Author Topic: T.K. Dawson rifle  (Read 12223 times)

Offline mark brier

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T.K. Dawson rifle
« on: July 03, 2017, 08:33:23 PM »
One of my grandfathers rifles I still put about 100 balls through a year.
Mark Brier


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Offline PPatch

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2017, 09:46:36 PM »
A very nice rifle Mark. Do you know when it was made?

dave
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2017, 10:15:44 PM »
He was light years ahead of his time.
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline mark brier

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2017, 10:20:25 PM »
This particular rifle is engraved #100 near the breech. However he did not always number or date every single rifle. However to time line with others that are numbered with a date this one would have been made in early to middle 1960's.
Mark Brier

Offline Joe S.

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2017, 11:27:42 PM »
Real nice rifle,the man really knew how to build a rifle back in a time without all the information and options ect.of today

Offline WadePatton

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2017, 11:49:48 PM »
Sweet one.  8)
Hold to the Wind

Offline wattlebuster

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #6 on: July 04, 2017, 01:16:24 AM »
Very nice rifle. Your grandkids will probably be putting rounds thru it as well.
Nothing beats the feel of a handmade southern iron mounted flintlock on a cold frosty morning

Offline BOB HILL

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #7 on: July 04, 2017, 01:46:03 AM »
He was light years ahead of his time.
 .   I could not agree with this statement more.    Bob
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Offline oldtravler61

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2017, 03:09:48 AM »
 Bob couldn't agree with you more. I very fine rifle. Oldtravler

Offline Top Jaw

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #9 on: July 04, 2017, 04:40:48 AM »
Who was TK Dawson?  I thought that gun was probably made in the late 1980's.  Are you for real that it was done in the 60's ??!!!   If so, I want to know some more about him.  He had to have access to some early originals.

Offline Don Stith

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #10 on: July 04, 2017, 04:23:24 PM »
Just a pet peeve of mine. You want to know more about T K Dawson
 However your profile has absolutely zero personal information 

Offline Top Jaw

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #11 on: July 04, 2017, 07:53:12 PM »
My profile has my e-mail and name in it.  Sometimes wish id used my real name when I joined, but the site offered a pen name, so like most on here, that's who I am identified as.  But we are digressing.....back to my point. 
 
Does anyone have more info or some back story on T.K. Dawson?  If he made that gun in the 60's, then my jaw is hanging open from awe and appreciation.     

Offline mark brier

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #12 on: July 04, 2017, 09:30:15 PM »
Yes my grandfather made this rifle in the 60's. To give a very brief story he started making rifles in the early to mid-40's. Self taught but yes he handled 100's of originals and went where ever he had to to do so. Going by what I and the rest of the family have with what is numbered and dated he built 4-5 rifles a year. He was good friends with Bill Large, Bob Roller, Tony Lageose, Andy Baker and on and on. I feel absolutely privelaged to have grown up around these men and honestly called Bill Large Uncle Bill, that is honestly just how we knew him to be. His building consisted of around 120 Kentucky rifles and pistols to around 50-60 Hawken rifles. In the mix of Kentucky rifles was some side by side double Kentucky rifles and a few swivels. As far as Hawkens go I am sure there are members on this site that have heard of Bill Large's barrels called the Tom Dawson special. In 1974 his interest turned to English works and he never built anymore Kentucky or Hawken rifles. The English works consisted of double flint and percussion fowling pieces to flint and percussion double rifles, some Queen Anne pistols etc thrown in between. Some say his work with doubles was equal to the best British makers of Holland &Holland etc. Sadly he passed when I was young and could not learn more from him.
Mark Brier

Offline Top Jaw

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #13 on: July 05, 2017, 03:33:07 PM »
Thanks for the insights.  Your grandfather, along with 2 or 3 others, was doing work 25 years ahead of its time!!   Hats off to a great self taught craftsman, and trail blazer!

