Some have seen this thread but I thought I'd go ahead and post it here to clear up some issues
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15082 Good place to start
https://docs.google.com/a/damascusknowle...MNs5L2XVfc/edit It all starts with the
lopin or billet: thin strips of iron and steel called '
alternees' or leaves.
The
lopin is heated, hammered, and/or rolled into a rod, stripe, band, blade, iron, or rope – THEY ALL MEAN THE SAME THING and in the finished barrel are described as a 'scroll' by their appearance in Crolle pattern damascus.
The scrolls are larger in 2 Iron/Stripe and (usually) progressively smaller 3 to 4 to 6 Iron.
The size of the scrolls is dependent on how tightly the rods are twisted before being hammer welded into the ribband AND how many
alternees are in the rods.
2 and some 3 Iron/Stripe crolle patterns usually have 7 or 8 steel (which stain black) and 7 or 8 iron (which do not stain so silver)
alternees or leaves within the scroll.
2 Iron
3 and 4 Iron might have 6 and 6.
Parker D3 refinished by Dale Edmonds
4 and 6 Iron usually have 4 and 5 or 4 and 4. End view of the rod with 4 steel and 5 iron
alternees4 Iron
6 Iron with 4 and 4