Drew thanks. The theory about the LeFever Belgian being browned and the English being black and white is around. I just wonder why one would be finished differently than the other. Joe Wood and I had a phone conversation with Dale Edmonds about a W&C Scott Damascus barrel being oddly colored with no evidence of being redone. Anyway Dale said he has come across some English Damascus barrels that he couldn't get to take the right color and speculated that they were made in the 1880s by English tube makers and had different metal composition - more carbon I believe is what he said.
I hate to beat a dead horse - If the tube maker's marks are filed off then how do we know the barrels were Belgian or English. If the theory is true about LeFever Belgian barrels being browned and LeFever English barrels being black and white - why did LeFever do them in different colors?
Mike,
There is a short answer for this what every Lefever lover knows... "Because when it comes to a Lefever, you can never be sure what to expect."
The colors are only an issue if you are having the barrel redone. Then it is your choice. Dale is great guy isn't he? I have enjoyed every conversation and learned a great deal.
I can give you another possible answer to Dale's about the colors "taking".
There was an change in the smelting industry that occurred. They moved from charcoal to coke. Coke produces problems. It introduces silicon and other trace elements to the metal. The Nessonvaux barrel makers had a decided dislike for coke smelting. We also know that the Belgian's were experimenting with various sources for the raw materials. They would also purchase from different smelters on occasion. Throw in the various rolling mills and you have a lot of steps / variables. It surprises me that Dale is able to work his magic at all given what he has to contend with...
We will never be 100% positive about all the barrel suppliers to Lefever or anyone else. We are operating from very slim evidence. A maker's trade mark here and there. Some times we can be sure of who the maker was by the mark. Other times, we simply scratch our heads and make a best guess until better evidence presents itself. If Uncle Dan kept records of all his suppliers, we have not been fortunate enough to find them.
The Lefever factory. The guy in back is busy grinding off the trade marks, just to confuse us.
Pete
