Damascus under lug advice

[ThreeCedars]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for some advice on how to proceed with a lug repair on a Damascus barrel. It is from an original single barrel English 11 gauge fowler.

The original seems to have been soldered or welded into place, but it is hard to tell exactly what technique was used.

When working with Damascus, what is the standard method for these kinds of repairs? Are there any special considerations? And to be clear, by repair I mean a complete replacement.

I am hesitant to drill and stake a staple, but it may be just fine. I also wonder about any issues with the application of heat while soldering.

I am confident in using either method, just making sure I’m moving forward wisely.

Any input would be great. Thanks!

 

[ThreeCedars]

Bump

 

[64Springer]

Dovetail?

 

[ThreeCedars]

Maybe? I was thinking about this too.

I suppose it’s okay to just treat it as I would any barrel, right? Any special considerations just because it’s damascus, or just pick a method and go with it? The breech walls are plenty thick.

 

[64Springer]

If you know how to solder, I can't imagine soldering temps harming that steel.

 

[Col. Batguano]

I suggest you PM Dave Person directly about the question. If he doesn't know, he'll surely know someone who does.

From the looks of your pictures, the barrel seems in very good shape. But, you never know if water might have penetrated the laminations one time inside the bore and caused rust in between the strands. A close look with a bore scope will give you a good clue, but the only way to be 100% sure is to have the barrel X-rayed from stem to stern. The way Damascus barrels are made is the strands are hot hammer welded together around a mandrel under great force or impact to cause the strands to bond together while the metal is very hot. Something like a low temp solder is unlikely to get so hot it causes the seams to separate, but the localization of the applied heat might cause expansion that stresses a weaker joint somewhere close by that may let water in there some day.

But I'm just speculating. I DON'T know. Dave WILL.

 

[ThreeCedars]

I suggest you PM Dave Person directly about the question. If he doesn't know, he'll surely know someone who does.

Thank you - do you have his user name so I can find him?

 

[Col. Batguano]

Dave Person
user name;
Dave Person

The ALR web site is another good resource to ask the same question. He goes by the same user name there too.

 

[ThreeCedars]

Dave Person
user name;
Dave Person

The ALR web site is another good resource to ask the same question. He goes by the same user name there too.

Found him! Thanks

It’s under dave_person btw

 

[Col. Batguano]

He is a very prolific poster and builder with lots of pictures on both sites. I would also suggest you do an advanced search under "Damascus barrels" to see what's been posted or started as a thread in the past. Chances are about 90%+ that this issue has been spoken to in the past.

 

[ThreeCedars]

Excellent - I appreciate the suggestion to reach out to him. I sent him a message.

There is lots posted about different methods of installing underlugs - I searched and read quite a bit, but nothing I could find that suggests there are special considerations for damascus barrels. There may not be - which would be great.

 

[Rudyard]

For a kick off its NOT a 'Damascus' barrel its a' twist ' barrel similar but not the same .Its had no dovetail evident, & one way they where done is to chisle a shallow slot then make the loop there called' loops ' into a gentle arch with under cuts each end and thus mate with the dove tail like extensions and pressed down to flat thus engageing the under cuts .Some heat to tin the mateing surfaces cant hurt but No essesive heat & certainly not' welded ' . unless you have such skill you need a man that has like Dave Person .At least he's on the same Continent .
Regards Rudyard