doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 'Reading' Damascus-Does this help?

Counting 'Scrolls' to determine 2 Iron, 3 Iron, etc. is discussed here http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dfg2hmx7_0dgmfqfgm but this might help.
The 'lopin' or 'billet' starts with alternating layers of thin strips of iron and steel (the leaves)



which is rolled/hammer forged then twisted into the rod (the scroll), then the rods are hammer forged/rolled to form the ribband, then the ribband is wound around a mandrel and the edges are 'jumped' (over-lapped) and helically welded (whew!)
It's alot clearer here
http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dfg2hmx7_180c83rvwg4





It will help if you can zoom the images. I've got some ultra high resolution pics coming which I'll be working on. The PictureTrail Photo Editor doesn't have the ability to draw arrows or put labels on the image though

Very good Drew. Without the actual definitions of the parts of Damascus you have provided here some readers have been left to presume exactly what the terms refer to. The second picture still would have been better if the examples hadn't overlapped each other but, nonetheless, it is a very good aid for those who until now were not quite sure of the terms.
I am of the belief that 'crolle','scroll' and any other word that is a derivative of curl or twist all refer to the same thing, which is the 'blossom' or 'rose' of this popular Damascus pattern.

Thanks Dean. Still working on the image and labels. This turned out better.



Left to right:
1. Leaves within a scroll - 4 Iron (black) and 4 Steel (white)
2. Ribband weld line
3. 1/2 scroll
4. 3 full scrolls
5. 1/2 scroll
6. Ribband weld line

Two Iron 'Oxford'



Left to right:
1. Leaves within a scroll - 6 Iron (black) and 6 Steel (white)
2. Ribband weld line
3. 1/2 scroll
4. One full scroll
5. 1/2 scroll
6. Ribband weld line

1874 $250 Grade (6) Parker Lifter courtesy of Richard Hoover

Excellent. Well done Drew.

Looks like a Persian rug to me....

the only thing one should wish is to be able to read is recent nitro re-proof on the barrel flats. i would prefer such piece to fluid steel barreled one because it's more handsome gun.

Here you go jOe

Doc,
Thank you very much for the quick tutorial. Its easily understood and very relevant to us Damascus lovers.
The more you know the better it gets. Take the info you glean from "reading " your barells and cross check it with the 1891 barell tests from the Birmingham Proof House and you can see how your barells fared on this strength-o-meter.