doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Scratch repair or hide on Damascus?

I have a Remington 1894 'A' grade 12g Mfg 1899 sporting Oxford 2 Damascus barrels. The Damascus pattern is almost factory new expect for two small (less than 1mm x 2mm) scratches inflicted in recent handling and one spot where the fore-end iron has rubbed against the left barrel. Each of these shine like a bright light against the otherwise black/white pattern.

Is there a recommended method or chemical that I could apply to these two scratches and the barrel rub mark to dull down the shiny bright metal appearance? My experience with Damascus is that any attempt to "polish" these out will end in complete disaster. This needs to be surgical so as to not cause any damage to the surrounding Damascus pattern and color.

Thanks.

I have not found a good way to spot repair a damascus finish but that does not mean one does not exist.

1x2mm? Use a Sharpie...

While it won't be perfect, a couple passes of Brownell's Oxpho Blue rubbed into the shiny area with a small pad of 0000 steel wool will cover it and tone it down, leaving a gray-black color.

You are already aware that getting too exuberant could damage the surrounding Damascus finish. But if you work carefully, and don't get too far beyond the shiny damaged areas, the steel wool will feather in the coloration, and not obscure the surrounding Damascus pattern. It would be best to start with the spot hidden under the forend wood, or better yet, practice on a set of junk Damascus tubes. Pour the Oxpho Blue into a small bottle cap or something so you don't contaminate the whole bottle with a dirty pad. For the amount you need, try to find someone who has a bottle, and could give you about half a teaspoon or less. It is very tough stuff, and won't rub off like a Sharpie or other cold blue.

Buy your own bottle, even if you decide to use something else, this time, you need to keep a bottle just for general use.
Mike

Thank you for your replies. I will follow your advice.
On a similar line, what advice do you have for Parker Damascus barrels ca 1895? These are a brownish hue overall and the sharpie does not blend well. I have tried a Walnut tinted Danish oil but without great success. Again the idea is to blend and get rid of the bright polish look.

Sometimes the appearance of brown and white can be improved with a rub down with Birchwood Casey's stock sheen. It is mildly abrasive and will brighten the contrast. Try it under the fore arm and if you don't like the result it will be hidden

Sounds like you have the same problem on the Parker, except the original black and white has turned to brown patina? To cover up the shiny scratch, without doing a complete refinish, try degreasing the area, and then using a toothpick to apply a little acid solder flux, and leave it on for a while. It will rust the shiny part in short order, especially when humid. Then lightly rub it with 0000 steel wool. Use some baking soda solution to clean the area to neutralize the acid flux, and oil as usual.

Stallones had a method of cleaning Damascus that had a heavy patina which obscured the pattern. It involved very lightly cleaning the barrels with the finest Scotch Brite, and Orange Palmolive Dish Soap. Scotch Brite is more abrasive than you may think, and getting too heavy handed may do more harm than good. It will scratch glass. I also find that going over the barrels with 0000 steel wool saturated with WD-40 helps to improve contrast on barrels with heavy patina.

Hi BrentD. I notice that you are reading my post. For someone who claims to IGNORE my posts... you sure do follow me a lot. The way you IGNORE is a lot like a woman with an excess of estrogen.

Wouldn't you feel less emotional over on your new Upland Journal forum... since you hate this place so much that you are engaged in your annual one-woman campaign to encourage folks to not donate to this BBS?