Roger Sells on Contemporary Blog

[Ken G]

We sure have been blessed with some Southern guns lately.   I think this is the first one of Roger's to be shown.  The forge work is flawless!   Really well made.  Great job Roger. 
Ken


http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/

P.S.  Once again, thank to Art and Jan.  It really makes my morning to get to see a new piece each day.  Today's picture is another example a talented builder whos work I have not seen a lot of.   

[G-Man]

Nice work Roger.  I had never seen that one before.  Really nice lines and very clean work.

Guy

[rsells]

Thanks,  I originally made this rifle for myself.  I love Elisha Bull rifles and used some of his characteristics on this rifle.  A friend of mine talked me out of the rifle, and I am going to have to start over again.
                                                                               Roger

[david50]

Mr. Sells, what did you use to get that dark rich color on the stock, it is absolutely beautiful. i am having a smoothbore built but am going to finish the stock myself,would like it to look that good.

[angus]

There is only one thing missing. Grease in the double holes. There is credit due to Roger and this posting on the blog is exactly what this rifle deserves. Simply beautiful.

[rsells]

I used Fiebing's dark brown leather die with a bit of black added to stain the stock.  I let it dry overnight, and came back the next day with kerosene saturated with tar and swabbed it on top of the leather die.  I use 0000 steel wool to pull the color back to the shade I like while the kerosene mixture is still wet.  I take a clean soft cloth to dry the stock and let it set until dry before applying the stock finish.

I have two containers of patch lubricant (one made from bear fat and the other made from deer fat) that I was going to put in the greese holes, but I sold the rifle before I got around to it. 

The rifle is a .40 cal. and shoots great.  I wish many times that I had put it back in the shop and saved it for myself, but I enjoy selling rifles to folks who will really get out and use them for their intended purpose.
                               
                                                                        Roger Sells

[david50]

thanks,gonna give it a try

[rsells]

You can give it a trial run in the barrel grove or on a slab of wood cut off the stock blank during shaping.
                                                     Roger

[david50]

i've got some scrap walnut i'll try it on,wich is what the stock is. by tar,do you mean like roofing tar,do you disolve it in the kerosene.

[rsells]

Roofing tar will work fine.  For a long time, I would dig it up off the tar and chip road I lived on before they put hot mix on it.  Then, I went to roofing tar.  It will enhance the open end of the grain of the wood that soaks up the liquid more than the grain that isn't cut across the grain.  It really enhances fancy maple grain.  It looks like a mess, but it cleans up well with the steel wool and it being wet gives you an idea of what color you will have when the final finish is applied.  In some cases, I have used 320 sand paper in conjunction with the steel wool to speed the process up a bit.

                                                                         Roger
                   

[david50]

Mr. Sells,this is how it ended up looking useing your stain recipe. i am very pleased with the results,thank you for the advice.

[rsells]

David,
The piece looks great.  I am working on another walnut rifle now that is going to be finished dark, and hope it turns out as well as yours.
                                                                        Roger Sells