This design is the easiest to clean, virtually eliminating any accumulation of bacteria. Aside from being beautiful, damascus steel was valued because it maintained a keen edge, yet was hard and flexible. Fake damascus barrels in our previous three posts, we saw beautiful examples of damascus barrels and studied the method of manufacture of these barrels. Belgian gun barrel makers eventually took over nearly all of the damascus gun barrel manufacturing in the world. How many of you shoot damascus barrel guns the doublegun. How to make rifle barrel blanks gundrilling, reaming. Fullard, of clerkenwell, who ceased operations in 1844. The skelp is rounded in the middle of the length for a little distance and welded, a helper holding a tapered mandrel inside while the hammering is going on. Some authors have written a catalog of the commercial.
The last ten years or so i have been shooting more modern guns1920s and 30swith steel barrels due to the better stock dimensions, not the barrel steel. Apparently, i was a lot smarter than dad, as i could read the inside flaps on a box of shotgun shells. One of the biggest reasons damascus barrels fell out of favor was their cost. Chatterjee is a fellow of the institute of materials, england, the indian institute of metals, india as well as the indian national academy of engineers, india. Apr 28, 2014 the earliest gun barrels were made of iron, brass and steel and in order to give them enough strength they ended up being very heavy.
Its the first ive heard of this particular design, and i must say, it has definitely captured my attention, and the edlesons book does a fantastic. I wouldnt try to put heavy duck loads through them, but using them with target loads and low base hunting loads is perfectly ok. I was doing a lot of barrel work, such as chambering and fitting actions. He turned them down since he could not guarantee them against defects. Damascus barrel definition is a shotgun barrel for use especially with blackpowder cartridges usually made of strips or rods of iron or steel coiled in a spiral to form a tube and with a speckled or mottled pattern that often runs at right angles to the bore. Barrel making demo for a learning weekend in february, 1983. Then, drill 3 or 4 12inch drainage holes in the bottom of the drum so that water can drain out if it rains. The test charge includes a heavy leaden slug, and the combination is from two to three times as heavy as the charge which would ordi narily be used in service.
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. They showed the barrel making process which was very interesting. However, these metals proved unsuitable for the new smokeless propellants introduced after 1885. I wanted to learn abit about rifle barrel manufacturing and at the price its very interesting book.
Greener, in his book, the gun and its development, second edition, mentions that pattern welded gun barrels were made in england between. Though metalworkers can choose and blend materials to form steel billets, iron is favored for its carbideenhanced solidity and fortitude. The trick is to have the barrel properly asessed to make sure barrel wall thicknesses are well above minimum tolerances. From a friend i got shermans phone number and gave him a call. F rom 1845 to 1855 john dives mill at birmingham produced large quantities of figured barrels. Damascus steel books books and dvds on making damascus for. Dec 18, 2011 the video, the gunsmith of williamsburg shows wallace gusler forge welding a barrel.
The making of a spiral welded damascus gun barrel youtube. Firearms, more commonly known as guns, are used by outdoor hunting enthusiasts. Master bladesmith, steve culver of meriden, kansas september, 2012. Everything that the home shop machinist needs to know to start making his own custom rifle barrels is right here in the pages of steel helix. Some hunters may choose to make their own guns, rather than buying them, to get a custom firearm. The size of the skelp is dependant on the size barrel but for a 46 rifle barrel 1 18 at the breech it would be about 38 long, 4wide and tapering from 12 to 38 in thickness. This book really is incredibly detailed in its descriptions for many of the patterns and i feel that it has helped me greatly in understanding of the processes for making some of the intricate patterns you can find in some damascus steel. The heat treatment and other production processes involved in making the steel bar leave residual stresses, which can result in the bar bending as steel is removed in making the barrel. The faggot is placed on a furnace and heated to welding heat, then welded under a steam hammer this is repeated once or twice. See all 4 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. When i first became interested in how they made gun barrels, i was a full time gunsmith in bucklin, kansas.
Buy products such as good ideas rain wizard 50 gal. A drum is a cylindrical container used for shipping bulk cargo. This video gives you a sense of just how much work went into making damascus barrels. 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. Word damascus gunbarrel patterns steve culver knives. This manual covers the making of the modern button rifled barrel. This is necessary to ensure both desired aesthetics and the development of an effective, wellbalanced blade. Where the acid is applied, a solid gray patch will be seen if the barrel is solid steel.
Due to the labor intensive nature of manufacture of these barrels, these were reserved for use with fine shotguns and revolvers. Fluid steel barrel offerings evolved in the lewis and flues models eras. It is very hard, if not impossible to make damascus or pattern welded steel without any defects. This coincided with the increasing use of easytomaintain stainless steel, which made the job of a brewery cooper obsolete in all but a handful of.
Im mainly interested in damascus and have a question about it. Since john krieger first began rifling barrels in 1982, our barrels have been made in america by shooters and for shooters, continuously supporting and advancing shooting sports in america and across the world. Damascus steel is a famed type of steel recognizable by the watery or wavy light and dark pattern of the metal. We offer 5 sizes of crevicefree, seamless stainless steel wine barrels items iw25tb, iw30tb, iw55tb, iw60tb, iw80tb. Word damascus gun barrel patterns by steve culver gun barrels with damascus patterns were made in several countries. I started to research the subject in all the different books that i could find.
