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Author Topic: A cherry southern Mt. rifle  (Read 10639 times)

Offline Lucky R A

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A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« on: June 05, 2010, 07:51:49 PM »
      Since there have been a number of Southern Mt. style rifles posted lately,  I thought you might like to see a slim little rifle done in cherry.   The cherry stock is stained with sodium hydroxide.  The 38" 36 cal. A weight swamped barrel is rust blued as is the rest of the steel furniture.   The nose cap is poured pewter. 
     The silver squirrel inlay carries with it a story.   A pastor friend and bird carver used to stop by the shop to talk carving, etc.  One day Brent stopped in and handed me a photo of a squirrel pin.  He said that he thought that it might make a nice inlay for a squirrel rifle.  Three weeks later just before his retirement Brent was tragically killed in an auto accident.  When the client ordered this gun, I mentioned the story and showed him the photo.  He immediately said that he would like the inlay on his rifle.  So, Brent, this one is for you; your inlay and the rifle will stalk the squirrels around Lake Erie.






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Offline C Wallingford

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2010, 08:13:25 PM »
Ron--
I like the looks of the cherry. I think I may have to use the piece that I have on my next So rifle.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2010, 10:25:14 PM by cwallingford »
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Offline Dennis Glazener

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2010, 08:38:44 PM »
Lucky,
Nice looking rifle, well done.

I am interested in the use of sodium hydroxide. Is there an advantage to using it in lieu of say plain old Red Devil lye? I built a cherry mountain rifle several years ago and tried to use lye water made from hickory ashes. Evidently it was not strong enough so I added a teaspoon (or two) of Red Devil lye to the mix. End result was pretty dark. I ended up rubbing it back to keep it from being so dark. I have a little A weight 36 caliber in one of my cherry Gillespie patterns. I was going to use the lye water left over from the last cherry stock but wondered if it would be better to use the sodium hydroxide?

Dennis
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Offline John Archer

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2010, 08:44:27 PM »
Dennis...Sodium hydroxide is lye...nothing more, nothing less.

Best,
John.
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Offline b bogart

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2010, 09:50:13 PM »
Ron I am sorry to hear of the passing of your friend! What a great commemeration with that squirrel pin  inlay!!! Oh and the rifle is very nice too!
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Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2010, 10:01:13 PM »
 I'll bet that is a well balanced, quick pointer. The nose cap is a great design. Nice work.

 Tim C.
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Offline Dennis Glazener

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2010, 10:24:56 PM »
Quote
Dennis...Sodium hydroxide is lye...nothing more, nothing less.

Best,
John.
I assumed it was but wasn't sure if it was maybe purer or a little different from normal on Red Devil or not.
Thanks
Dennis
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roundball

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2010, 11:06:03 PM »
Beautiful little rifle !
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Offline Dr. Tim-Boone

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2010, 11:52:31 PM »
Ron, that is beautiful. I love the roundness!! You have a lucky customer for all that is in that gun.
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msw

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2010, 12:51:58 AM »
great looking rifle.  i like the squirrel inlay, too- a very nice touch.

by way of a side note; i was building a Southern Mountain pattern (style?) rifle with a well figured piece of maple, and i took it into my head to put some bloodwood inlays in it (around the trigger guard, and in lieu of a metal toeplate)  then i wanted the figure to really pop, so i tried a bit of lye solution on a scrap. --- good thing i checked it out, because the lye caused the color of the bloodwood to bleed all over the place... i threw away the scrap, light a candle to St Sebastian (the patron saint of armorers) and finished the rifle with a non- lye stain.

so, don't mess up as i did!  instead, go forth and make good smoke!
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Offline B. Hey

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2010, 02:33:52 AM »
Beautiful work, Lucky. I'm gather "fixin's" for a TN and I have been focused on curly maple ... BUT ... cherry might be the way I go after seeing your work. If you don't mind me asking ... Did the cherry work (shaping/etc) in a manner similar to curly maple? Thanks .. Bill Hey
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Offline Scott Bumpus

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2010, 02:49:56 AM »
Yes Sir  that inlay will bring good medicine to that little rifle.  nicely done.
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Offline Lucky R A

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2010, 04:27:27 AM »
Dennis, as John said Sodium Hydroxide is lye.  I get mine in a powdered form.  I then mix a couple of tablespoons with with about a quart of water.  I use it to neutralize browning solutions to prevent after rust.  I have found that the stronger you make the mixture the redder the color.  I guess this would be the advantage of using the powdered form over using drain cleaner etc.   Bill, cherry generally is softer than god maple.  Unless you are working with a piece with crotch figure etc. it works pretty easily.  I think it lends itself to guns w/o carving.  It finishes nicely and has sufficient strength for gunstocks, if as Mike says "you don't use them for a club."   Charlie, I will expect to see your cherry southern rifle on your table when we get to Lewisburg. 
Thanks all,    Ron
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Offline C Wallingford

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2010, 02:19:22 PM »
Ron, now don't rush me. I am getting old you know.
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Offline Keb

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2010, 03:16:05 PM »
Nice looking gun. You gotta love that cherry wood. Cherry wood always reminds me of my grandmother's bed.
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Birddog6

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #15 on: June 06, 2010, 03:17:58 PM »
Very nice clean looking rifle.  Great job.   ;)

Keith
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Offline alex e.

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #16 on: June 06, 2010, 03:28:26 PM »
Ron, as usual, very nice work. I like the nose cap especially,plus i am fond of cherry wood also.

Alex.
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Offline Herb

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #17 on: June 06, 2010, 04:07:32 PM »
Very nice clean lines.
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Offline Tommy Bruce

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #18 on: June 06, 2010, 04:24:21 PM »
What a beaut!!  Nice job on the tang.  I'd never had much interest in the later guns till you guys all started posting here and know I want one!!
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Offline Ken G

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Re: A cherry southern Mt. rifle
« Reply #19 on: June 06, 2010, 04:48:15 PM »
Lucky,
She's a beauty!  You have a real graceful and sleek squirrel rifle there.   Great job.
Ken
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