Author Topic: Damascus flintlock pan charger (Read 3730 times)

David Rase · « **on:** March 24, 2021, 09:09:44 PM »

After staring at a billet of damascus laying around in my shop collecting dust since last fall, I finally came up with a worthy project last week. Below are a couple of photos of a flintlock pan charger I decided on building. I envision this pan charger as part of a set of accouterments for a fine Jaeger rifle.

Marcruger · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2021, 09:21:30 PM »

Stoner creek · « **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2021, 09:28:49 PM »

That would look REALLY GOOD with a Brennan made Anties rifle if ya sit down and think about it, huh? Huh???

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2021, 10:01:28 PM »

That's Kool!

Tim

Ken G · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2021, 10:04:34 PM »

Outstanding work. That looks great and obviously unique. Thanks for sharing

Ken

Eseabee1 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2021, 10:10:37 PM »

Outstanding work.

Jim Spray · « **Reply #6 on:** March 24, 2021, 11:37:27 PM »

You amaze me!! Beautiful work.

Jim

flatsguide · « **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2021, 11:59:01 PM »

Wow is right. Eye candy for sure. Excellent work David.
Richard

Joey R · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2021, 03:40:09 AM »

That would look really nice alongside my Ron Scott Jaeger rifle.

Keith Zimmerman · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2021, 04:12:11 AM »

You never cease to amaze me with your talent.

David Rase · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2021, 04:23:40 AM »

Quote from: Joey R on March 25, 2021, 03:40:09 AM

That would look really nice alongside my Ron Scott Jaeger rifle.

Funny you should mention that Joey. The damascus billet came from Ron. I turned him a couple of damascus engraving hammer heads in trade for the billet.
David

smylee grouch · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2021, 05:18:22 AM »

Yes that is kool! How heavy is it?

David Rase · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2021, 07:02:18 AM »

Quote from: smylee grouch on March 25, 2021, 05:18:22 AM

Yes that is kool! How heavy is it?

The charger has a diameter of 13/16” and the overall length is 4 3/16”. It weighs in at 3 oz. The sidewalls of the of the charger have been thinned to approximately 1/32” thick which helps keep the weight down and gives the charger life when in the hand. The charger has been etched with Ferric Chloride and then a strong solution of instant coffee to bring out the damascus pattern.

bob in the woods · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2021, 03:58:24 PM »

Absolutely beautiful work. Perhaps it's a subject for a separate thread, but I fit my brass pan charger with a blow out plug ...a snug friction fit. Having heard of the potential for these to become little grenades, it might be something to consider. Perhaps your design already incorporates such a safety feature ?

David Rase · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2021, 04:20:38 PM »

Quote from: bob in the woods on March 25, 2021, 03:58:24 PM

Absolutely beautiful work. Perhaps it's a subject for a separate thread, but I fit my brass pan charger with a blow out plug ...a snug friction fit. Having heard of the potential for these to become little grenades, it might be something to consider. Perhaps your design already incorporates such a safety feature ?

Bob, That is something to consider for a future project. You are the second person to comment on solid containers being little hand grenades. A platinum plug like on some English breeches might work and also be historically plausible. Now the question is, if a person was going to go through all that effort, where would you place the blowout plug?
David

Jim Curlee · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2021, 04:25:02 PM »

Excellent work, you are a real craftsman.
Thanks for sharing.
Jim

alacran · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2021, 04:46:16 PM »

That is absolutely stunning David. As far as safety devices on it go, just have many of these things have blown up? How many horns have blown up? It seems that if you do something unsafe you are going to have problems. Again that is stunning.

smallpatch · « **Reply #17 on:** March 25, 2021, 05:23:49 PM »

Really nice David!
Goes right along with your gun barrel powder measures. Maybe a Damascus measure in the future?

flatsguide · « **Reply #18 on:** March 25, 2021, 05:32:24 PM »

Dave, could you elaborate on the use of instant coffee that you used to bring out the pattern?
Thanks Richard

David Rase · « **Reply #19 on:** March 25, 2021, 06:13:52 PM »

Quote from: flatsguide on March 25, 2021, 05:32:24 PM

Dave, could you elaborate on the use of instant coffee that you used to bring out the pattern?
Thanks Richard

Richard,
I am not an expert on bringing out the pattern in damascus steel so I referred to a handout I received at the Oregon Gunmakers workshop a few years back. I ended up using Ferric Chloride and got a wonderful etch pattern but I wanted it darker. Gunsmiths that finish damascus shotgun barrels go back and forth between a rust blue and Ferric Chloride. They do this about a dozen times. I was not interested in putting that much time into an accouterment. I remembered a knife maker talking about using instant coffee to etch pattern steel so I thought I would do a bit of research on the web. As you know, there are lots of guys wanting there 15 minutes of fame so you have to separate the wheat from the chaff when going down the internet rabbit hole. I finally settled on an instant coffee bath, about 5 times stronger than you would drink. I kept it at a simmer and left my item in the bath a total of about 1/2 hour. I think I got a bit more contrast with the coffee method vs. the straight Ferric Chloride etch. I can't comment on rust blue method but have some scrap damascus barrels I will experiment on in the near future.
David

David R. Pennington · « **Reply #20 on:** March 25, 2021, 06:52:17 PM »

Interesting. My general interest is in plainer working / frontier rifles so I never took much interest in Damascus. I must admit it is intriguing though. Recently my blacksmith mentor has been pushing me to learn welding up billets so we spent the afternoon Saturday welding up some layers in his shop. He wants me to build a rifle with iron / nickel layered hardware. Maybe not HC but would look cool.
I really like what you did there. On the relief plug, wouldn’t that be like a bullet if it blew out? How is that a safety feature? Might protect the accoutrement for your heir.

old george · « **Reply #21 on:** March 25, 2021, 07:22:13 PM »

WOW!!! That is stunning. Really great charger.

george

David Rase · « **Reply #22 on:** March 26, 2021, 12:18:49 AM »

Quote from: David R. Pennington on March 25, 2021, 06:52:17 PM

On the relief plug, wouldn’t that be like a bullet if it blew out? How is that a safety feature? Might protect the accoutrement for your heir.

David
My thoughts exactly. I have never heard of a pan charger exploding. If someone wants to start a conversation about a vent plug, go ahead, I'm all ears.
David

draken · « **Reply #23 on:** March 26, 2021, 12:48:55 AM »

Like everyone else has said, WOW!

bob in the woods · « **Reply #24 on:** March 26, 2021, 02:27:33 AM »

For those who may be interested, and those who asked , I know of two pan chargers blowing up. One was next to the shooter on the bench...fine powder dust is presumed to be the culprit. Damage was dramatic, but luckily not severe enough to cause permanent injury. The 2nd instance was related by our own Dennis Glazener , a couple years back. Parts of a hand where damaged. I still have one of these chargers which I use occasionally, but I drilled a hole in it and plugged it with leather. No potential bullet if the worst happens. I prefer and now use a small primer with a plug. The plug is attached with a thin cord or length of sinew so it won't get lost. In my experience , the spring loaded nozzles tend to clog, leak powder, or accumulate powder around the tips. Seeing these things hanging around shooter's necks gives me the willies .

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Author Topic: Damascus flintlock pan charger (Read 3730 times)

Eseabee1