Silver kentucky pistols, - need advice.

[Rolf]

I've finished most of the carving on the pair of silver kentucky pistols I'm building.





I am reasonably happy with the lock moldings, but I ran into a few snags with the tang carvings.


1. I wanted to make them mirror images. Both barrels are 12” long, 15/16” wide green mountain barrels, but they come from 2 different batches. The width of the top barrel flat on the left hand gun is 0.387” and 0.422” on the right. As a consequence the right hand tang is wider at the base the left hand tang. I tried to compensate for this making the bases of the scrolls thinner a bit skinnier on the right hand gun(0.098" versus 0.120").  I'm not sure if this was a good solution. Should I try to slim down the bases on the left hand gun to get them identical, or should I leave well enough alone?

2. The curves final scroll (top?,end?) on both guns are close mirror images, but is a bit thicker on the right hand gun. Should I try to slim it down or leave well enough alone? I am afraid might mess up the curves if I try to adjust it.

3. I want to case these pistols.  What is the correct placement for a right and left hand pair? Should they lay barrel to barrel(the first picture) or one above the other(the second picture)?

Best regards
Rolfkt

[Ky-Flinter]

Rolfkt,

Wonderful carving, I say!  Leave well enough alone.  These are going to be very fine, indeed.

On the case  placement, I don't know what is "correct", but I like #2 more than #1.  If I may make a couple of suggestions.  How about picture 2 but with the lower pistol turned lock side down?  Then you could put the accessories in between the 2 pieces.  Or picture 2 like it is but move the 2 pistols apart so the muzzles are just past the trigger guards.

-Ron

[smart dog]

Hi Rolf,
Great looking pistols.  In my opinion, "Wabi Sabi", leave the carving alone.  They are both fine and the differences just show that they were hand made.  No one is going to think you made a mistake.  With respect to the case, you have a problem if you are going to try and fit them the way most were done historically.  By having right-hand and left-hand locks you cannot nest them very well with both locks facing up.  You are going to have to build a very wide or very long case to fit them.  An alternative is that a few makers built vertical cases in which the pistols were placed muzzle down sort of like a holster.  Another possibility is to case them with the locks removed like some of the later English flintlock cases.  Anyway, your placement with the muzzles in opposite directions would be the most compact option if both locks are going to be facing up.  The other layout will result in a lot of extra space. 

dave 

[A.Merrill]

    Beautiful, I think they look great.  As for the case, well I'll tell you what I have always wanted to do but never have. Lay the guns RR tip to RR tip and the butts about 5in. apart. Both locks up. your accessories in the middle and top left an right corners. KEEP THE Pic's COMING.   AL

[Rolf]

Thank you all for the advice. Beck made a pair of left and right hand pistols. How were they cased?
Best regards

Rolfkt

[smart dog]

Hi Rolf,
They may not have been cased.  Not all pairs of pistols were cased.  Some pistols in England were sold with "shoddies", which were woolen bags made from remnants of wool cloth.  Some pistols were simply crated in pine or deal boxes.  Some pistols were sold with leather holsters.  John manton made a beautiful case in which the pistols fit vertically and on top of them was a tray for the accessories.  The case was shaped like a powder magazine of the time. Remember Rolf, the case was not sold for display, it was to function as protection during travel.  There were numerous ways to accomplish that function.

dave

[Daryl]

Very nice, Rolfkt. I'd leave well enough alone.  The idiocynracies are not pronounced and make no difference in the long run.