Most gun barrels are not made of high carbon steelsand for a reason. Jun 09, 2017 one of the old hand processes used in the making of the american long rifle. 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. Mark reutter examines the business, production, and daily lives of workers as corporate leaders became more interested in their own security and enrichment than in employees, community, or innovative technol. In the rapidly evolving world of knifemaking, expert blade fashioning advice is essential for any serious collector or knifemaker. The barrel is octagonal and swampedtapering from the breach to within 10 of the muzzle and then increasing in size. The steel must also be as easy to machine as possible if the riflesmith is to expect good tool life and a smooth machined finish inside the cutrifled bore. This process is described in detail in the well known book the muzzle loading caplock rifle, by ned roberts, 1940. Damascus steel books books and dvds on making damascus. This book introduces a new style of woodfired oven to the english speaking world. To make a burn barrel, start by getting a 55gallon steel drum and cutting off one of the ends if the drum doesnt come with a removable cover.
While damascus steel gun barrels were made in many countries, the barrel making industry in belgium brought the art to its highest level. Damascus hunting knife blanks, steel hunting blades and knifemaker supplies. Damascus steel books books and dvds on making damascus steel for knife makers, bladesmiths, blacksmiths. Growing up, dad had an old 12 gauge hammer gun, with twist steel barrels. Making a pattern welded barrel out of tool steel would probably not be a good idea even if making one from a lower alloy pattern welded billet might work. Damascus steel is made by folding a mild steel together with a highcarbon steel to make it stronger, and gives it a pretty pattern. Exactly who made the first barrel is not known but the history of cooperage is interwoven with the history of wine.
Youll gain professional tips about grinding blades, crafting hunting. Making shotgun barrels introduction when i first interested in how barrel were made, i was a full time gunsmith in bucklin, kansas. As far as safety, the best damascus constructed barrels are stronger than a lowquality fluid steel barrel, and probably equal to most when new. The first step is to create a skelp from a bar of wrought iron. The top barrel is true damascus, from a purdey 10 gauge. Higher quality barrel blanks start with raw bar stock, most commonly in chrome moly or stainless steel materials, cut to length, and often chamfered before the gun drilling process begins.
On reading that article and viewing the picture of that barrel, the reader cannot but note the beautiful striping pattern on the barrel. Making steel chronicles the rise and fall of american steel by focusing on the fateful decisions made at the worlds once largest steel mill at sparrows point, maryland. The art of barrel making, known as cooperage, is an ancient skill. Forging damascus steel knives for beginners spiralbound october 28, 2012 by ernst g. As both a knifemaker and a gunsmith, i have a strong interest in making knifegun combination. Making damascus steel blades has a simple progression, yet requires ongoing care and meticulousness. I remember always reading on boxes of shotgun slugs you know how bored you get in a stand not to fire them in damascus barrels and ive handled a couple of old remington doubles with damascus barrels and case hardened recievers. How do you know if you have damascus barrels answers. This retired toolanddie maker calls himself the schoolhouse cooper, and hes dedicated to the preservation of the tools and skills used in the construction of barrels, casks and a variety of staved wooden vessels. Book early our barrels are sometimes booked weeks in advance.
If you like to shoot, work on guns as a business or hobby, or just own a gun, this is the place for you. Your request for a barrel is confirmed only when you receive a call from one of our hostesses. John marshalls monway iron and steel works, staffordshire was a major supplier of gun barrel iron and steel to both the birmingham and u. Weapons made from damascus steel were vastly superior to weapons formed from iron. I have been smithing for several years now and until recently had only ever worked with damascus steel which i purchased from a supplier. View cart checkout wish list login you have 0 item s in your cart. Barrel racing is one of the few rodeo events in which animals and humans work cooperatively to defeat a common foe in this case, the clock. 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. Local taproom, cocktail joint, ceviche bar, and incubator brewing space in awesome spokane, washington. Which material is used to manufacturing of rifle barrel and. Yet modern damascus steelmaking follows the practice of combining pure metals, varying in terms of personal preference and need.
From that point until the 1880s, gun barrels were almost always formed this way and the process became known as the damascus method. However, on the opposite site of the discussion, there has been an indepth field trial done by a writer in double gun journal over the last 3 or 4 issues. 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. Like you, i have always just heard opinions and i know a guy stories. If a person had enough damascus made up i dont think that it would be a problem to weld up 2 pieces together. In this comprehensive and wideranging book, henry work tells the intriguing.
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. After a 72day journey, she returned to new york to write a popular book. 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. They all had essentially the same message dont use modern shells in guns with damascus or twist steel barrels.
