrel. Use a magic marker to put your pattern on the barrel. How can you tell if a remington shotgun has a damascus barrel. In our last post about early barrel making techniques in europe, one of the. Large areas of ruined steel production facilities are found in kalthota, thanna.

Greener use old damascus blanks and build new guns to order with them. A brief history of the ancient science of sword making. Damascus steel, also called damasked steel, one of the famous steels of the preindustrial era, typically made into weapon blades. Im sure someone will correct me if im wrong,but i understand damascus to be a folded metal. Looking for a book damascuspattern knife making i forge iron. Manufacture involved a secret carburization process in which a form of wrought iron was heated to red heat in contact with various carbonaceous materials in closed vessels. Made damascus billet bar for knife making purpose 1095 high carbon steel. Damascus barrels barrel tubes built up by twisting alternate strips of iron and steel around a fixed rod mandrel and forgewelding them together in varying combinations according to the intended quality and the skill of the maker. There has always been a great deal of interest and admiration for damascus barrels and the skill of making them. There is no way they will discuss releasing that 1934 film.

The rise of steel barrels in the previous few posts, weve seen a lot of detail about the socalled damascus barrels. Taken from sporting guns and gunpowder by frederick toms, 1897. At vegas forge, we take pride in the variety, quality, and individuality so you get the very best selection of damascus billets for sale. Ofarrill shirley ofs is an english gun making company of distinction.

Damascus terminology prior to the development in the 1880s of the technology to produce steel barrel tubes in one piece, barrels had been made by a process of hammer welding different grades of iron and steel around a mandrel. However, as bell has shown, it is very hard to blow up a solid damascus barrel. It is important to note that damascus barrelled guns with hammers in 90% original condition or better are very collectible and values can approximate those of the steel barrel models if the bore is excellent with no pitting. Nov, 2011 how to make basic patterns the layer counts are only a starting point and you may find that you prefer more or less. Damascus twist barrels were made by literally twisting a wire of appropriate thickness around a mandrel and pounding on it to form the barrel. Master bladesmith, steve culver of meriden, kansas september, 2012. This is necessary to ensure both desired aesthetics and the development of an effective, wellbalanced blade.

Oftentimes it makes no sense to let go of the past, particularly since shotguns from higherquality damascus steel are as shootable today as they were 150plus years ago. If you try to make damascus remember it is a process. Damascus steel was the forged steel of the blades of swords smithed in the near east from ingots of wootz steel imported from southern india and tamraparni. The faggot is placed on afurnace and heated to welding heat, then welded under a steam hammer this is repeated once or twice. From a friend i got shermans phone number and gave him a call. Condition is used answered by a verified firearms expert. May 31, 2010 in our last post about early barrel making techniques in europe, one of the techniques we studied was the making of the canon a ruban type barrels in france. It is also possible to forge weld sections of high and lowlayer bars into one billet and get. From what ive been able to figure that means its a model 1899.

The blades had a superior toughness and cutting edge, and they are believed to have been named not for the town of damascus, but from their surfaces, which have a characteristic. I was looking thru a book damascus steel by manfred sachse there is a chapter called restoration of damascus steel there is a passage written in 1855 by h grzybowski that discribes etching a barrel by imersting it in a bath of sulfuric acid the ends of the barrel are plugged and waxed so that the acid doesnt etch inside. They often brag about how many thousand layers the sword has and many beginners fall into the trap of believing that somehow a damascus blade is superior. Specimens in 90% or better condition with strong case colors can approximate values of the steel barrel models if the bores are in excellent condition also no pitting. The top barrel is true damascus, from a purdey 10 gauge.

John marshalls monway iron and steel works, staffordshire was a major supplier of gun barrel iron and steel to both the birmingham and u. Shotgun, dbl barel,12 ga, damascus steel barrel, gun co. The damascus steel gave rise to many legends, such as the ability to cut through a rifle barrel or to cut a hair falling across the blade. Many of these guns have been rebarreled, so the original barrel steel may not be present for examination. A poor quality steel barrel was formed by welding along the length and then wrapping a thin damascus layer over the top to deceive the buyer or gunmaker into believing the barrel to be a higher quality one of damascus construction. A perfect, chatterfree cutting action shaves excess wood, produces smooth channel to accept barrel without gouging, rasping or final sanding.

The process of making what is commonly known as damascus steel has, in some ways, been a little shrouded in mystery. Their shotgun barrels are all hand forged by experts in the trade. Some patterns actually included words in the damascus. The magic marker acts as a resist and youll have your pattern. A sample of damascus barrel showing the construction. He was approached by one of the big euro firearms makers i think it was fn who wanted to contract him to make barrels for their high end rifles. The origins of damascus steel date back to ancient syria, where the many. Make offer handmade damascus steel billetbar for knife making supplies rain drop pattern custom made hand forged damascus steel bowie knife blank knife making supplies. The process is to wrap a pattern welded skin over a 4140 core and weld solid, then drill like a modern barrel. As we noted in our previous post, wootz steel the steel used in the socalled damascus. Where the acid is applied, a solid gray patch will be seen if the barrel is solid steel. Smith ss 12 ga discussion in the powder keg started by mabu, jun 7. Need help, 1900 damascus barreled gun remington society. Making use of their craftsmanship damasteels blacksmiths then make the unique patterns.

The making of a spiral welded damascus gun barrel youtube. The words in the sherman bell article were that the fluid steel, vulcan, barrel failed much more abruptly and with more commotion my words than the damascus barrel. Early steel barrels were dovetailed in the manner of damascus, but this method was superseded by the forging of the lumps as integral parts of the tube, in the now commonly used chopper lump method employed on best guns. Today, damascus shotgun barrels are considered to be unsafe to shoot. Jan 10, 2018 damascus steel is a famed type of steel recognizable by the watery or wavy light and dark pattern of the metal. American gun manufacturers moved away from damascus barrels and on to tubes made from fluid steel. A technical study of the famous damascus steel featuring persian and indian sword blades from 16001800 as well as damascus gun barrels from the 17th and. Watch the whole process from machining the damascus steel to finishing the wood portion of the ring. Damascus, the capitol of the syrian arab republic, is a big city surrounded by an even bigger desert. I was stunned during my visit last year to discover there is a 1934 version. He turned them down since he could not guarantee them against defects. Therefore the damasteel product meets the beauty of traditional damascus with the perfection of the modern manufacturing methods with the highest possible cleanliness creating a repetitive stainless patterned steel that can withstand abuse. Sep 23, 2019 damascus barreled shotguns are safe to shoot, but when buying a damascus gun, a close inspection by a reputable gunsmith is necessary. Im mainly interested in damascus and have a question about it.