Second attempt at carving.

[bdixon]

Second, Novice attempt at carving on a Joe Long rifle.  Still have a lot of lines to clean up.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Interesting - that MUST have taken a long time to do -- nice work

[Jim Kibler]

Not sure if you want any suggestions, but I will offer a few.  Hope you don't mind.  The overall appeal is decent to my eye.  One suggestion would be to break the design into the individual components when designing and evaluating it.  The three or four major elements of the design should have a good shape / flow and be able to stand on their own from a design standpoint.  They also need to work well together.  Focus on the shape of the C and S scrolls.  Keep at it, your doing good!  

[bdixon]

Thanks Jim, I know nothing of design and am no artist, I looked at various rifles with similar stock dimensions and blended what I thought I could away with.  I did draw the design and after 4 tries was brave enough to start the hacking process.

[Jim Kibler]

You're doing well.  I'm no artist either.  I try to make up for it with a lot of hard work!  Designing carving, engraving etc. is often a time consuming and difficult process.  I think your carving is going to have a nice appeal and fit well with the rifle.

[rick landes]

This has nothing to do with the carving, but is the butt plate toe extended all the way down to the wood? It appears (and pics are deceiving at times) the wood is below the plate and will leave it prone to cracks and chips.

With regards to your carving, I honestly thought the first picture showed all of the small gouged leaves to be in relief vs. incised and I marveled at how long it must have taken to lower the background!

You may want to draw with a french curve a file folder paper template that will match your C scroll. Draw the lines from the template edge onto the stock to guide you in taking the flats out of your scroll work. You can also use the french scrolls directly on the stock if you have a smaller area to cleanup.

Please post your pre staining carving so we can see the finished product.

I think carving is one of the most fun areas to do and sometimes the most heart stopping. I think your bold incised leaves will change dramatically with your staining.

[bdixon]

You are correct about the butt-plate, I have not finished that area of the stock as of yet.  I was hoping that if the carving failed miserably that I would leave as much wood as possible to rasp off the carving and try something different.  rasp off, reshape, resize if needed.  Will post finished product when I get there, hopefully within the next month.

[Ed Wenger]

I like what you're doing and think you have some interesting things going on.  My only suggestion would be to add some different thickness, or variances,  to the stem design.  Maybe more of a taper, or small "shoots" before you get to the leaves?  Keep at it, you're on the right track.

                   Ed

[Don Getz]

Dix.........If you're going to "copy" a Joe Long rifle, take another look at his carving, then copy it.  I'm sorry but you missed it on
this try...............Don

[bdixon]

I am sure of that Don, I am not even sure what the rifles were that I looked at, several Joe Longs for sure and a few others that "might" have been Reading area.  I will get a better look at Lewisburg this coming winter.

Variflegun, I get the drift now, you are correct about he taper on the leaves. I didn't see that before.


Brett.

[JTR]

I don't know of many carved Joe Long rifles, in fact I've only seen two, or three.
But, as luck would have it, here in our Library is a very nicely carved one, with a good picture of the carving! Just click on the link below;
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=11036.0

Also, notice how he, and other upper river guys, formed the leaves vs how you did it.

that said, I actually like what you've done so far even if it isn't as Long would have done it. My only suggestion would be to pay more attention to the smooth flow of the C & S scrolls, to smooth out that nasty flat spot you have.

John

[bdixon]

JTR,  That was one to the rifles I looked at on the site and a few others to compile may idea.  Is the flat spot you are referring to where the stems flare out into the individual branches, I think I see what you are pointing out.

[Swampwalker]

Brett;
What I find really usefull when I'm trying to do an 'in the spirit of' rifle, is to first on scrap wood copy the carving design as closely as possible.  This is a very instructive way to learn the design elements of a particular school, which you can then modify to suit yourself and the rifle you're making.  The example from the library would be a great one to try.
Regards, and good luck!

[JTR]

Brett,
Yes, that's the spot. Your first stem flairs out of the C scroll, and up to just ahead of the forward extension of the butt plate. That line is pretty much okay.
You next stem flairs out and heads to the upper corner of the butt plate. The flat area is just where the stem leaves the C scroll. Your stem that goes down toward to toe of the stock shares the same flat spot.

Someone here suggested using a French scroll to lay out the basic backbone design, and I think that's a good idea, to help you master the flow and curl of the C and S scrolls. I bought one some time ago, made of thin clear plastic and quite flexable.

One thing, at least from my perspective, is that C and S scrolls need not be exactly symmetrical,,, as long as the lines keep curving and bending, your eye won't generally catch it. But as soon as the line goes straight, or the curve turns into a kink, the eye jumps right on it.

Like I said before, I like your design. I think it fills the area well, has a nice symmetry about it, and like the little flowers/leaves on the tip of the stems. As for the leaves along side the stems, you could vary their size a bit as they travel up the stem, or put them closer together to give a little different affect. Once you get it smoothed out, I think the design would look really fine on a rifle!
 
If on the other hand, you really want to do a Joe Long impression, copy the design elements of the gun in the library because that's first class Joe Long carving.

John

[bdixon]

Thanks Fella's, I will post finished pics as soon as I get there.  Malfunctioning coal furnace last night with carbon monoxide alarm banging away at 2 am.  Looks like another project just took priority.


Brett.