Barrel etch ready-initial soak

[Dennis Daigger]

For those faint of heart, Peter Dyson Damascus barrels may not be for you.


These are real 19th century Damascus barrel blanks recovered from who knows where. They are rough on the outside and rough on the inside and it takes a leap of faith to believe that there is unblemished metal below the rust.

I had the barrel bored and rifled as a .54 caliber and then profiled it to somewhat resemble a gorgeous early German flintlock pistol that Ron Scott has. Incidentally his castings of this pistol's furniture is simply superb. None better I think.







I have a steel wool pad in muriatic acid starting the ferric chloride solution that will be used for etching. Nasty fumes and the advisory 'do it outdoors' is spot on. While there is a large component of hydrogen created from the reaction there is something else that is pretty nasty. I couldn't find anything but 3% peroxide so that will have to do and expect to add it to the acid-steel solution (ferrous chloride?) tomorrow.


I have four small pieces of the barrel to use as test pieces in the resultant ferric chloride. Experiments with timing will determine how long to leave the barrel in the solution.



Dennis

[Rolf]

Thank you for posting. I am very interested in your results. Please keep us informed. What caliber are your barrels and what are the dimensions at the breech and muzzel?

I've got two Dyson pistol barrels. They are from the end section of two rifle barrels. Bores are only rough forged.
Started drilling out the bores to 14,5mm (0.57") and chickened out. There is still quite a bit of scale in the bores.
Have planned to try to ream out rest with a square reamer made from an old file, when I've finished building the reaming bench. I'm worried, I might have to line the barrels.

For etching the barrels Dyson recommended I use coppersulfat. I bought some with the barrels. Have not tried it jet.

Best regards
Rolf



 

[Marcruger]

Fascinating.  That pistol barrel is a gorgeous creation.  Those flats remind me of Rigby barrels of the 1800s.  Very classy.   God Bless,   Marc

[577SXS]

I wish someone would make new damascus barrels. I love damascus and have many old hammer guns I shoot regularly. The British proof houses will still proof damascus guns and have no issues with it if it passes proof.

[Dennis Daigger]

Hello, Rolf. Here are the dimensions of the barrel that I got from Dyson. Overall length 38.75" - Bore .520" - O.D. at breech 1.660" - O.D. middle .914" - O.D. at muzzle .970". Weight 7 lbs. I got this one because it has the smallest bore diameter giving me the greatest flexibility for final caliber. Even at .54 caliber some small shallow flaws remained at the breach end.

The stub end of the barrel blank was perhaps unusable because of very deep flaws and I simply cut this part off. The part of the blank just forward of the stub was just over 1.1” which in the end limited how much of Ron’s pistol barrel breach contouring I could create. I think it would have taken about a 1.3” diameter to truly capture the full contour.





Your copper sulfate suggestion is interesting and sounds like it too would work but I finished my ferric chloride this morning so will continue on that path. I’d be interested in your results from the copper sulfate.

Dennis

[577SXS]

I would think a solid billet would be better if you could get someone to drill and rifle it. A solid billet would probably have less flaws in the center where bore it. I know the originals were forged over a rod the create the hole but they were usually made from a flat piece of iron or steel. I was amazed watching that gunsmith in Williamsburg VA make a barrel from a piece of flat iron when I was a little kid.

[Dennis Daigger]

I got good results on a test piece with 3 hours in the solution so started the barrel. Unfortunately the Dykem is not suitable as a ground and started flaking so I had to remove the barrel after 40 minutes. I had a hard time finding floor wax so I’m going to try shellac next as a ground.




Dennis

[Rolf]

Thats going to be fantastic barrel.

Best regards
Rolf

[T*O*F]

Dennis,
Fingernail polish will work as a ground.  Cheap and easy to remove when done.

[Dennis Daigger]

Dennis,
Fingernail polish will work as a ground.  Cheap and easy to remove when done.

Thanks, Dave. That would have been a really good choice especially for the small areas that I wanted to mask.

[Jakob]

Model enamel paint will work too and is easier to apply than nail polish

[T*O*F]

Model enamel paint will work too and is easier to apply than nail polish

Depends on which brush you use to paint them on.  Nail polish is more easily removed afterward than enamel.