My first Beaver Tails

[JCurtiss]

Well, I just finished my first beaver tails.  I really dreaded this job, but decided that in the interest of authenticity I thought my “York” rifle should have beaver tails.  To me they look like the nut sack on a Brahma bull. And having a miniature bull scrotum on my rifle stock does not appeal to me, plus I wasn’t quite sure how to go about cutting them.  But I figured if “boss” ever found out that I left them off a York rifle, I would be banned from this site forever.

So I took a deep breath and began cutting away. I thought my first attempt at beaver tails didn’t turn out too bad. I’m not completely through with them, but the basic geometry is more or less there. Here’s a picture of one of them.

Any and all criticism is welcome.

Jason  

[Mike Brooks]

Getting both the same is the fun part.

[JCurtiss]

Getting both the same is the fun part.

Boss, funny you should say that as I've got one sack hanging lower than the other one!

Dang it, may be on the next rifle I will get it right.

[Acer Saccharum]

I don't worry about getting them exactly the same. Only one tail at a time can be seen. It has to look right from whatever viewpoint you have.

Often my lock panel opposite the lock is smaller in height that the lockside. It's the same length, but lower, as the top of the panel can just take in the lock bolt at the top. Make it suit your sideplate, or make your sideplate suit your panel, whatever your project call for. If you're making a bench copy, you're going to have to follow your model.

...by the way, if these are your first ones, they are pretty good!

[JCurtiss]

...by the way, if these are your first ones, they are pretty good!

Thank you for the encouragement!

[Mark Elliott]

You have to start somewhere.    Your first effort is at least as good as mine was.    None of us can get around practice.    Although,  I have found visualization (mental practice) to be almost as good as physical practice.    I think it helps along with very careful layout.    I really think good carving is about technique, careful and precise layout,  and being able to see exactly what the tip of your tool is doing.   The same goes for engraving.   I really struggle with the last part.   

[Acer Saccharum]

Whether you cut a decorative line around around your lock panels or not will depend on the style of gun you're building.

On the rifle below, there is a lockpanel outline that is stabbed in, then relieved. It's very shallow, and hardly affects the shape of the stock. Note that the beavertails are very shallow. Yours are nice and shallow. They will show up nicely when you finish and stain. Of vital importance is that you shape the gun, the wrist, the lock areas, THEN do the decorative outlines of your beavertails and lockpanels.




Here is same gun without any tails or panel outlines. Do you see what I mean about the shape is complete before those details are put in?

[JCurtiss]

I made a template from shirt-cardboard and merely traced around it on each side of the stock.  I then simply cut to the line I had drawn.  The problem was not knowing what proportions the beaver tail should have, so I drew what I thought it should look like based on an amalgamation of the ones I've seen in books. Perhaps that's close enough as no two beaver tails are exactly the same?

[JCurtiss]

Whether you cut a decorative line around around your lock panels or not will depend on the style of gun you're building.

On the rifle below, there is a lockpanel outline that is stabbed in, then relieved. It's very shallow, and hardly affects the shape of the stock. Note that the beavertails are very shallow. Yours are nice and shallow. They will show up nicely when you finish and stain. Of vital importance is that you shape the gun, the wrist, the lock areas, THEN do the decorative outlines of your beavertails and lockpanels.




Here is same gun without any tails or panel outlines. Do you see what I mean about the shape is complete before those details are put in?

Very nice outline and beaver tails you have there!

I did try to "complete the shape" around the lock panels before cutting in the beaver tails.

I think next time I'll try to replicate a school that doesn't have those pesky beaver tails!

Jason

[Acer Saccharum]

Jason, you're doing just fine. Keep going with your project. The first time is the hardest.

Once you have done these a few more times, you will be able to do them in your sleep.

What really helps the most is to show your work to a knowledgeable builder in person.

Also look at antique work of the same school. Museums and private collections are the best sources for this kind of study. Photos in books and on the web don't adequately describe the forms, depths of relief, etc. Several shows come to mind: CLA in Aug in Lexington KY, and Dixon's in July in Kempton, PA.

[flehto]

The present build which is a Bucks County should have fleur de lis "beavertails" but none of my previous BC LRs have them. Why? Could never get them quite right, so just went w/  plain beavertails. Decided to carve them in on the present build and hopefully they'll look right. W/o fleur de lis "beavertails", the BC shown below looks  like something's missing. The OP did an excellent job w/ the beavertails.....better than my first ones.....Fred

[Old Ford2]

Hello Jason,
Fine job on the beaver tails!
Some say, the left could be lower than the right, so all is not lost.
Fred