doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What is it about Damascus?

That is indeed interesting about the Viking damascus. So, you have Damasteel knives? I have looked at one, they seem a bit pricey, but beautiful. I do own several non-damasteel damascus knives though.

If you like Viking swords, you might find this Nova program on them, rather interesting. There is, I think, another version of this video which focuses more specifically on the remaking of this sword from ore to final form that is one of the best ways to spend an hour that I know of.

Thanks for the link. Although PBS is well known for spewing far-left propaganda, they do have some excellent content, now and then. I'll give it a watch

DropLockBob: Not Damasteel but more-traditional Damascus. I'm sure the damasteel would be fine as well. Damascus steel can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Lots of traditional knifemakers use it now, all over the world. For years, Connecticut Shotgun sold some pretty Damascus knives that were actually fairly inexpensive. I suspect that they were imported from a 3rd world maker somewhere, but no-matter as they work just fine. They still seem to have a few as I just bought some for Christmas gifts.

After watching the Viking Ulfberht steel ( not damascus, but related ) good video, I came across this one:

So, it seems like we have at least 3 distinct types of "damascus" steel.

pattern welded damascus, as used in traditional victorian era shotgun barrels.

wootz damascus, which is crucible steel that is not twisted, the surface pattern formed by the interaction if different materials

and Damasteel damascus, which appears to be based on powder metallurgy.

Fascinating!

DropLockBob, I am very much aware that you can still order a bespoke Purdey made with Damascus barrels. I am also aware that you could buy a NOS (New Old Stock) set of original Damascus tubes from Peter Dyson & Son, and then pay the price of an average house (or more) to have them incorporated into a new custom built double shotgun.

Also, in my world, the output of a company such as Damasteel hardly constitutes anything approaching mass production. Compared to the output of some of the Damascus barrel producers in Belgium in the early 20th century, they are very much a niche maker. Nor is it true Damascus in the traditional sense. I am still quite certain that we will never again see the day where the average middle-class sportsman will be able to buy a mass produced Damascus barreled double shotgun for an affordable cost, as was possible in the early 1900's.

To clarify matters further, I personally own well over two dozen Damascus barreled doubles. Most of them, I was able to buy at a lower price than the same gun in similar condition if it had fluid steel barrels. This is because of the continuing prejudice against Damascus barreled guns. You will never see me attempting to convince those who are against shooting Damascus that they should change their attitudes. I like the status quo, i.e., being able to buy beautiful and still functional guns at affordable prices. There is no question in my mind that the average semi-auto shotgun is stronger, functionally superior, and preferred by millions of shooters. Some guys would rather golf, so they will never have the joy of harvesting a ruffed grouse dinner killed with a literal work of art. And I will likely never know the joy of getting a hole-in-one, because every time I see a golf course, I think about how great it would be to let it revert to woods and fields where I could hunt. I golfed 18 holes one time with borrowed clubs, and the guys I went with said I did remarkably well for someone with zero experience other than Putt-Putt. But it ain't my thing, much like those who have no interest in Damascus barreled guns. Different strokes.... and it hurts no one... unlike voting Democrat.

Thanks for you input, Keith. I do agree it is unlikely we will ever see true mass produced damascus barreled shotguns again, but wouldn't it be nice if we even had a specialty mid-to-upper tier niche industry doing damasteel tube builds? Perhaps Italian or spanish makers? That would be cool.

As far as damasteel goes, I am fully aware it's not a damascus process. The wootz steel people don't even consider the pattern welded damascus in our shotgun barrels to be true damascus.
As long as the PSI strength is there, I care not about the process, I just adore the beauty of damascus patterns. And the skill and art involved in the manufacturing process.


We are total agreement about the modern democrat party. One of the most insidious underpinnings of today's left is the whole "Justice" movement, Social, Environmental,Racial. Take your pick, it's all based on pure Marxism. And vast numbers of our urban youth are swallowing it, hook, line, sinker, rod.

Merry Christmas!

I've always assumed that by the 1830's London barrel makers had dwindled to two, Lancaster and Fullard. Fullard was the last to close up shop in 1843. However, Looking at advertisements it sure looks like some gunmakers in London carried out their own barrel making and boring.

Here's an advertisement from 30 Mar 1830, "Morning Post" by Charles Moore, where he claims to be making his own Damascus barrels:


And Reilly claimed to boring his own barrels throughout the 1830's and early 1840's (perhaps using a Lancaster machine). 07 Aug 1837, "Morning Chronicle"


I'm sure there is a book on this someplace. Greener probably comments on it. Any suggestion on something on London barrel making?

I am quite the fan of damascus as well, owning both damascus barreled shotguns and modern day damascus, hand forged, knives. All my damascus knives are by one little known maker, an old friend of mine who retired from knife making some years ago. I went to stay with him once and spent a day watching him hand forge a blade. It took him nigh on to eight hours, and he had motorized trip hammers and a motorized blower on his forge. He began with five layers and ended up, at the end of the process, with 320. My respect for a blade made this way cannot be over emphasized.

I "scored" a large fresh pork ham with one of those big blades early this morning, before my wife baked it, and then sliced the fresh baked ham with another one of the blades this evening to serve my family around the CHRISTmas dining table. It takes a very sharp blade to score the tough skin on the outside of a fresh pork ham, without "sawing" at it, but these blades will do it on one stroke. They take and hold sharpness extremely well and are gorgeous to look at. A long passed older farm employee once said, when handling one of the newly finished damascus knives, "Boss man, I could take this here knife into a juke on a Sattidy night and bring peace outta confusion." I did not doubt that one bit.

To refer to the pinnacle of damascus barrels, or knives, as art is not a stretch by any means. The later makers were able to incorporate repetitive patterns in them that were mind boggling. If I recall correctly the English makers built one gun that had the prime minister's name in the pattern scores of times. Another that stands out in my memory was the stars and stripes pattern, 'round and 'round the tubes. A true art form.

Edited to add: After watching the excellent video posted by DropLockBob I now better understand the different types of steel we call damascus. It reminded me of something that my friend, who made my knives, told me once. He said that he had gone to Florida and stayed about a week with a fellow to learn how to pattern weld steel blades. Now, I wonder if that fellow who taught him was indeed Al Pendray, shown in the video. I will ask him next time we talk.