The process of forging a spiral welded damascus gun barrel. The origin of the term damascus steel is a little uncertain but almost certainly it is in recognition of the type of steel used in middle eastern sword making. For over 75 years, shooting sports enthusiasts have turned to. The stress can be relieved by putting the steel in an oven and taking it up to 600 c, then allowing it to cool very slowly over the next twelve hours or so. Yes, ive searched and heard of someones brother in law who used diet coke. Disc blanks brass bar cz121 brass flat and angle brass tube cz126121 en8dm steel mild steel standard silver steel suspension steel ground flat stock miscellaneous items creditdebit cards. There are two main advantages to a stainless steel barrels. One that you have used and can show pictures of the results. Some patterns actually included words in the damascus. Im a gun nut and think that the old double barreled shotguns with damascus barrels of yesteryear are beautiful, unfortuna. When schuemann barrels entered the barrel manufacturing business in 1992 we did not know which steel would be the best choice for pistol barrels. Cold rolled steel bar stock is doublestressrelieved before beginning the gundrillreamingrifling process to ensure uniformity, consistency, and strength.
These were produced by twisting and welding together long strips of steel and iron which eliminated or minimized flaws in the metal, flattening out the twisted mass into a ribbon, and then wrapping it spirally around a mandrel. The first test varies ac cording to the grade of steel in the barrel, high nickel steel bar rels being tested with a powder charge which would burst a low 51 grade steel barrel. You will need to do a lot of trial forging and strength and impact testing to get the strength properties right before you make a barrel. Apr 23, 2014 this is my first attempt at forging a gun barrel as a colonial gunsmith would have. Ken marchs workshop is a 19th century, oneroom schoolhouse in rural southern pennsylvania. Your guide to making moonshine, whisky, vodka, rum and so much more. But, finding that virtually all pistol barrels were manufactured from type 416 stainless steel made it easy to decide to use 416 stainless in our barrels too. Site about damascus steel, to share a passion with amateurs. After it got into the steel and sped up both speed and feed to the proper rates and drilled through the part. Her steel barrels ultimately became the ubiquitous 55gallon steel drums of today. There is nothing so important to the making of a good barrel as the steel that a barrel maker uses.
The craft of making beer barrels all about beer magazine. I recently picked up a damascus barreled westley to be restocked for myself. The five holes that titex twist drill did were all complete in less time than it took the gun drill to drill one hole, with about 37 seconds to spare. These ingredients include glass and leaves known to. Restoring damascus barrels does anyone know a good method to refinish damascus barrels. Made in the usablades guide to making knives fusing the expertise of seven of the best knifemakers in the world blades guide to making knives is an unrivaled howto for blade enthusiasts. Online shop for misuse and upcycling of records, books and oil barrels made in hamburg audio cabinet. Damascus barrel definition of damascus barrel by merriam. Although this particular event is so simple and is over quickly, it remains one of the most popular events of the sport and is one of the few dominated by female riders. Make offer handmade damascus steel billetbar for knife making supplies rain drop pattern damascus steel blank blade knife making supplies hardness 5258 overall 8. Nellie bly oil drum patent drawing and portrait of elizabeth cochran seaman. The modern rifle barrel introduction the modern rifle barrel was written in 1965, and then i came out with barrels and actions, which covered much more. Iron clad manufacturing company president elizabeth cochrane. Up until the latter part of the 19th century, many shotguns featured socalled damascus or twist barrels.
The names of the subassemblies used in the barrel making process varied by location and language. Full text of making rifle barrels internet archive. 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. Barrel steel needs to have just the right mechanical properties in order to contain the pressure of the burning propellant gases. Its forged from a section of a wrought iron tire off a wooden wagon wheel. If desired, please note the request for a barrel when making the reservation and our hostesses will call you back to confirm. What was truly wild was seeing the guy take a hammer and block of steel and pliers to hold it and make a perfect looking flint hammer without any finish work.
The rod was withdrawn, the interior reamed and the exterior drawfiled until the. The design is unique because the barrel oven is hot and ready to bake in just 15 minutes after lighting a fire. Check out this guide for making a versatile and efficient woodfired oven. The bottom barrel is twist steel, from an ithaca 12 gauge. In this article, well satisfy your curiosity on the manufacturing process of this shipping.
First is a higher corrosion resistance when compared to an unlined, uncoated standard carbon steel barrel. Because they were so labor intensive to build, damascus barrels cost the makers more than the fluid steel tubes that came on the market in the 1880s. Prior to 1880, alloys of brass or iron were commonly used to make gun barrels. Get outdoors for some landscaping or spruce up your garden. Feb 29, 2008 he started his professional career in the steel industry in germany, followed by over 39 years of distinguished service in tata steel, from where he superannuated in late 2011. 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. There are many english nitro proofed damascus barrels that are safe to shoot.
This book was written in an effort to condense and compile all of the machining knowhow of the barrel maker into a single, comprehensive reference. Henry wehrhahn, employee of nellie blys iron clad manufacturing company of new york. In 1634 a hungarian named caspar hartman is attributed with adapting the far eastern method of making sword blades to enable the production of barrel tubes. The answer is it depends, but before we delve into that, its important to understand the challenges that barrel makers face. Machinery magazine reprinted by lindsay publications, inc.