After 30 hours of hand inletting a 46" barrel, ramrod hole drilling, and buttplate fitting, I began roughing out the stock of a new rifle. Much to my dismay there appeared a bark inclusion located halfway between the tang and sideplate panel top edge and parallel to the tang. Of course the further I chase it the longer it gets and though I am now down almost to final profile it is about an inch long . I don't think I can disguise it with tricky carving as it lies in what will be an open area of the wrist. How do the members handle flaws of this nature which are hidden until late in the build? I reckon I could remove the flaw and try gluing in a plug to fill the area or fit a brass wrist wrap as if the stock had broken...then in keeping with the spirited "aging" discussions posted of late drag it down a dirt road, spray it with stove blacking, rub it back with coarse steel wool and swear that grandpaw had used it to battle the Brits in 1812. I do, by the way, like the antiqued rifles though I can't bring myself to try it on mine. Just dragging them around the woods for a few years seems to put a good patina on 'em. Thanks in advance..I shall wait in high anticipation for the flow of information I know will follow.
Dave Gross
Way Down East in Maine......38 degrees F. tonight..yikes