March 3, 201412 yr I have an old damaged damascus barrel given by a friend. Would it be possible to create a knife with it? Do I cut it length wise and flatten out? Do I just hammer it flat? Please advise. I am not a fan of decommissioning a firearm but this one is of little use as a gun or wall hanger.
March 3, 201412 yr I had a chap on a course last year who wanted to turn a piece of damascus barrel into a blade. We cut it down the length, opened it out and forged it flat. Jut as well I decided to test a bit to make sure it would harden up, because it didn't! So we welded a piece of it either side of a bit of tool steel and made the blades that way :-)
March 3, 201412 yr gun barrels are generally low C perhaps medium at best as you do NOT want them brittle!!!!!!!!!! Do a san mai to get the patterning and have an edge that will make a good knife.
March 3, 201412 yr Author Could I at the very least create some letter openers which need neither edge or hardness? Seems a waste to scrap the beautiful metal hiding in the barrel. Pics of barrel. How would one split the two barrels?
March 3, 201412 yr Some are soft soldered to the central rib. Letter openers would be neat if you don't want to do san mai and make knives from them. *definitely* *don't* *scrap* *them*!
March 3, 201412 yr Sure, you can turn it into all kinds of decorative items like: letter openers, card holders, bottle openers, picture frames, shelf brackets, etc. etc. Let's not forget jewelry, rings have already been mentioned so how about: necklace, bracelets, brooches, ear rings, moustache twirlers, etc. Your imagination is the limit. Frosty The Lucky.
March 3, 201412 yr Author Thank you all for your replies. I have a lot to think about. I may use some of the barrel for a letter opener but will save some for san mai as suggested when I am capable of that. I think that would look really good.
March 3, 201412 yr If you want to incorporate them in a knife i'd use sandwich some high carbon in the barrel and make a san mai knife, but those barrels do look so lovely as they are!
March 4, 201412 yr Just my opinion but, learn to make your own pattern welded steel and hang that beautiful old shot gun on the wall.
March 4, 201412 yr Perhaps a pic of the 'damage' you mentioned? Maybe then we could see if we agree that it wouldn't even be good as a wall hanger. (And even if we don't agree, it is yours to do what you please with.)
March 4, 201412 yr If I were your friend, I'd be pretty mad if I found out you chopped up my gun for scrap.
March 4, 201412 yr Perhaps a pic of the 'damage' you mentioned? Maybe then we could see if we agree that it wouldn't even be good as a wall hanger. (And even if we don't agree, it is yours to do what you please with.) I agree with you on this lets see the extent of the damage before cutting that shotgun up, it looks like its got a beautiful barrel pattern, it may be a minor fix a gunsmith can take care of.
March 4, 201412 yr Author Here are more pictures. The more I look at it the more guilty I feel about starting this post. The wood is beautiful and coveted for fine guns. The engraving is amazing and most likely done by hand with hammer and chisel. Obviously I like the damascus barrel. And the both hammers and triggers do work. 'Damage' Stock cracked in half and repaired brutally several times. Several dents in both barrels. Some engravings are dented or worn. ( I always intended on keeping engraved portions as a teaching aid in drawing scrolls and someday engrave.) One hammer has been repaired poorly (visually) Obvious rust and misuse. Still not sure what to do with this gun. I understand the the disgust in cutting it up. I guess because it has not emotional value to me I can buy a wall hanger for much cheaper than cost to fix this one up. All of your input and opinions are very valuable to me. Thank you
March 4, 201412 yr Hello Setve, I like old damaged gun barrels. I have plans for forge some modern such barrels for modern loads and use these older ones as study pieces. I'll happily trade you some modern steel flat bars of pattern-weld which will harden for that barrel. Saves you the time, you will get a better knife material and the barrel survives for another purpose. Ric
March 4, 201412 yr That thing would be hanging on my wall and I would be mighty proud of it. Please dont destroy it!
March 4, 201412 yr Another vote for preserving history. Cut it up and the history becomes scrap. Old scrap but scrap just the same. 2¢ Scott
March 5, 201412 yr I'd 2nd that vote. shame no matter what shape it's in to make that bit of history disappear
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