Sorry about bringing up an older thread, but the original question was about gun barrels, ...Not swords.
As we all know, the properties desired in a barrel are opposit to what is required in an edged weapon.
A iron mix is much better than a hard cutlery steel...which would likely fail very quickly if made into a barrel!
I do not think Woots per se, was used for gun barrels.
What was required for the latter, was an iron/steel twisted ribbon, wound around a mandrel to produce a pattern, the pattern complexity depending on the smith and price afforded by the customer.
A plain iron barrel will suffice, but the iron/steel barrel is more elastic ..and looks better!
Some jezails have very high quality barrels, and were renowned for accuracy as well.
Also some of these barrels are much older than the locks put on them, as many started out as matchlocks, and were updated with European flint or percussion locks.
RDGAC,....(Nuts'n'??)
I'll look out some pics and PM you.
Richard.
|