AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: davec2 on May 23, 2023, 02:54:32 AM
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At the risk of causing some sort of dust up, I wanted to ask for opinions about adding some substantial decoration to one of Jim's Woodsrunner kits. Now I know this is a matter of personal taste (as it probably was for any of the 18th century gunsmiths themselves), but I wanted to ask here if a fair amount of carving and engraving would be considered "decoration" or "desecration". Before I go any further, let me say that I agree completely that the rifle, as designed, is lovely in its own right with no additional embellishment required. However, I am seeking opinions from this knowledgable community on this issue. I haven't thought this through as far as the potential engraving motifs but have been cogitating on the carving. So, to solicit opinions on something specific, here are some pencil sketches that I have done on the stock recently.......
(https://i.ibb.co/Krg4Lwd/IMG-8590.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TgGjbL6)
(https://i.ibb.co/n8VPpzQ/IMG-8591.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KzQKnFV)
(https://i.ibb.co/h2kc0Wn/IMG-8592.jpg) (https://ibb.co/c2PwqFp)
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Dave,
Your designs are beautiful as usual.
I guess these things are opinion based, so here goes.
First, it’s your rifle, and your decorations are beautiful, and it will be a beauty as laid out. Your execution, flawless.
BUT!
The original was an early, mildly decorated gun, and in my opinion, should be carved that way.
Again, only my opinion, and looking forward to how you handle it.
Dane
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I think your decoration looks very much at home, and would look great on the rifle!
John :D
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I like your designs, but I think if I wanted something a bit different, I'd carve it as the "feather" rifle :) I believe they were pretty much alike
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Hi Dave,
Why would you hesitate? If everyone made a Woodsrunner rifle like the original or the bare rifle kit, what a boring bunch of sameness. They make me sleepy but I'll bet yours won't. However, let me challenge you. You are capable of the finest work. OK, so what does the Woodsrunner rifle represent? It appears to be an early gun, possibly pre-Rev War era and made by a rural maker. So how to decorate it beyond the original rifle? So I will say to you, David, that fine "Golden Age" or even Isaac Haines level carving doesn't do it. More simple but effective folk art might look better. I urge you to use your talents to divine a more rustic design. It is not easy and it requires the maker to understand the art styles of the times and it requires the discipline I know you have. Think Grama Moses and less Isaac Haines. Just my thoughts.
dave
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I think the stock is a wonderful canvas for your beautiful artwork to enhance. Go for it. The world will be better with more of your art to enjoy 👍🏻
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Hey Dave…, I’m currently doing one of these in American walnut, and plan on doing something similar around the tang to what you’re doing. The carving behind the cheek will be a little more subdued than yours, but definitely more involved than what’s on the original.
Absolutely go for it. I like what Dave said, and your design certainly won’t be sleepy.
I know some people pewpew these kits for various reasons, but I find them mildly therapeutic. Assemble them in a day, and get to the good stuff the next! I personally draw the line on things like carving bunny’s or deer heads, but having a little artistic license, while keeping within the realm of 18th Century themes, is loads of fun. So have fun and enjoy! Best,
Ed
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There are other rifles that use the same stock design . Or a pattern that is very close to it. Examples. The Feather rifle . The Valentine Fondersmith rifle. And some of Christian Huffmans work. If I recall Wallace had a broken butt stock that looked close to that pattern also . The butt stock was fancy carved as is the Huffman rifle . I personally think a fancy woods runner is fine.
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I dought ( sp ) anyone here has seen all the rifles produced in the past so it is possible that some or even one could have been highly ornamented. I always look forward to your artistry and say go for it.
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There are other rifles that use the same stock design . Or a pattern that is very close to it. Examples. The Feather rifle . The Valentine Fondersmith rifle. And some of Christian Huffmans work. If I recall Wallace had a broken butt stock that looked close to that pattern also . The butt stock was fancy carved as is the Huffman rifle . I personally think a fancy woods runner is fine.
Good eye on the similarity to architecture of Valentine Fondersmith’s work. Very attractive and non-mainstream carving.
