First Rifle on Diet

[David R. Pennington]

 Well, good or bad or ugly I couldn't stand the too fat fore end on my first rifle any longer. I just fitted a new touch hole liner and it shoots as good as I can hold again so I decided to remodel her some. Well I'm pretty happy with the rest of the stock (except for a little shaping above the lock and side plate panels). I took the spoke shave to her and ended up with a half a bushel of shavings on the shop floor and my old girl has a new trimmer figure. My question is should I sand all the remaining old finish to bare wood or re stain the bare wood and try to blend with the old finish? Original finish is home made aqua fortis stain and boiled linseed oil.
The rifle was patterned after an old plain southern style rifle one of my distant relatives had in the attic. This was the only original I new of at the time and I traced a pattern of it on his living room floor and took some pictures. I had no clue how to build a rifle but I bought the parts and a band sawn blank and started at it.

[Acer Saccharum]

If it's light tone, I'd say scrape the whole gun down. If it's a darkish gun, you might get away with a sectional approach. If you can, take the old finish off the forestock almost up to the corners of the lock panels. In thehollow just ahead of the lock panel is where dirt  collects naturally, and is a good place to hide any change in colour.

[WadePatton]

I'll bet you got a _lot_ more clues how to _not_ build a rifle now eh?

I do.

Scraping/shaping my first/only-so-far today and I'm going to try to patch it up.  If that doesn't work, I'll scrape it all back down.  I got the forend too tight on one side (uncareful hand rip-sawing (error #35)) already so I don't really want to monkey with anything ahead of the lock.  That is except the tip, which will get fortified with metal soon. Hot metal.

My finish is wax not oil, so it could get interesting (or i'm an overthinker).  Just a matter of re-staining like i think i did the first time-mebbe.

[kaintuck]

Try scrapeing as acer said.....take a goodly size glass jar and paper bag it....the bust it....pick out the proper piece of glass, and scrape......broken glass makes excellent scrapers!

And some nice cut fingers if you in a big hurry...

Blending the stain, and finish will be the nice fun challenge....
Marc n tomtom

[Kermit]

Masking tape on the finger-nipping edges. I lost some blood learning that one...

[CARROLLCO]

Most picture frame shops will gladly let have their broken glass for free. I use duct tape instead of masking tape because it affords greater protection. I'm on blood thinners and need all the protection I can get.I've also learned from my reading, that broken old lawn mower/outboard motor recoil springs are free for the asking, at least in my area. Great stuff for patchbox spring ( the thinner lighter ones) and the heavier stuff for mainsprings. Some scrap metal places also sell brass and lead cheap, no shipping charges. Old solid brass kickplates and like. Iron for iron hardware for Southern rifles is also readily available. Hacker Martin and Herchel House had the right idea,and used recycling long before it was PC to do so.

[David R. Pennington]

The finish is pretty dark. I might try blending. I have used broken glass. I learned that from my grandfather making axe handles. I also learned recycling from him. I like old wrenches for trigger plates. Old circular saw blades for triggers. Hay rake teeth for springs.