My new method of restoring damascus

[Tom Flanigan]

I am very pleased with the results of my reworking of the Damascus refinishing process. I still have a bit of work to do to get the depth of black I want, but that is only a matter of adjusting the etch times. I have reduced the rust, card, boil iterations down to a total of five only, for all barrels. Using my past method, it was 10 and sometimes more than 15. I use a much stronger etch, close to 80%. I do the etching in a fiberglass tank so I can watch the etch taking place.

I would post pictures, but my camera got misplaced in the prep for selling my house. I’ll post when I find the camera. I am now very close to a single repeatable process for all barrels with no tweaking on individual barrels or extended iterations. I will tell you that my new method is different from any method I have read about. I am knocking on the door of Nirvana.

Parker never had to play with individual barrels and now I don't have to either. Can you tell I'm excited?

[Mills]

Can't wait to see pictures

[Drew Hause]

Tom: looking forward to updating
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...z_9HMDdv4/edit

Please send the images by full size jpg attachment, and narrative, to revdoc2@cox.net

[Tom Flanigan]

I'd be pleased to have that updated Drew. Thank you. I am almost there, I believe. Remaining to do now is the etch strength. I think that is why I am not getting as deep a black as I want. I am using a very strong etch and I have to do some testing to determine the optimum strength. The barrels are certainly "good enough" but I want to get it perfect. I'll get back at it tomorrow in between prepping the house for sale and managing people I have coming in to help. I certainly have a full plate right now. When I move permanently to Pawling, NY, I will have a lot more time to devote to my passion for restoration.