laminated, twist and damascus

[Rebel3.0]

What are the differences between laminated, twist and damascus barrels? I have found many different attempts to explain but nothing saying exactly? also if anyone has pics that would be great thanks

 

[mooncoon]

It depends on who is using the term :>) I use the term laminated to refer to all barrels made of many forge welded pieces. This can include some french guns which were made in layers like a stack of pancakes. They can have a pattern something like plywood. Twist barrels, at least some use to refer to simple spiral wrapping of the skelp or basic laminated strip that makes up the barrel. Most commonly these have an obvious spiral seam every 1/2" to 3/4" and within these seams are various patterns from parallel lines to blotchy patterns depending on what sort of pieces were welded together to form the skelp. Damascus by some refers to skelps which have been twisted tightly before forming into a flat strip and spiral wrapping. These barrels tend to have a sort of figure 8 pattern.
On the other hand most people refer to all barrels made of multiple pieces as being damascus steel.
One final point is that if you look closely at one of these barrels you may see one or two sort of smudged areas where the skelps have been forge welded together end to end before the spiral wrapping is continued.

cheers mooncoon

 

[Rebel3.0]

thanks since I wrote this last night i have scrapped some crap off of the barrel on my old w richards and i found that says laminated steel
I had been searching on this last night because all I new at the time was that the barrels were twisted and in searching i found all of those possibilities, the barrel does not have the crazy looking zig zag patterns that i have found in pics of definite damascus barrels,