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Dave,
A friend of mine recently brought his woodsrunner over to my shop to discuss relief carving it. He had done a bit of pencil sketching on the stock as you have. The comment I gave him, and I feel it applies to your gun as well, is that the carving area behind the cheekpiece needs to be expanded a bit. The carving pattern looks too truncated in my personal opinion. My suggestion to him was to shorten up the rear of the cheekpiece. We did some preliminary pencil sketching of this concept and really liked how changing the porportions seemed to balance out the entire buttstock. I think the cheekpiece, as it was originally designed, looks great on a rifle decorated like the original but is too long for any complex relief carving.
David
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I'm finishing up some carving on a Woodsrunner. It's my first shot at relief carving on an actual gun (after quite a bit of practice work) and I went with something fairly simple though different from the original. I went back and forth on what to do, looking at the original Woodsrunner pictures, as well as the Feather rifle and others that I felt "fit" the style (what do I know?). My conclusion was that both the WR and FR seemed very different from others out there, and that allowed a little more artistic license than you might find in other situations. At least that's what I told myself as I went ahead and did what I wanted anyway! Dave your work always looks great and I doubt anything you do would detract from the rifle.
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Uh, YES!.
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My view is this... It needs to look good and fit the rifle. That is, fit the rifle in terms of it's shape architecture, flow etc. This can be a dead simple design or a over the top complicated one. It doesn't matter. Understanding design is advanced and can be very difficult. The best place to start learning is to study original work. This isn't something that many like or enjoy, but it's super important.
I'm working on some pretty complicated carving on a Woodsrunner rifle. I'll probably have some photos to share in a couple of weeks.
Jim
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Here is an example of some carving which with just a little re-design can fit the Woodsrunner quite well. It's pretty complicated, but might offer some ideas.
https://www.jimkibler.net/rifle-10.html
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The carving you've drawn out is exquisite and I don't think it would "overshadow" the rifle. Some of the posts have good ideas, but they aren't necessarily (obviously) your ideas. I see no problem with your carving plan.
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Dave,
A friend of mine recently brought his woodsrunner over to my shop to discuss relief carving it. He had done a bit of pencil sketching on the stock as you have. The comment I gave him, and I feel it applies to your gun as well, is that the carving area behind the cheekpiece needs to be expanded a bit. The carving pattern looks too truncated in my personal opinion. My suggestion to him was to shorten up the rear of the cheekpiece. We did some preliminary pencil sketching of this concept and really liked how changing the porportions seemed to balance out the entire buttstock. I think the cheekpiece, as it was originally designed, looks great on a rifle decorated like the original but is too long for any complex relief carving.
David
This is something to consider, especially if you want to carve behind the cheek in a more mainstream fashion. But, with this said, there are a multitude of great design options to consider with the cheek in the current (original) configuration. These options can be from simple to complex. Study original work. Jaegers are great for ideas in this regard. Simpler work can be found on longrifles, especially those from the South.
I'll be showing some carving soon that is elaborate and fits behind the cheekpiece well.
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First, thank you all for the great replies and sage advice. I am in the midst of another rocket test program, so my time to work is very limited but my time to think is not, hence my question. I very much appreciate the faith many of you have in my ability to not screw this beautiful kit up with too much embellishment. Smart Dog....I understand completely what you wrote. The only complication for me is that I am doing this for a friend who has no experience in the world of muzzle loaders (or guns of any type for that matter) and am trying to balance what he thinks he likes with what would be much more traditional. (As Ed noted "no bunnies or deer heads"... ;) ) Dave Rase, I thought the same thing about the length of the cheekpiece and I may very well shorten it....I also thought about extending it outward just because i personally like a more pronounced cheekpiece, but the contour above it does not lend itself to an easy extension like the ones I have done previously with ebony. Jim K...thanks for the pictures and the comments about options that would be appropriate for this architecture. C Deperro & Rich P....I need to look up the Feather Rifle and the Valentine Fondersmith rifle....I am unfamiliar with either of those.
