You could make a long rifle stock, out of maple toothpick glued together also, but isn't your time more valuable than that?
I picked up two old metal doors, off of a condemned state building. They were in rough shape, but had two very tarnished brass kick plates. when I went to pick them up, the guy gave me the two old black thresholds as well. They were 1/4" brass. I will never have to buy brass again.
Scrounge a little. Old building hardware ( especially the industrial grade stuff is cheap).
Hungry Horse