Subject: Re: Finish for Damascus

From: [email-masked] (Katana ---/-----------)
Date: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 23:52:59 GMT

.. After we clean 
>it up we would like to put on a finish that will show off the 
>steal. Will the Damascus pattern show through blueing? Is 
>there a good clear coat that will hold up on a gun? It looks 
>like the original finish was clear (we took off the fore arm). 
> 
Most anything you do to it to get rid of the rust sufficiently will also
make the pattern-welded pattern disappear. The only real cure for this is
to re-etch the pattern. I find that Ferric Cloride (Radio Shack printed
circuit board etchant) works very well, sometimes better than nitirc acid
(50% techincal grade, not 70% reagent or 90% ultra-pure) for my patern
welded blades. The only bluing I would use on damascus is someone with a
hot tank blueing process. Yes the pattern will show up, but not as well as
without the blueing. You can put grease on the barrel for the rest of
your/its life to keep it from rusting, or you can (the rest of you can
scream all you want - I don't care) shoot it with clear laquer that dries
to a hard (but not too hard) coat. If you ever want to fire the weapon,
wiat until it is cool to the touch between shots or the laquer may start to
flake off. DON'T USE POLYURETHANE. The reason is that laquer can be removed
from metal by boiling it in water for about 3-4 hours. Polyurethane never
comes off - but it does flake off. I've spent many years trying to keep
rust off blades and guns and WD-40 dries off in hours sometimes - it's not
good as a protectorant for rust at all. Hope this helps. 
-- 
               Bill Wyant 
   Swordsmith / Art Blacksmith 
Avalon Ironworks, Ft. Wayne, IN 
    [email-masked]

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From: Bill Roberts <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 05 Aug 1996 21:07:11 -0400

Katana ---/----------- wrote:
SNIP
 You can put grease on the barrel for the rest of
> to a hard (but not too hard) coat. 
SNIP
> Avalon Ironworks, Ft. Wayne, IN
  
Bill-
I can hear'em screamin' all the way down here in Florida. Where's those 
darn ear plugs when you need them? :o)

Happy Hammering-
Bill Roberts
Custom Design Metal Arts
3740 NE 40th Pl. Ste. C
Ocala, FL. 34479
[email-masked]
http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/edu/arts/metal/incoming/portflio/broberts

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From: Jim McCarty <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 06 Aug 1996 09:33:43 -0500

Katana ---/----------- wrote:
 If you ever want to fire the weapon,
> flake off. .

Don't fire old Damascus barrelled weapons -- they like to explode into 
pieces of shrapnel. Best left as wall-hangers!!!!!

-- 
Jim McCarty
Father Helias Forge
Taos, MO
Editor Rural Missouri Magazine
Newsletter editor, Blacksmiths Association of Missouri

³Foolish consistencies are the hobgoblins of little minds³