Offline Bob Roller

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #14 on: July 06, 2017, 12:46:45 AM »
Once in a GREAT while,all of us have people in our memories that are now long deceased.
People whose existence made a difference in the way we thought about some things and
Tom Dawson was one of these.They are about as rare as a football bat to use an absurd
analogy.There was never a time I didn't look forward to seeing Tom and Helen as well
as Tom's father.Raleigh(I think) at Friendship and always was an invitation to have a
great meal with them and then we'd sit and talk until 2AM around the fire.Fine times
with superb people.I am so glad to see Mark Brier following in his grandfather's footsteps
and he's off to a roaring good start.
We visited Tom and his family on their farm in Western Indiana in the Summer of 1972.
I had just surprised my wife(and myself)by buying a new Lincoln and we road tested it
on the trip to the Dawson farm.It was 1000 flat acres divided by the Wabash railroad,
a single track line.500 acres of soy beans on one side and 500 of corn on the other side.
There was a derailment literally in the Dawson yard and a box car was broken and it was
loaded with new Nicholson files of every size and shape and Tom claimed "salvage rights"
and off loaded a bunch of them.He gave me at least one sample of each and I still have them.
Tom told me of another episode involving an old woman,a cow and the Wabash in the days
of steam locomotives.It seems that the old lady's cow was frightened by the harsh whistle of
the engine as it approached Marshfield and she filed a complaint with the railroad and got no
results.It was an uphill pull for the engine and with the heavy loads it moved, traction was at
the edge of breaking.Someone greased the rails and the engine did break traction and slung a drive rod
off and came to an instant halt.Tom was of the opinion that the old lady would never think of such a
trick but then,someone did. ;D.
Such pleasant,rare memories and it's good to recall them.

Bob Roller

Offline hornturner

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #15 on: July 06, 2017, 03:32:22 AM »
Tom Dawson was a friend of my father's and I remember him visiting our house one time when he had one of his Hawken copies and a detailed copy of the Edward Marshall rifle along.  I was so impressed with it as he talked about going to the museum to measure and make drawings of the details.  His copy of the Marshall rifle included every detail including all dents and wood cracks.  It left quite an impression.  Later when I got interested in building rifles, Dad took me out to visit Tom at his home near Marshfield, IN.  He was very patient with me and gave great advice on how I could improve as a builder.  This was about 1982.  Was also used to see him at the Hoopeston, IL gun show and he would always take time to speak.  On my next visit to his home and work shop he critiqued another one of my rifles and commented he could see I had "overcome the urge to complete and was taking the time to do the job properly".  What a great bit of advice!  During this visit he had an original George Schroyer rifle and was working on his English double rifles with duplex loads.  As one of my early mentors he was very helpful, patient and what a fine gentleman.  It was truly a shock and sad time when Helen called my dad to say Tom had passed away at age 59 back in March of 1989.  His work is featured in the book "Contemporary Makers of Muzzleloading Firearms" by Robert Weil.  I am proud to own a chunk gun made by Tom Dawson.  It has passed through the hands of Andy Baker, to Bill Burtt and now to me.  It has won matches at Friendship, the Alvin York match and the PA Championship in Burtt's hands and four more PA Championships with me!

Art DeCamp

Offline mark brier

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #16 on: July 06, 2017, 03:47:40 AM »
Bob and Art,
Thank you for the kind remarks regarding him. I wish I could have learned more from him, but I know he is smiling above every time I walk into my shop and I know he is pleased that my children his great grandchildren have stood at his rifling bench cleaning off beautiful coils of iron and greasing/oiling the cutter head for their own rifles. Art, it has been several years it sounds like since you seen it last so how about I take some pictures of the Marshall rifle and post them here. You and Bob may be glad to know I still have all the foil rubbings he did on original rifles.
Mark Brier

Offline Ed Wenger

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #17 on: July 06, 2017, 04:08:37 AM »
What a beautiful rifle, and thanks Bob and Art for the reminiscing and info.  Adds soul and "completes" a fine rifle.


         Ed
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Offline Cades Cove Fiddler

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #18 on: July 06, 2017, 09:53:10 PM »
 :) :)..... I've enjoyed reading the stories and comments about Mr. Dawson.....I like hearing about the ones who kept the longrifle culture alive....I knew I had seen his name somewhere....found his photo in John Baird's book,..also several pix in some old "Buckskin Report" magazines....would have been an honor to have known him......


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Offline Mick C

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #19 on: August 05, 2017, 08:40:47 PM »
What an incredibly talented grandfather.  I would never, ever let go of that beauty!....Mick
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Offline Dphariss

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Re: T.K. Dawson rifle
« Reply #20 on: September 22, 2017, 02:14:35 AM »
Why does everyone assume that there were no people making sophisticated rifles in the 1960s?


Would have to check with Don but I am sure this is mid or late 1960s

It was for Andy Baker as I recall.









Dan
« Last Edit: September 22, 2017, 02:17:46 AM by Dphariss »
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