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|  21st October 2011, 11:20 PM | #1 | 
| Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin 
					Posts: 163
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			I really look forward to Dr. Feuerbach's book when she puts it out. I recently ran a Merv crucible run here in the shop..learned a lot even though it failed...nothing to do with Ann's input ..more operator error on my end with a new technology. I am as opinionated as anyone..its just that, working alone as I do, I find that nobody in the room cares much what I think..and the steel cares even less. A walk through a museum is a different experience for you than it is for me. I am looking at display as a schoolroom..items I need to deconstruct and make my own... techniques to develop and make my own. A single display case often has more work in it that I will produce in my lifetime and of a level I may only reach when my journey is near its end. Besides...hot steel is my focus, the blade as a technology..as a process...not the many faceted other aspects of what we call arms. I leave that to you educated lot, from whom I have gleaned much. Ric....who's interest is most often gone once the work becomes room temperature. | 
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|  17th November 2011, 03:13 PM | #2 | 
| Member Join Date: Jan 2007 
					Posts: 803
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			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. | 
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|  17th November 2011, 06:07 PM | #3 | 
| Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: York, UK 
					Posts: 167
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			Hi Richard, Thanks for brining it back up, actually. I'd forgotten about it for the while and, as usual, it had sunk into the mud that constitutes my memory at times, and that post was informative since I know basically zilch about metallurgy. Pics would be much appreciated. And yes, I am indeed Nuts! Best Meredydd | 
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