How to see curl in a stock

[jamesthomas]

 Folks I have a problem, How do you see (bring out) the curl in a stock without adding anything to it? I have received a stock with my barrel installed that is supposed to have even curl over all of the stock ( a $150.00 stock) . (PM me if you want the grade, etc.). The problem is it has no or hardly any curl that I can see. I've wet it down pretty good and looked at it under different light but there is just nothing there ( that I can see) is there a trick to bring out the curl?. Thank you.

[Mark Elliott]

I find the best way to examine a piece of wood for curl is to take the stock out in bright sunlight and look for the end grain of the curl relative to the straight grain of the non-curl.   If you can't see curl by doing that or by wetting the stock,   it isn't there to see.    The figure could very well be different once all the excess wood has been cut away, but no one can know that in advance.   I would call the vendor from which you purchased the wood.   However,  in the grand scheme of things,  $150 is not a lot to spend for a stock blank.   A decent piece of wood from a reliable vendor is generally costing me around $500 these days.    I can get an equally good piece of wood for $80, but I have to drive 100 miles one way and spend an hour or more pulling through a pile of wood to select a piece or two.    That makes the actual cost of that wood about $240.

[PPatch]

If you're not seeing it by wetting it (not just damp) and holding it to the light then I doubt it is there.

dp

[Virginiarifleman]

If Curl is Present it will show, What grade was it suppose to be?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I'm working with a piece of sugar maple right now for a Jaeger build, and the curl is really subtle.  Once it is stained, I expect the stock will have some nice figure, but in the white, it is almost invisible. 

[Clark Badgett]

  A decent piece of wood from a reliable vendor is generally costing me around $500 these days.   

What kind of wood are you using? I've seen some outstanding looking wood in the Dunlap booth at friendship for under $200.

[Birddog6]

To Me......    the FIRST  thing to do would  be ask the guy I got it from, just be up front & tell him your concerns
& etc.    I bought one a few years ago & they mistakenly sent me the wrong blank.   When I called, the vender
told me " Oh no, must be a mistake, that blank was Vivid curl all over"  So they checked & I got the wrong blank,
and another guy got a Very curly blank for $ 100.     So me & the other customer swapped blanks & the Vender
paid the shipping costs.


Also, it may have curl end to end & it not be Vivid curl.......     Each piece of wood is different.  Of the well over
a hundred maple blanks I have bought, I have only had 1 blank that showed curl & when I got down into the
blank the curl was almost gone.  However, I've had many blanks that were curly but not vivid curl. And I've had
many vivid curl ones as well.  The more vivid it is, generally the more you will pay for it.  

But generally speaking, if there is curl there, you can wet it with water or rubbing alcohol & turn it dif angles
under a light or in the sun & see the curl if it has it, be it light or vivid curl.

Now if you paid $150. for the barrel inletting & the stock, my guess is the curl will be very light. as basically half
your $ is in the inletting & shaping & you have 75. in the wood. That ain't much for a curly piece of wood.  
However, if you paid 150. for the blank alone & the guy stated curl end to end, I would expect to See it. That is
 not  saying it will be vivid curl, I am saying you should see the curl as he is claiming it to be there....  


Keith Lisle

[Don Getz]

Usually the blank will be planed on both sides which makes it much easier to see the
curl.   If your blank is planed and you see no curl , you might have a problem with
your wood man...........Don

[Acer Saccharum]

I've used wood which I thought had no curl until I started the final scrape and polish. But when buying a blank, you should be able to see the curl.

[jamesthomas]

 I have decided to return the blank for a refund and keep my barrel. This stock is not what I ordered, it doesn't have the curl that it is supposed to have (according to the description of the grade). Thanks to everyone.

[WadePatton]

I have decided to return the blank for a refund and keep my barrel. This stock is not what I ordered, it doesn't have the curl that it is supposed to have (according to the description of the grade). Thanks to everyone.

Good move.

Because as stated above, finishing will bring out more than you can see in the blank--it won't make curl happen where curl aint. 

I suggest doubling down. (spend more get more) best of luck!

[jamesthomas]

 I have 2 plans for my barrel now, I might make a trip (I'll call first) to see Tip Curtis and see if he has a Stock for my barrel, if not I'll just give it to Matt Advance and get it put in a Iron Pennsylvania (been wanting one anyway) and it was going to be my next rifle anyhow, but in .40 cal. instead of .45 caliber. Oh, well best laid plans can go down hill fast. His Iron Pennsylvania is based on a York County stock and I can get it in left-hand. Also what can you make out of this stock? Ie. J. Armstrong, North Carolina school, My Sheetz rifle, etc.?. Thanks to everyone for their input, more questions may be forth coming.