De-rusting and etching Damascus gun barrel

[RDGAC]

Hah! I got as far as getting the FeCl, but have yet to get round to trying it. Partly this was from caution, partly from lack of a suitable workspace, and partly from a lack of time. We're hoping to get a Heritage Lottery Fund grant for a refurbishment, so (in the hope that we will), lots of frenetic admin activity has been taking place over the past 14 months. It's all excitement and adventure, at least until the money runs out.

I like the look of this process, estrch. I've met Ian - he very kindly came to look at our small collection of Japanese swords from the 2nd World War - and he's a thoroughly good bloke, not to mention exceptionally well-versed in all matters Japanese arms and armour (as you are doubtless well aware). Any preparation with his seal of approval probably deserves a crack; this one, moreover, sounds a lot less potentially invasive than the acid route, albeit far more time-consuming. Only one thing puzzles me - where the hell I'm going to find a bit of deer antler...

- Meredydd (aka Harassed of York)

[Iain]

Antler technique sounds intriguing. New one to me! There seem to be plenty of antlers about on UK eBay. I'm in a rural area myself and shouldn't have a problem to get a piece. The results displayed look promising, however I would imagine steel wool and oil would get the same result?

[RDGAC]

Originally Posted by Iain

Antler technique sounds intriguing. New one to me! There seem to be plenty of antlers about on UK eBay. I'm in a rural area myself and shouldn't have a problem to get a piece. The results displayed look promising, however I would imagine steel wool and oil would get the same result?

Not sure. I've worked this barrel quite extensively with wire wool and oil, and although it's removed the looser rust on the surface, it seems to have minimal effect on the tougher, older deposits. It also struggles to remove rust from pits in the steel. Presumably the antler, especially with that shape, is better for scraping it away without being hard enough to damage iron or steel.

The thought has just occurred to me, too, that these "antler" things have been known to fall off strange, quadruped beings known as "deers". Being a city boy, I doubt such things really exist; however, I hear one can actually pick them up in places, if one knows where to look!

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Not sure. I've worked this barrel quite extensively with wire wool and oil, and although it's removed the looser rust on the surface, it seems to have minimal effect on the tougher, older deposits. It also struggles to remove rust from pits in the steel. Presumably the antler, especially with that shape, is better for scraping it away without being hard enough to damage iron or steel.

The thought has just occurred to me, too, that these "antler" things have been known to fall off strange, quadruped beings known as "deers". Being a city boy, I doubt such things really exist; however, I hear one can actually pick them up in places, if one knows where to look!

Its those raised, hardened deposits that are difficult to remove, I have an old Japanese matchlock barrel that I have the same problem with, it has raised deposits of rust, I did not have any antler available so I used a piece of shaped bone (recommended by another expert), this works well. I was told by the same expert that for really hard to remove spots that he uses a piece of knife sharpening stone as an abrasive, he said this was a last resort and to be very careful as the sharpening stone could damage the surface.

[Dmitry]

Originally Posted by Iain

Antler technique sounds intriguing. New one to me!

Me as well. I sometimes use sharpened pieces of wood, but antler makes sense. It's softer than steel, but harder than rust. Sometimes I coat the surfaces with BreakFree CLP penetrating oil and let the item sit for a week, before I "take the knife" to it. My feeling is that the oil will sufficiently penetrate and soften the rust in that time-span.

[RDGAC]

Bone would likely be easier to get; antler isn't exactly easy to acquire here nowadays, it seems. I'm tempted to see if I can find an old antler walking stick and trim the handle off, but a lot of these are probably plastic nowadays.

In either case, I will (eventually) get round to this, I promise!

Thanks for the tip re: 3M papers, Dave. I think I'm familiar with them as "wet 'n' dry", used to use them for getting a nice, shiny finish on brass controls on steam engines (under advice, might I add, for anyone wincing). I've considered them but think I'd prefer to try the bone/antler trick first, since it seems even less likely to damage the metal. However, I've used wet & dry for some polishing in the past, and it is, as you say, highly controllable.

Best,

Meredydd