De-rusting and etching Damascus gun barrel

[RDGAC]

Originally Posted by Iain

Antler technique sounds intriguing. New one to me! There seem to be plenty of antlers about on UK eBay. I'm in a rural area myself and shouldn't have a problem to get a piece. The results displayed look promising, however I would imagine steel wool and oil would get the same result?

Not sure. I've worked this barrel quite extensively with wire wool and oil, and although it's removed the looser rust on the surface, it seems to have minimal effect on the tougher, older deposits. It also struggles to remove rust from pits in the steel. Presumably the antler, especially with that shape, is better for scraping it away without being hard enough to damage iron or steel.

The thought has just occurred to me, too, that these "antler" things have been known to fall off strange, quadruped beings known as "deers". Being a city boy, I doubt such things really exist; however, I hear one can actually pick them up in places, if one knows where to look!