I saw your before and after pics in your For Sale listing here. Nice work! It would be great if you get time to do the ferric chloride etch to bring out the contrast in the Damascus before the sale is completed.
I was a little disappointed in the suggestion that you should send the disassembled forearm iron to Buck Hamlin, even though he is a great double gunsmith. This is, after all, a Do-It-Yourself- Gunsmithing Forum. We all need to recognize that there will be jobs that are best left to a professional who has the tools and experience for certain jobs. We all need to know our own limitations and understand that sometimes, you just can't beat a bricklayer at his trade. Even many of the pros realize this, and farm certain things out, or refuse the work. But basic reassembly isn't rocket science, and there is little chance of doing permanent damage unless you are so ham-fisted that it should be against the law for you to touch a screwdriver. In this case, you were smart enough to take picture during disassembly, but just misplaced those images when it came time to reassemble.
That's a good lesson for all of us, because sometimes, there will be some period of time to forget things before we get around to completing a job. Notes, drawings, and photos can be as helpful as owning proper tools.
