With a swamped barrel...

[Kermit]

What do you folks do with the top edge line of the forestock? Parallel to the center of the side flats? Or curved to follow the break at the top edge of the side flat?

I have a rifle with a straight barrel where the builder curved the top of the wood so less of the side flat shows to mimic a centered line on a swamped barrel. Pretty subtle, and most viewers don't notice it's straight.

Just sittin' here a-wondering'...

[Acer Saccharum]

I sometimes sweep the wood down from breech to muzzle: High at the breech, low in the center, come up a little at the muzzle. This helps create a visual sweeping forward motion.

In my little world, I believe that straight lines visually detract from the form of a gun (painting, drawing, etc). The gun is all about the form. The shape of the stock must be perfected before the carving begins. When you see a gun from across the room that calls out to you, it's not the carving, is it? It's the shape.

I keep several dead fish and birds around to make comparative anatomy studies. I study women for their form, cars, airplanes, ships, trees, too. These are harder to keep in a drawer.

[Don Getz]

Kermit.........You should follow the shape of a swamped barrel, or straight one, when looking down or up at the forend.  The
side shape should follow the centerline of the side flat, or slightly below the center line.  Also follow the ram rod hole on the
bottom of the forend..........Don

[Dphariss]

I sometimes sweep the wood down from breech to muzzle: High at the breech, low in the center, come up a little at the muzzle. This helps create a visual sweeping forward motion.

In my little world, I believe that straight lines visually detract from the form of a gun (painting, drawing, etc). The gun is all about the form. The shape of the stock must be perfected before the carving begins. When you see a gun from across the room that calls out to you, it's not the carving, is it? It's the shape.

I keep several dead fish and birds around to make comparative anatomy studies. I study women for their form, cars, airplanes, ships, trees, too. These are harder to keep in a drawer.

I would hope the dead fish and birds were in a fridge or freezer.
Sorry could not resist. 

Dan

[Dphariss]

Acer makes some good points about studying forms, be the fish or birds or women.
There are not many corners in living things there should be no corners, abrupt breaks in the lines of a Kentucky rifle stock.
The top of the barrel channel. I pretty much leave this up to the builder.
Not something I spent a lot of time studying. But I do believe that not all are straight down the side flat.
So now I need to look at this line more than I have in the past. I would point out that this lines starting point can vary depending on where the original rifle was made. It can be one of those make or break things if trying to recreated a certain "school" it seems to me.
Dan

[Pete G.]

I prefer to shape sides of the forestock to follow the swamp and keep the top edges slightly below center and parallel to the bore. Depending on the size of the barrel and the degree of the swamp some are tapered just slightly from the breech forward. This seems to accentuate the sweep in the barrel shape.

I second Dan on the "school" idea.

[Don Getz]

Pete.......You state that you like to follow the swamp of the barrel when shaping the top edges of the barrel channel. you also
follow the bore.  Not sure who's barrels you are using but I liked to keep the bore pretty straight.......Don

[Karl Kunkel]

Don,

I think Pete just restated your guidance in a different way.  The sides follow the swamp, the top edge follows the bore center line.

[Acer Saccharum]

I don't follow bore center line. Subtle curves, me lads.
I'm not saying I'm right, but to get a gun to look alive and flowing, you need curves and tapers, and a dead straight line from muzzle to breech does a gun no favors.

[Don Getz]

Tom........it's only about a month until our show, I will then show you what I mean.  There are places for curves, and places
for straight lines.    When you follow the shape of a swamped barrel on the top line of the forestock, are you following the top
line or bottom line?    I'm sorry, just had to say that.   See you in a few weeks...........Don

[Pete G.]

Pete.......You state that you like to follow the swamp of the barrel when shaping the top edges of the barrel channel. you also
follow the bore.  Not sure who's barrels you are using but I liked to keep the bore pretty straight.......Don

The SIDES follow the swamp; the top edges follow the bore, but perhaps you're on to something there, Don. That would be an explanation for some of those unexplained flyers....

[Acer Saccharum]

Tom........it's only about a month until our show, I will then show you what I mean.

We will have words, Mr. Getz....lots of them. 

[Don Getz]

Tom..........I was thinking of asking you to do some engraving for me...........I guess I'll just write that one off.......Don

[Mark Elliott]

I don't follow bore center line. Subtle curves, me lads.
I'm not saying I'm right, but to get a gun to look alive and flowing, you need curves and tapers, and a dead straight line from muzzle to breech does a gun no favors.

I couldn't make a straight line if I tried.   So, I really don't worry about it.    I pick a start point and an end point and make the line reasonably straight bewteen.   Of course, it ends up a slight curve.   By design or accident, the result is the same.   

[Jim Kibler]

There's no doubt that the top line of the forestock on originals is often wavy and variable.  Keeping things more true and consistent seems to be more of a modern priority.  With that said,  I've noticed that this line tends to sweep up as it approaches the breech area on some original guns.  I like the look of this so often try to incorporate it.  Not talking a lot, maybe a sixteenth or less.