Robert,

Sounds interesting. I am currently working on a lead from my readings. Gaier believes that 1683 is a key date in the development of European damascus development for gun barrels. The defeat of Kara Mustafa Pasha by Jan III Sobieski at Vienna was a winfall for European gunsmiths. Suddenly thousands of damascus barreled guns could be examined.

He intimates that while the crusades had made Europe aware of damascus blades, it was the defeat of the Ottoman army that advanced damascus barrel technology used in shoulder arms for Europe. This technology was refined by Europeans to reach it's zenith in the 19th century.

Pete