How to simulate Damascus twist on pistol barrel

[wet willy]

Any suggestions on how to simulate a Damascus twist on a modern octagon barrel I'm using to make an 18th century English duelling pistol.

Such as: http://www.sitemason.com/gallery/i1D9Re?id=55416

http://www.sitemason.com/gallery/f1sf5u?id=53623

I wonder if some combination of layering a browning solution, then wet cloth, then bleach .... ?

[FlintFan]

I have never attempted to create a faux pattern, but I have etched a lot of damascus.  I would think you could create a twist pattern by using a small paintbrush with etching solution (like dilute ferric chloride), and artfully paint a pattern.  I would think you might want to brown the barrel first, and etch it afterwards, thus removing some of the oxide layer exposing the brighter steel underneath.  It would probably take a lot of experimentation to get it right.

On another note please tell about that wonderful pistol in your pictures.  It looks like it is a nice Westley Richards.  Is it your gun?

[Jerry V Lape]

My .02 worth - if you want damascus pattern use a damascus barrel. 

[wet willy]

My pistol?

Nope, but if I had about $20,000 it could be. The website is: http://www.johnsloughoflondon.co.uk/Antique-Arms/main

UK seller of fine antique firearms. They have very sharp, clear images of the items they sell, which are mostly English/Irish origin, with a few French  and occassional German. Mostly 17th thru 19th century firearms. Unlikely I could ever afford one of their offerings, but they have many crisp and close-up images, which I find helpful if I want to replicate one.

[John Archer]

Use the search function with 'faux damascus'....lots of information.

Best,
John.

[Hungry Horse]

 I have no experience with such things, but know it was done back in the day. A fellow that shot with my gun club years ago, had an English .60 Cal. half stock mountain rifle ( probably a light safari rifle really), that he wouldn't shoot because it had damascus barrel. After a British gun collector examined it, he was told it was not damascus at all. He was skeptical, and had it professionally examined. Sure enough it was it was all steel, no iron.
 I would look into some sort of resist method. I know that circuit boards can be etched at home using nothing more exotic than a Sharpie permanent marker as the resist medium.

                     Hungry Horse

[Jerry V Lape]

There is a method called a chemise which will get you a damascus barrel and should be relatively inexpensive for a pistol barrel.  Find an old damascus barreled gun which is only good for parts.  Have a machinist bore out the interior and fit a liner inside the chemise.  It can be soldered or now even epoxied together.  The exterior will be genuine damascus with all the pattern of the original and the interior a good quality modern steel gun barrel.  Only the most astute would be able to discern the gun was not fully damascus if that matters.  There have been high quality shotguns made over in England in the past few years with full length sleeves inside original damascus barrels.  That is a lot harder than a full length sleeve in a 12 or 14 inch pistol barrel where you could work with a little thicker barrel wall than on a shotgun. 

[smart dog]

Hi,
Here is one way.  Just scroll down a ways throught the comments to where I explain the process.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=8046.0

dave

[tyro]

  I just saw a process on Utube called ROSE DAMASCUS which was several randomly placed shallow holes drilled into a flat bar then heated and hammered then polished and was surprised to see a rather pleasing pattern that did look like Damascus . It was for a knife blank and there was a whole series of different craftsmen making their versions of Damascus steel billets for knives
  The technique with the etching solution which FlintFandescribed is very similar to  techniques I have read about used in the 1800s when fine Damascus was a symbol of fine quality and superior strength as well...TY
 

[doug]

    I inadvertantly created a damascus pattern on one of my rifle barrels.  The barrel was steel and I was having a hard time getting it to hold the rust when I carded it.  Being a super genius (aka Wily Coyote) I wrapped the barrel in a spiral fashion with a 1/2 - 3/4" strip of cotton with an overlap of about 3/16".  I soaked the cloth in the mercuric chloride rusting solution that I was using and because the overlap areas stayed wet longer, when I took the cloth off, I had an even spiral darker strip up the barrel.  The solution that I use is basically the same as Oscar Gaddy's solution and similar to several in Angier

cheers Doug

[halfstock]

Would you please give more info on Oscar Gaddy he very well may be a relative of mine.

[doug]

     I am not sure what he did for a living in his early life.  10 or 15 years ago, he wrote a series of articles in the Double Gun Journal on rust browning and bringing out the pattern on damascus barrels and also on colour case hardening gun receivers.  Very excellent articles and illustrated with excellent photos.  At that time he appeared to be somewhere between 60 and 70 or so.  At that time he also seemed to make a business of restoring the finish of antique shotguns and his results were spectacular.  I have never been able to match his results.  I believe he died about 5 or 6 years ago

cheers Doug

[halfstock]

Thank's Doug I appreciate the response.

[doug]

     Here is a link to his biography (about 1/2 way down).  Seems to have been a very accomplished person.  He was an Illinois allumnus and professor emeritus, PHD (62) and died May 2, 2005 at the age of 72.

cheers Doug

http://www.ece.illinois.edu/mediacenter/alumninews/alumninews-win0506a.pdf

[Hungry Horse]

Halfstock;

  If you're looking for Gaddy's contact the Lake County Genealogical Society, in California. The early pioneers of this county had a family of Gaddy's. Just keep in mind that California is where all the horse thieves ran out of running room. There's been more than one genealogical project back burnered after a little talk to the nice ladies at the society. Good luck, and Merry Christmas.

                   Hungry Horse

[JTR]

Halfstock;

   Just keep in mind that California is where all the horse thieves ran out of running room.
                   Hungry Horse

Their relatives are still here,,, they just steal cars nowdays! 

John