With all respect to your gunsmith. Absolutely every damascus barrels that shows a pattern is etched. Etching is part of the finishing process for damascus.
I would be happy to discuss this with your gunsmith on the telephone if he desires.
I believe Walt when he says Ithaca never used faux damascus.
NONE of the major American makers used faux damascus. This seems to have been the domain of hardware store guns meant to appeal to the very bottom end of the market.
A couple of points.
There were more finishing techniques used 100 years ago that we see in use today.
We often seem to think that faux damascus is a painted on application of pattern. Original sources seem to indicate that this was only one of several methods used. I personally have never seen examples of these other methods outside of Ottoman / Persian firearms.
Pete