Thanks again to all for your help and kind / encouraging thoughts. These comments will give me something to talk about with the friend the rifle is being assembled for. I don't think I will have to talk him out of bunnies or deer heads......but I may need to discourage some things akin to a chrome trailer hitch on a long rifle... ;)
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Dave, I’m not suggesting a filial relationship between the Woodsrunner and V. Fondersmith’s work, just an architectural resemblance in the buttstock.
Fondersmith rifle:
(https://i.ibb.co/0FsLYH8/IMG-0323.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gP48tkH)
(https://i.ibb.co/B4H2gcT/IMG-0324.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wJZhKBp)
(https://i.ibb.co/Jj7gfqz/IMG-0326.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pjz5tQ3)
(https://i.ibb.co/ScxL30Q/IMG-0327.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XD4wCpy)
(https://i.ibb.co/2YQJtVj/IMG-0328.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LhWKtjC)
(https://i.ibb.co/bvjkJWG/IMG-0329.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2M0TNnp)
(https://i.ibb.co/kKFGZL8/IMG-0330.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hsvg0GW)
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Rich,
Thanks so much for the pictures ! This will really help me explain to my friend what may be appropriate decoration on his rifle and what may not be.
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Rich,
Thanks so much for the pictures ! This will really help me explain to my friend what may be appropriate decoration on his rifle and what may not be.
Nice that it’s got an English round-faced lock, too.
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Well...a year has gone by and other projects and work have intervened. But, after some final discussions with the friend I am doing this for, I did jump in and commit to the design of the modifications to this Woodsrunner. I added a detail molding the full length of the forearm and shortened the cheek piece to allow more room for carving. I also added some depth to the cheek piece with ebony. My friend liked some of the original carving pencil sketches I had done on the stock so, rather than belabor the point further, I started in.
As I am typing this, for whatever reason, my "confuser" is not letting me post pictures.... >:(......I'll continue when I can.....
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I'm sure there will be some folks who buy a Woods runner kit because they want a nice long rifle ( generic ) and could care less about mixing early and late features. :-\
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OK....the picture thingy seems to be working again....
So here is the start of the carving......
(https://i.ibb.co/Y4P5s7qD/IMG-5107.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fVq3wYP8)
(https://i.ibb.co/9kz7nRZ4/IMG-5108.jpg) (https://ibb.co/q3XvBbJg)
(https://i.ibb.co/Z1pg04Qz/IMG-5114.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LhXg3jTd)
(https://i.ibb.co/qMYTY3jW/IMG-5165.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nsMxMNmn)
(https://i.ibb.co/8DXmj78z/IMG-5166.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7JbSG1yg)
(https://i.ibb.co/ds5BVrzg/IMG-5167.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4wVWX75d)
The carving has not gone through the whiskering and final revision process but the design is now cast in stone....or rather, maple.
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I wanted to get a head start on browning the barrel....so I needed to get any engraving done on it first.
(https://i.ibb.co/r2LdztJ9/IMG-5128.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HTMhb2QZ)
(https://i.ibb.co/JWZ5pMJL/IMG-5127.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XfHS5vRB)
(https://i.ibb.co/s92xt92N/IMG-5096.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TMkjrMk7)
While I was finishing the recently completed .36 cal rifle, I ran out of the Laurel Mountain Browning solution that I have used successfully in the past. Recent attempts to re-order more have met with a lot of "out of stock" and "back ordered" responses. I got tired of waiting. There are, possibly, thousands of formula for brown ing / bluing solutions. However, one of the simplest is a relatively mild solution of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) in water. I had ammonium chloride and gave it a try. I draw filed the barrel and then sanded to about 280 grit. I mixed ~ 10 to 12 grams of NH4Cl in 100 ml of bottled water, degreased the barrel and applied the NH4Cl sparingly. At a room temperature of ~ 66F and with not much humidity, the barrel was rusting but not very fast. I hung it in a cardboard box with an incandescent light bulb and added a hot water pot to increase the temp and the humidity on subsequent passes. Here is how it came out......
