MYTH

OF THE

DAMASCUS BARREL
Herman Karl
October 2016

Myth
When I was boy in the 1950s and 1960s the prevailing wisdom among firearm
authorities writing in the popular gun literature was that old damascus steel barrels were
too dangerous to shoot. Damascus barrels are made by spiraling a strip of steel around a
mandrel and forge welding it (Figs. 1, 2, and 3). This process developed into an art and a
variety of beautiful patterns was obtained in this way (Figs. 4 and 5). The authorities
assumed that the many welds over the length of the barrel were susceptible to rusting and,
thus, the integrity of the barrel would deteriorate over time. What they did not understand
and take the time to learn is that the barrels were forge welded.1 Forge welding, a type of
diffusion welding, occurs at the molecular level. There are no weld seams or beads to rust.
When done correctly the metal is molecularly bonded into one contiguous piece. Many
firings (putting the metal piece into the fire to get it to proper temperature) are
necessary to forge weld. Once out of the fire the piece begins to cool rapidly below
forging temperature. Usually it is possible to weld only about one-half to one inch of
metal from each firing.

Figure 1. Spiral of steel wound around mandrel to form a tube (Internet public domain)

Figure 2. Forge welding the barrel (Internet public domain)

Figure 3. Forge welding the barrel (Internet public domain)

Figure 4. Example of a damascus barrel (Internet public domain)

Figure 5. Example of a damascus barrel (Internet public domain)

Truth
Sherman Bell in two articles dispelled this widely believed myth, which had
become dogma among many. In a 1999 article he tested a vintage Parker damascus
barreled shotgun to destruction.2 He carefully measured the pressure and velocity of
ammunition assembled to increasing levels of pressure. The gun withstood pressures well
beyond that of proof loads (loads of very high pressure used to prove the integrity of a
barrel). In a subsequent article in 2005 he compared damascus and fluid steel barrels of
the same era demonstrating there was no significant difference between the strength of
the two.3
Drew Hause analyzed a burst damascus barrel (Fig. 6).4 He used modern
sophisticated diagnostic tools, such as Scanning Electron Microscopy, as part of his
analysis. He proved the burst was not owing to a flaw in the damascus barrel, but to

Figure 6. Burst barrel (Hause, p. 19)

an obstruction in the bore. Modern diagnostic tools showed that the metal of the barrel is
one contiguous piece (Fig. 7). Hause concluded, The idea that Damascus barrels are
a mass of rusting welds, voids, slag, flux, and corrosion is wrong (p. 26).

Figure 7. 100X SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) of the wrinkles and many small cracks (failure)
initiations on the inner barrel wall surface. The cracks do not follow ribband or rod welds. The parallel
lines are tool marks (figure in Hause, p. 23).

One condition needs to be added to this conclusion. The phrase, garbage in

garbage out, is well known in todays digital world. The same applies to the
manufacture of damascus gun barrels. Poorly made barrels could be garbage. It is not a
flaw of the process, but of the maker. Before using any vintage firearm, it is wise to have
it inspected by a competent expert. NB from above many experts are not.

Lesson
Question authority and dont believe everything that is asserted. The great 20th
century theoretical physicist Richard Feynman stated, Science is the belief in the
ignorance of experts. One interpretation of this statement is that Feynman meant
science is the belief in the fallibility of expertshow to gather data to test ideas and get
new ideas.5 The firearm authorities of my youth apparently assumed forge welding was
akin to arc welding a fusion process. The joins between the bead and base metal in this
process are susceptible to corrosion. Such welds can break at the weld where the filler
metal is fused to the base metal. Recall that a forged weld (done correctly) results in a
contiguous piece of base metal. The firearm authorities warning of the danger of
damascus barrels didnt gather the data to test their assertion. They did not ask questions,
but made assumptions, which were incorrect, and inadvertently disseminated wrong
information.
Asking the right question is a precondition to providing the correct answer.
Asking the right question is difficult. Sherman Bell did not set out to test the quality of
damascus steel barrels. He was finding answers about the ballistics of low-intensity
shotshell loads that I use in my vintage double guns.6 Many vintage 19th century guns
have damascus barrels. Aware of the dogma that such barrels are weak scrap iron he
decided to find out for himself and assemble factual data. Empirical data are subject to
more than one interpretation. However, not all interpretations are equally valid.
Opinions are not interpretations; many people conflate the two.
These lessons are universal.


1 http://www.damascus-barrels.com/Movie.html
2 Bell, Sherman, 1999, Finding out for myself, part II: Double Gun Journal, v. 10, issue
4, p. 21-42.
3 Bell, Sherman, 2005, Finding out for myself, part IX: Double Gun & Single Shot
Journal, v. 16, issue 2, p. 29-40.
4 Hause, Drew, 2016, A blow-up post-mortem, continuing the series in support of
Damascus barrels: The Double Gun & Single Shot Journal, v. 27, issue 3, p. 17-26.
5 http://blog.sethroberts.net/2013/09/29/science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignoranceof-experts-application-to-personal-science/
6 Bell, Sherman, 1999, p. 21.