Pleased you all like it.
I think there are 340 inlays if I remember right and some have never had their photo taken.
Background for Rich;
Always mad about antique guns. (Good start!)
First "build was back in Yorkshire when I was in school. Not real build you understand, just making something that would shoot. That was about 1965 or so.
Bored a barrel out in metal -shop, and took it home to finish. (pistol)
Bought fireworks for the powder.
Never had any money growing up on a farm, so bought relics and got to fixing them up. Very nice way to learn, working on old has-beens.
Had some that were old thoroughbreds, but sadly come down in the world. Still have!
Always studied books on antique arms, and after you do that a long time, it sort of sets a grid in your mind, and everything you see gets filtered through it, so if something is off you know it. (I still do 'off" sometimes. :-)
I think it's just a passion that's all. No formal training, just having to get things working. Always liked old hand tools, so learned how to handle and sharpen them, and use them right. Didn't matter if it was a scythe, axe, saw or chisel. I still get a thrill using them.
Electric stuff can get away on me, so don't use it much. I swamped the barrel of my third build by hand. Made a cutter that worked like a draw-knif out of a reaper file. It worked, but I didn't need my coat on when I was running it. Had shavings of iron up to my knees when I had is done! LOL!
Always wanted a Colonial rifle and it never dawned on me to Make one, but saw the Mark Silver kit years ago, and fell in love with it.
Sold all sorts of things I'd wished I'd kept to get that kit.
It did turn out nice I thought, handles beautifully and I used it for hunting 9 years straight and never got skunked. (This was after we move dover here to Canada, so in the late 80's maybe not sure now.)
That's when I thought I'd cheated myself and could make more instead of buying a kit, hence builds that followed.
Trouble is, I'm pretty well on my own with farm work these days so time is always awful short.
Winter is play -time when I can manage it.
That third build, no photos at present, had a Late ketland Chambers lock, and 2 or 3 tiny wood screws that were bought, rest was homemade.
Last one has 2 wood screws bought, but they'll be replaced when I get at it.
Got to know Ron Ehlert a bit, and What a privilege!
In 2003 he got me a partial scholar-ship at the WKU Rifle -building course. (Can't think of proper name)
I went down and stayed with Ron a few days prior, and had a BLAST!.............Feeding his turkeys and deer, just messing about. it was fantastic!
The course was "building an American Fowler" Ron's class.
I had a brilliant time! A great highlight of my life.
I sort of realised I didn't fit, as these courses cost money, but what a privialge to get down there and meet folks! All the teachers, all the wonderfully friendly folks! It was the greatest of times.
When Ron passed away so suddenly it sort of knocked my end in. Didn't get much done for the longest time. Feel like I'd like to get a bit more done now, before these knarly old arthritic hands quit on me! :-)
So, yes, I did get that one course in on building a fowler, it was great, and Ron kindly had an English gun there as well by Griffin so I spent a lot of time copying the stock form on that one, as it would have to be my referral piece for the future!
I made my fowler into a Griffin, (!) as I thought I'd never get to own a real one. :-)
Engraving was sort of make a graver out of a small 3-corned file and have at 'er. Learn as you go.
If it doesn't look right it probably isn't !
I never have got good at engraving, and a course might be worth it's weight in gold.
The bone in the above pictures was a challenge, as old bone although the right colour, is very brittle and wants to chip out.
Hardest part of the one above was drawing the little animals like they did back then; Half comical and always running about in a most unnatural but lively manner.
To be honest, if they looked like Real animals, I'd have got it wrong for this type of work. Once I could draw them, I could bring them to life.
The inlays are maybe 1/8" deep, so they can't just fall out. Silver/brass wire is a bit less, but still pretty deep and has saw -teeth on the inlet edge so when wood swells back up, they're locked in.
Thanks for the kind words all, and I had the time of my life on the one trip I ha down there!!!
Richard.