(https://i.ibb.co/XxyJcY8h/IMG-5148.jpg) (https://ibb.co/N21YcTS8)
(https://i.ibb.co/tPhs02LN/IMG-5150.jpg) (https://ibb.co/n80cX1PV)
(https://i.ibb.co/9k4ZfXrN/IMG-5157.jpg) (https://ibb.co/S4mf1T3P)
(https://i.ibb.co/KMrRQBZ/IMG-5158.jpg) (https://ibb.co/w9z3b8H)
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Added a toe plate and did some of the brass work engraving. Annealed the frizzen and polished the lock parts to get them ready for engraving.
(https://i.ibb.co/RkgQC9sN/IMG-5183.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5g1s56Sk)
(https://i.ibb.co/Xk7z135h/IMG-5184.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Nn9L5mN8)
Will need to stop work for a few weeks now. Will pick up again in June.
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You sure do some great work. I enjoy reading all about it from your first questions and then responses to seeing your carving as you progressed. Barrel work, brass, and engraving. Wow!
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I wanted to get a head start on browning the barrel.
While I was finishing the recently completed .36 cal rifle, I ran out of the Laurel Mountain Browning solution that I have used successfully in the past. Recent attempts to re-order more have met with a lot of "out of stock" and "back ordered" responses.
That Woodsrunner will look as nice with your fine work as all of the other rifles I've seen you post about when finished. But, FWIW regarding LMF Browning solution, I recently was in the need to order more, checking around came up with the 'out of stock/backordered' responses as you. Saw a post recently that Muzzle Builders Supply had in stock. Called, owner advised he had just received a 'new box full' recently. Also checked and talked with with Jim Chambers Rifles. They also had in stock, ordered from Chambers as I wanted some of Jim's stock finish also, one shipping fee vs two. That was just back on April 16th, can't say though what the current in-stock situations are at the two businesses.
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Crow Choker,
Thanks for the heads up....Nice to have options. And I have enough ammonium chloride to brown a couple of thousand barrels as well. ;)
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It's going to be another great looking rifle Dave. I to am of the opinion that it's your rifle and you should build it to your vision regardless of others opinion's.
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Bama,
The fellow I'm making this for is not a gun guy at all....modern or antique. He was, however, quite enthused when he held a few of my personal rifles and wanted to have one and learn how to shoot it. So I was more than happy to be of assistance. He particularly liked the carving and engraving on the other guns. He has been very good about knowing what he doesn't know about what decorations would be appropriate and what would not. So this has been a slight tap dance concerning how much or how little "bling" to add to Jim Kibler's excellent kit. I know it doesn't need any, but it does make an excellent "canvas" for some additional decoration.
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Dave,
Can you elaborate on your technique for polishing the lock parts, especially the hardened frizzen?
Your work is wonderful, and I enjoy your posts.
Thanks,
Martin
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He'll have the most beautiful rifle at the range, I'm sure.
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Martin,
I typically start off polishing a lock by annealing the frizzen. You can do that with a propane torch just getting it quickly to a red heat and then backing the torch off slowly until the red goes away and then just let it cool slowly to room temperature. I do this because it is way easier to polish and because I almost always engrave the frizzen which requires the annealing. Once polished and engraved, I re-harden the frizzen.
As far as polishing goes, I often start by scraping with a modified box cutter blade (see below). I don't use the blade edge but the 45 degree edges after stoning them to make both sides of the blade a sharp 90 degree edge. Then I use whatever fine files and riflers I need to clean up the surfaces. The next step is using these sanding sticks:
(https://i.ibb.co/M6k82y6/Sanding-sticks.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
They are plastic and spring loaded to hold 1/4" wide sanding belts of various grits. I have a half a dozen of the sticks and keep one for each of the grits I use. I use them for polishing lock parts, brass parts, barrels, and stock details. When polishing metal I usually use them with a light oil. The belts don't load up as much with the oil. Here is a link to some available on Amazon but the sticks and belts are available from many sources including jewelry supply houses:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B079GHS13V?aaxitk=BjhPW.OfNRwSAJO2fZcH6w&pd_rd_i=B079GHS13V&pf_rd_p=591760d1-6468-480f-9b10-0ee9c85706fd&hsa_cr_id=9367417650701&sb-ci-n=productDescription&sb-ci-v=5%20Piece%20Sanding%20Detailer%20Stick%20Set%20with%202%20Extra%20Replacement%20Belts%20Per%20Stick%2C%205%20Grits%20120%2C%20240%2C%20320%2C%20400%20%26%20500%20Grit%20Made%20in%20The%20USA%20for%20Sanding%20Wood%2C%20Metal%20%26%20Plastics%2C%20Long%20Life%20Sanding%20Belts
And here is a set from Rio Grande. They also have better belts.....more expensive but better.
https://www.riogrande.com/product/sanding-stick-assortment-set-of-6/337286
I also use stone when I need to ....also with a light oil.
