Northampton Rifle Finally Finished

[QuanLoi]

First gun in fifteen years!  I had to learn lost skills all over again... Flintlock number three and I learned quite a few things.  First and foremost:  The power of "sleep on it".  Whenever I got stuck on a certain problem while building this gun, I'd invariably wake up in the middle of the night and come up with a solution...  and when I couldn't, I'd contact this board and, lo and behold, the answer would appear on my computer.  For which I give many thanks for the information provided by each and every one of you... 
The barrel is a c weight .45 cal 44 inch Colerain, the lock is an old Siler I picked up from Vernon Davis back in the '90's.  I haven't shot it yet and plan to do so tomorrow.

Decker



[URL=http://s1144.photobucket.com/user/QuanLoi317/media/P1020904_a.jpg.html]

[pushboater]

I haven't done enough study to know what distinguishes a Northhampton rifle from a Lehigh/Allentown rifle, or if in fact they're one and the same, but I can say it sure looks nice. I've always loved the Roman Nose style of architecture on these rifles. Glad to hear you're back building again.

Capt. David

[QuanLoi]

Thanks Cap...  now I have to learn to engrave.

Decker

[pushboater]

You and I both! Engraving is definitely not my forte. Best wishes.

Capt. David

[Acer Saccharum]

Decker, that is a gun you can be proud of. Thank you for posting it.


"now I must learn to engrave"  .... I was thinking the only comment I had, when I looked at your rifle pics yesterday, that the gun is asking for a little engraving. It doesn't need much. You certainly do see lots of original guns with no engraving(because the smith didn't know how?), or because the customer didn't have the money to spring for the engraving? But with the level of carving, you gun certainly could use some engraving.


Kudos on a fine rifle, and keep up the good work.

[Eric Smith]

Darn fine job. That's a rifle to be proud of. Enjoy it!

[QuanLoi]

Thanks for the compliment.

A question about engraving...  I noticed on a previous post that a bowling ball was constructed and used as a rotary platform to hold the brass.  I think that the reason for such a platform is to continuously have the direction of the chisel moving forward away from you.  How difficult is it to engrave while the brass is mounted on the gun?  Is it recommended that the brass should be removed before engraving?  And finally, how is the brass affixed to the rotary platform?  (I hope those questions make sense...)

Decker

[smylee grouch]

Quanloi- to me the quality of your carving indicates that you will do fine on the engraving -after some practice - but like Tom said, even just a simple pattern would look good and put just alittle more iceing on the cake.

[wattlebuster]

Looks like you didn't forget nothing to me. Great job I like it

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Decker, congratulations on a fine build, and thanks for posting it here for us to enjoy.
You can definitely engrave inlays right on the rifle, and some inlays will have to be done that way anyway - the wrist oval, the cheek star, etc.  But trigger guards, butt plates, lock plates and cocks with their top jaw, and patch boxes can easily be attached to a piece of wood for support either by fitting as in the butt plate, or in Bondo on a scrap of wood, and held in a gravers ball for better control.  If you're serious about actually learning how, buy John Schipper's wonderful book - you'll never look back.  Apart from the down to earth super instruction and advice he gives, the photo gallery of his and others superlative work will inspire like nothing else can.
Again, nice rifle!

[QuanLoi]

Thanks for the information about the Schipper book ("Engraving Historic Firearms")... I will definitely add it to my how-to library.

Decker

[Don Getz]

Deck..........I still have my first rifle, very similar to yours.    I''m really glad I built it, now I know I will never be tempted to
do another like it..........Don

[QuanLoi]

Well... it's 4:30am, in about five minutes I'll be heading up to the northern Catskills to zero this rifle out to 50 yards.  At 25 yds, (the length of my local range) it shoots well, slightly left... I have my files packed away and I'm ready to go!

Don, now I have to figure out what to build next...

Decker

[Acer Saccharum]

Northern Catskills! I see them every evening, as the sun goes down! They look like Rip VanWinkle, laying down for his long sleep. Or if you have a vivid imagination, it could be Mrs VanWinkle. On a summer evening, I can almost hear Henry Hudson and his men playing nine pins in the hollers across the river.

The engraving ball, or bowling ball, has limited use in longrifle engraving. these vises are useful for engraving small parts which are engraved OFF the gun, where the engraver can sit and revolve the work wit one hand and engrave with the other; or as a work positioner for hammer engraving.