Vincent halfstock sideplate fixup! ideas??

[sonny]

I have a Vincent halfstock rifle which I made an love, which had the small sideplate as I usually see on them in books. Years ago, I was putting my rifle on the backseat of my truck, an the darn rifle slid off the seat, went under the front seat, an put a dandy scratch(gouge) on the wooden side plate area of the rifle. I had a piece of german silver plate an copied the size of the lock an made a new side plate to remove an cover the deep scratch. I covered the damaged area, but darn if I don't like the way it looks now. I need a new sideplate to make it look correct........geez!!! anybody have an idea (short of restocking),how to get out of this mess.......sonny

[Herb]

There are some original rifles where the builder veneered a thin highly figured cover over a lock panel.  He could have done this to raise a surface or cover a bad inlet.  It shows off the grain as was intended.  I almost did this once on an (supplier) inlet stock where the panel was lower than the correctly inletted lock plate.  Finally filed down the bolster to lower the lock.  You could do this on your panel.

[flinchrocket]

Maybe you could solder the small sideplate to a piece of steel that fits the inlet, then brown the steel.
The brass or silver won't take brown and will stand out,the browned steel will blend with the wood. If
you don't like it your just out the time and materials?

[galamb]

Not sure which "small" sideplate you are referring to, but many Vincent's did not have the little one's that places like Track sell as Vincent sideplates which appears "similar" but smaller than the last rifle pictured below.

This pic is not great, but will give you an idea of what was on a least a couple rifles built by "Dad", "Dad and Son" and "Son".

So if something "larger" would cover your boo boo, it wouldn't be "incorrect".

[mountainman70]

I have seen Ohio rifles that the entire side panel is covered with a solid,or sometimes,pierced plate.Most look quite nice,especially silver or brass.Dave