Damascus barrel refinishing

NiceOldDouble

Well-Known Member
Benefactor
Vendor
Joined
Dec 17, 2016
Messages
2,068
Location
Durham
Rating - 100%
108   0   0
Been dabbling with this work off and on. Ambient temperatures, humidity levels, and other variables make it a pain to scale well. Here’s the last barrel, that goes with a 1880’s Lefever Side-Cocking 10ga.

95b826c1b4798a359fc9379e07306fac.jpg
899144beb5ceae6c31e854bd2e6b7b60.jpg
 
Last edited:
Gorgeous metal!

I have no idea how, but it sure is pretty.

The blued sections are iron, and the “white” sections are steel. You basically blue the barrels, and then etch the barrels. The bluing adheres to the softer iron sections more strongly, and then the etchant (ferric chloride) removes the bluing from the harder steel. You do these steps over and over again until you get the level of black and white contract you are looking for.
 
Great looking work!

What bluing solution are you using?
 
Last edited:
Laurel Mtn. Forge Barrel Brown

That's what I was using on my projects too. I branched out and used Mark lee Express #1 on the chicopee build. It's a fast rust bluing, heat the part, wipe on the solution, boil, card, repeat. I did a weeks worth slow rust in just a few hours. The rust is much finer grain and the finish seems tougher.

I also picked up a bottle of their regular rust blue. I havent tried it yet but I'm expecting it to perform similarly. They have some great write ups on bluing on their website.
 
I’be used Mark Lee as well. The issue I have with it for barrels is heating them evenly before application. I’m using a heat gun. What I’ll like to find is a used tall bread oven to heat them to, and also use the dry them well before clear coating the finished work. Would be handy for curing Cerakote as well
 
I’be used Mark Lee as well. The issue I have with it for barrels is heating them evenly before application. I’m using a heat gun. What I’ll like to find is a used tall bread oven to heat them to, and also use the dry them well before clear coating the finished work. Would be handy for curing Cerakote as well
There was a bread oven on offer up in Raleigh area 3 or so weeks ago. $250 iirc. Included 1 rack and 8 trays.
 
Thank you. A lot more than I can spend. Been looking for an old school locker. I have one that I sealed inside with Flexseal, and use it as a damp cabinet to get barrels to rust when humidity is too low. I place a tiny crock pot at the bottom on low, and this creates warm humidity.

For the next cabinet, I plan to insulate it, wire up a hot plate at the bottom with a control and thermometer on the outside.
 
Wow! Beautiful!
 
I think I like browning composite barrels more than black and white. The English typically browned, and we Americans did barrels black/white. This set was finished this weekend. They from a late 1800’s Purdey and are browned and then waxed with Renaissance wax.

6f9e7823cfb7eabc77308ffdee878b5e.jpg


3cbd58c51850e45365b208802286d6eb.jpg
 
Finished this barrel today. Greener 10ga ejector. English gun so English browned technique. Very tight pattern of the croile. I need to get some much better picture taking stuff together to do them justice.
3f3ae5a95ab4cb6b2b812210b258b4e7.jpg



55b4914467675a052bf3fe23283b06ae.jpg
 
Last edited:
Have an old one under the bed that's been passed down through the family. Stock is in bad shape and was wrapped with bailing wire at some point (farm family so you know that was coming).
Very nice work.
 
Another Greener. This one is from a gun called a “Forrester’s Gun”, a low dollar gun for the “help” like a gamekeeper. This gun was also called a “No. 30” which meant it cost 30 guinea’s. It was made in the early 1890’s. What’s cool with Greener is that they still exist and have old factory records. The company is run by Graham Greener, who’s descendent of W.W. Greener, the founder.

e02d0e99415f21ee321a3e24870be363.jpg
 
I need one of these, cheap. LOLOLOLOL
Beat to hell like this one way, not too much money. Making them shootable again gets a little more costly. If you need a nice old double, check out Mid South Guns in Wagram NC. A few hundred doubles down there, at a wide range of price points.
 
Back
Top Bottom