For the more complicated surfaces on a cock or around the pan, I use a dental handpiece with rubber wheel abrasives.....here is an old post about the handpiece.....
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=76816.msg762031#msg762031
And then finally.....and judiciously....I use a polishing lathe with wheels like these (in various grits finishing at 400 grit)......
https://www.riogrande.com/product/dedeco-sunburst-3-3-ply-radial-bristle-discs/326089GP/?_t_id=wDoJn5sUc18DX89AwnjPkw==&_t_uuid=5fc48135-6607-44c2-b0cd-c373eedad99a&_t_q=Dedco+Sunburst+polishing+wheels&_t_hit.id=Commerce_Products_Product/CatalogContent_93a41eab-f13a-4932-93c2-984e8b852538_en&_t_hit.pos=38&code=326088
Scraping:
After initial shaping with files, etc., I scrape most of the surface of brass and some steel parts. I use the non sharpened edge of a utility blade. This is a blade being used to scrape brass. I use the same tool for brass, wood, and steel. I stone the two 45 degree edges to a sharp 90 and use both sides of those. Scraping a large butt plate takes about 30 minutes. Scraping a whole stock to get out file, rasp, or carving tool marks takes about an hour...more if there is a lot of intricate carving to scrape around. Then I use sandpaper where ever necessary or useful.
Here I am scraping a butt plate with the angled edge of a box cutter blade. It takes off brass more rapidly and more smoothly than a file and leaves a finish that does not take too much more work with the abrasive paper or sticks. I do the inside of the trigger guard bow like this as well. If the part is investment cast, I can start right in with the scraper. If it is sand cast, I usually hit all the surfaces with a file to knock down the roughness, and then start with the scraper.
Wood comes off really fast and I have to be careful not to take too much.
(https://preview.ibb.co/mXGpwk/IMG_3163.jpg) (http://ibb.co/gGuL2Q)
(https://preview.ibb.co/djdDNQ/IMG_3164.jpg) (http://ibb.co/b3LhGk)
As I said, I scrape some steel parts as well. You just have to refresh the edge of the scraper much more often.
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Dave,
Thanks for a very detailed post!
Can you tell me your technique to re-harden the frizzen? That's the part that I worry about screwing up!
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When re-hardening your frizzen, quench in a brine solution. We only harden the working face and not the pan cover etc. Also we us no temper. I'm not sure why the idea of tempering started, but it's never made sense to me. We've found that with our locks, the harder the better. Maybe it has something to do with our spring strength etc.
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I think either Jim Chambers or Jim Kibler could provide better information about the use of 8620 or 1095 steel for lock parts. 8620 has excellent properties and can be hardened in and of itself as can 1095 (without any additional "case" diffusion of carbon into the surface). However, I have mentioned in other posts, that when attempting to re-harden frizzens that I had annealed to engrave (and that I believe some were cast out of 8620), I have never been successful following the instructions, as an example, provided by Jim Chambers. I am not questioning their correctness, it's just that despite my best efforts they have never worked for me. I have used every available option for heating.....torch, forge, electric furnace with carbon pack, etc.....but a quench in even the correct heat treating oil (as recommended) has never resulted in a frizzen hard enough to produce sparks. The only way I have been able to get an annealed frizzen back in commission has been to torch heat to a bright red, apply Kasenit to the face, and then quench in brine. I know that there is a risk of cracking the part with a quench that fast, but I have never broken one yet and it works every time. Part of the problem may be that in following the recommended procedure I am somehow depleting the surface of the part of carbon and it takes the Kasenit treatment to restore it. I'm not sure but would welcome any information about how to do this better.
