Author Topic: Curly Yellow Birch for gun stock  (Read 1641 times)

Offline Old Ford2

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Curly Yellow Birch for gun stock
« on: August 24, 2018, 06:18:26 AM »
Hi,
I am looking for views on using curly yellow birch for a .69 cal. Hawken.
I look forward to positive, as well as negative views.
I do not wish to put some hard work, and then call it quits for various reasons.
I have done several guns from a stock blank, and actually find it easier.
Any advice will be well received.
Fred
Never surrender, always take a few with you.
Let the Lord pick the good from the bad!

Offline smart dog

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Re: Curly Yellow Birch for gun stock
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2018, 01:48:14 PM »
Hi Fred,
I suspect it would not be HC for a Hawken but a dense plank of figured yellow birch should make a really beautiful stock.

dave
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Offline smylee grouch

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Re: Curly Yellow Birch for gun stock
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2018, 03:02:45 PM »
I have never used Birch but I have been told that it's a very stable wood and should make a good sound stock if so.

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Curly Yellow Birch for gun stock
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2018, 03:33:19 PM »
I have used birch twice, once on a jeager and the other was an early colonial rifle. I made these back in the late 80's and Both still exist and have not had any problems. I'd use it again on a Canadian restock of a French trade gun if I could find a blank. It's good wood for a stock. Not as hard as maple but plenty hard enough to stock a gun with out lots of relief carving.
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brokenflint

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Re: Curly Yellow Birch for gun stock
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2018, 12:44:50 AM »
Mike, how did you finish them?

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Curly Yellow Birch for gun stock
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2018, 12:59:39 AM »
Mike, how did you finish them?

It's probably been more than 30 years. I think Aquafortis followed by truoil.
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'?