What is Damascening?

[Tom Curran]

My understanding of Damascening is very limited. It's a word that I think gets mis-used to describe several techniques of precious metal decoration.

I read in Torsten Lenk's "The Flintlock" that it is gold foil pounded onto a roughened ground.

Foil? This implies very thin metal,eh.

Roughened ground. Well I know about gold overlay, with hedgehog barbs. This would be too rough for foil. Ecthed? Applied with punches, or chemically?

I see some examples in "the Flintlock" of gun barrels with Damascened decoration. It appears to be the same as the surface of the barrel, not raised, not cut in, but applied. In spots where the gold is worn off, it appears so very thin, like foil.

any thoughts appreciated.
Tom

Oh, I just went to WikiPedia, and here's this little info-mation: http://www.aimjewelry.com/damascene.htm

 

[Daniel Houwer]

any thoughts appreciated.

In Europe or just Holland or just in my mind "Damascening " is the name for pattern welded steel. But in my mothers mind it has to do with the way a table cloth is fabricated.

I think the origin of the term Damascening comes from a few years back.
The time that Damascus was the place where everyone wanted to be.
The time that it was the capital of this side of the pool and every great craftsman was found there.
And whenn whe crusaders went there to kick butt whe were astonished about their craftsmenship in various fields. And for the different fields of techniques that where unknown to us but came from Damascus this title was used.

So Damascening has a lot of different meanings in each field whether its tablecloth making, putting different steels and iron together or using gold foil to adorn an engraved surface.

The specifics of the technique conserning gold foil I do not know but now you have my "any thougt".

Hope you will get your answer cause I am curious to!

Daniel

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Damascening basically consists of crosshatching a fine background with a knife-like tool. By drawing the tool towards you at an angle, and keeping the lines very close together, a bur is thrown up. Another set of lines is then hatched across the original lines and the subsequent burs form little teeth. Gold (or other soft metals such as silver or even copper) can then be beaten onto this hatching and the tiny teeth of the cross-hatching hold it in place rather like velcro. Sheet gold as thin as .003" can be used provided the cross-hatching is kept fine and is not too crude. Sometimes 3 and even 4 sets of crossing lines are used but care has to be taken not to destroy the fine burs or there will be nothing to grip the gold.

The overlay method is basically the same but instead of cross-hatching a flat, chisel like point is used to throw up a series of teeth in different directions. It tends to leave a slightly cruder background and hence sheet material is usually upwards of .005" so as not to show the teeth through the gold when it's struck down flat.

I hope this helps explain things a little clearer.

 

[DanM]

The Japanese damascene is called Nunome inlay.The process is like the Spanish version in the previous link,though it does vary in finishing and patina processes.The finished process can have a "cloth weave" sufrace or smooth surface. Link to Japanese process.

http://www.kougei.or.jp/english/crafts/0813/d0813-4.html

 

[Robert Morales]

When I was in Toledo a few years ago I was able to watch one of the craftsman do this. For the scrolls he merely scratched a pattern with something like an X-acto knife. He then skillfully followed the pattern
hammering in a hair thin gold wire.

 

[Roger Bleile]

Joe Rundell did a brief seminar on damascening at the engrave-in earlier this month. Scott had a professional video everything and he has said he expects to sell tapes of it all in the future. Damascening is one of those things where a picture is worth a thousand words. However I believe Marcus explained it as well as words can convey in post #3 above. I'm eager to get the video to brush up on things that went over my head the first time (did you hear that Scott?).

RB

 

[DKanger]

Tom,
Suggest you google up kuftgari and bidri for other methods of damascening used in Persia and India.

Also, "Metal Techniques for Craftsmen" by Oppi Untracht is an invaluable book for those engaged in gunbuilding, such as we do. Pricey but inclusive.

Dave

 

[Michael McGrew]

Damascening as I understand it, is metal decoration that resembles the patterns found in Demascas steel. Being a watchmaker, damascening is used as decoration on the movements of better-quality watches. For those of us old enough to know what a "spirograph" is, this is what the damascening patterns on watch movements resemble.

 

[Tom Curran]

I found that book, Dave, for $32 on Amazon, used.

I want to thank all of you for your responses.

I appreciate this forum so very much.

Tom