As I said, Jim and Jim, are undoubtedly in a much better position to comment since they are in the business of making locks professionally and I have never had a lock from either that was not top notch. Jim Kibler's frizzens are, I believe, cast of 1095 steel. Jim Chamber's are of 8620.
Jim Kibler's comment here is much appreciated and, on the next go around with one of his locks, I will delete the Kasenit portion of my process. I also do not draw the hardening of the face and I agree the harder the better. I use a Presto-lite air / acetylene torch primarily to heat the frizzen quickly to quenching heat. A hardware store propane torch is a little too whimpy for fast heating. The faster this is done the less fire scale is produced on the part. Too much fire scale ruins the polished surface. To eliminate the fire scale entirely I use an anti scale compound from Brownells. You can also use sodium silicate (water glass) as an anti scale compound and it can be had much less expensively.
I also use iron wire to make a quick handle for the frizzen. Here I am coating the annealed, engraved frizzen with a ceramic coating so I can reharden the frizzen without a lot of oxidation on the surface. I do not coat the face of the frizzen as this would retard the quench in that area and the face would not harden properly.
(https://i.ibb.co/VWw1WNDK/IMG-4837.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TBWfBTRC)
(https://i.ibb.co/MkVm8NCw/IMG-4838.jpg) (https://ibb.co/s9wZ53Vx)
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Back from the East coast.....trying to get this project completed. Stained the stock with iron nitrate and got the fist application of finish on it. The stock came out a tad darker than I would have liked but, as always, the wood itself gets a vote. I think it will be fine.....
(https://i.ibb.co/fdGz9YTm/IMG-5500.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Mk5xfDJq)
(https://i.ibb.co/Jj51R05L/IMG-5501.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TMmfBpmX)
While waiting for the first coat of finish to dry, I decided that the trigger guard needed something more on the bow than the engraving I had done previously. So I sweated on a sterling silver onlay and then engraved that......
(https://i.ibb.co/mrr2Ky1s/IMG-5506.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Q77TVHzB)
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Ooohh Yahh! ;D
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I think it's your rifle, do whatever makes you happy.
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Last two things to finish on this rifle are the sliding patch box cover and the lock engraving / hardening. Had a little time to start on the lock engraving...
(https://i.ibb.co/qwNsQqL/IMG-5513.jpg) (https://ibb.co/RW30wrG)
(https://i.ibb.co/YTQkTV9X/IMG-5515.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qFjsF2GC)
(https://i.ibb.co/N6vY6F38/IMG-5517.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XZQJZW4h)
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You do such nice work!
John
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Dave - I'm, just blown away. :o 8)
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Thanks for the kind words.....I love how light (in .54 caliber) and handy this rifle is. Jim K does a fantastic job on these (and all his other products). I'm really sorry I can't keep this one...:(
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All done. Took me longer than I would have liked, but I was traveling quite a bit during this one. One bit of explanation.....The fellow I put this together for is originally from Sri Lanka where he and his wife ran a tea plantation. They moved to the States many years ago, became naturalized citizens, and raised their daughters here in California. When I asked him if there was anything in particular he would like on the rifle decoration he smiled and said, "I don't know if it would be fitting.....but could you put an elephant on it somewhere ?" (They had elephants on the tea plantation and he was very fond of them.... ;) ) I told him I wasn't sure.....but I would do what I could.
So that's why I engraved the tiny Sri Lankan elephant on the sterling silver inlay on the patch box lid..... :)
https://ibb.co/3ymkWXh8
https://ibb.co/GjRc9pw
https://ibb.co/zT4vK1Gc
https://ibb.co/fVM82yLP
https://ibb.co/7fmfL1K
https://ibb.co/tf958VY
https://ibb.co/20gptFd5
https://ibb.co/Qv1nb79c
https://ibb.co/bM8ffLyD
https://ibb.co/MD8dJLdG
https://ibb.co/PGydQXf1
https://ibb.co/VcsNPZS1
https://ibb.co/hzjNXKr
https://ibb.co/xKT7HHjz
https://ibb.co/67nxj5zb
https://ibb.co/DgDsHVkb
https://ibb.co/9PPrSzN
https://ibb.co/s9GWY1R9
https://ibb.co/TMF7Fgj6
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All done. Took me longer than I would have liked, but I was traveling quite a bit during this one. One bit of explanation.....The fellow I put this together for is originally from Sri Lanka where he and his wife ran a tea plantation. The moved to the States many years ago, became naturalized citizens, and raised their daughters here in California. When I asked him if there was anything in particular he would like on the rifle decoration he smiled and said, "I don't know if it would be fitting.....but could you put an elephant on it somewhere ?" (They had elephants on the tea plantation and he was very fond of them.... ;) I told him I wasn't sure.....but I would do what I could.
