Staining and Inlays

[Bill-52]

I have a percussion longrifle missing several inlays.  In some instances (missing thumbpiece, missing barrel pin escutcheons) the stock appears to be stained where the inlay is missing.  In other instances (inlays on cheek piece and buttstock), the wood is considerable lighter and appears unstained where the inlay is missing.

Would this indicate that some of the inlays were added at a later date? Or that the stock was restained, possibly right over the missing inlays?  Or simply that some of the inlays have been missing for a long time and others were lost more recently?

Bill

[flintriflesmith]

Without seeing some pictures it is going to be pretty much impossible to tell whether the stock was re-stained after some of the inlays were lost but that is a good guess.

If, on the other hand, the inlays that show the dark wood underneath were lost early in the rifles life there might be a wear pattern showing slightly rounded over edges to the inlets and a bit of polishing of the surface out in the exposed areas. Also if the wood were the inlays had been darkened naturally from use and handling the color will probably be a little lighter around the edges than in the center area of the inlet.

Gary