So that's why I engraved the tiny Sri Lankan elephant on the sterling silver inlay on the patch box lid..... :)
https://ibb.co/3ymkWXh8
https://ibb.co/GjRc9pw
https://ibb.co/zT4vK1Gc
https://ibb.co/fVM82yLP
https://ibb.co/7fmfL1K
https://ibb.co/tf958VY
https://ibb.co/20gptFd5
https://ibb.co/Qv1nb79c
https://ibb.co/bM8ffLyD
https://ibb.co/MD8dJLdG
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https://ibb.co/67nxj5zb
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Beautiful work, Dave. Did you say you browned the barrel? Is it more brown looking in person than in your photos? If it is only browned and you did not go be it the boiling water treatment, it is surprisingly dark colored. I like it.
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(https://i.ibb.co/gLmGvttx/IMG-5532.jpg) (https://ibb.co/394wfSSn)
(https://i.ibb.co/20F9X4xS/IMG-5533.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SD6jqCbc)
(https://i.ibb.co/wZ66yc1v/IMG-5534.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hx88sYvq)
(https://i.ibb.co/JjfQyqJx/IMG-5535.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZznmYSDH)
(https://i.ibb.co/Wvs1Nf5n/IMG-5536.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zVNwWZxs)
(https://i.ibb.co/zHTzqy9k/IMG-5537.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NndMc8D4)
(https://i.ibb.co/KxZHrnmd/IMG-5538.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QvBGK0XL)
(https://i.ibb.co/9903V7Tr/IMG-5539.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7JDNRqW1)
(https://i.ibb.co/C3xq5jjt/IMG-5540.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dwnS0NNc)
(https://i.ibb.co/1fcjSGdG/IMG-5541.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GvmNhQtQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/QwZB0BH/IMG-5542.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KvYZnZs)
(https://i.ibb.co/bfnY9yW/IMG-5543.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1SxBWpv)
(https://i.ibb.co/BVMjtQ5k/IMG-5544.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3yZW7j9K)
(https://i.ibb.co/Gf6cxWZC/IMG-5545.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Y4CpRc5f)
(https://i.ibb.co/351Wg1wW/IMG-5546.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5XTvbTdv)
(https://i.ibb.co/9mMWf9DZ/IMG-5547.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8nh9RDCY)
(https://i.ibb.co/mFrD79SG/IMG-5548.jpg) (https://ibb.co/S7DsptJP)
(https://i.ibb.co/MyDzmGtY/IMG-5549.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mrCn3X2L)
(https://i.ibb.co/mF0t9dHL/IMG-5550.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
Great job
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That's a exceptional fine looking rifle, just gorgeous
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Elegant, Dave. Gotta love that muzzle treatment. Your "tool" works amazingly well.
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OVER the top Dave. We at ALR are lucky to have the two Dave,s - the West Coast and East Coast Dave,s. It is such a treat to gaze upon you guys work. Thanks for taking the time to document your work and share it with us.
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Thank you for the kind words...
Adrie, thank you for getting the pictures to show up ! I couldn't figure out how to do that. :o
HighUnitas ... The barrel is darker than a normal brown. After browning with Sal Amoniac, I rubbed it back some with Scotch Brite and then gave it a quick rub with cold blue on a cloth pad. I had intended to rub it back some again but decided I liked it as it was, so I left it alone.
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Stunning work!!
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Fantastic!
If I was ever going to buy a new rifle, it would be one of yours!
John