Author Topic: A Blunderbuss Commission - Finished.....Finished !!! (Read 41858 times)

davec2 · « **Reply #50 on:** November 22, 2016, 11:16:46 AM »

Single Malt,

Forgot to answer your question. The "scraper" you see is a wax carver I also use for carving gold crown and bridge dental work. (Actually, I carve the crowns in wax and then cast them in gold). You can find all manner of wax carvers that can be easily customized into scrapers to use in smoothing out carving background on Ebay and at dental supply houses.

SingleMalt · « **Reply #51 on:** November 22, 2016, 05:18:50 PM »

Thanks, Dave. I'll start browsing eBay.

jerrywh · « **Reply #52 on:** November 22, 2016, 09:43:55 PM »

I have about 25 of those wax carving tools. The only thing I don't like about them is they are made of low carbon steel and can't be hardened. They won't hold an edge long. I wish I could find some high quality ones.

davec2 · « **Reply #53 on:** November 22, 2016, 09:59:09 PM »

Jerry,

The knock off versions are made of cheap steel. The higher quality ones sold by the dental supply houses are mostly made of a tough stainless steel alloy and are hardened. I have both.

davec2 · « **Reply #54 on:** November 24, 2016, 09:16:06 PM »

Waiting for the finish to dry on the 3/4 scale rifle.....switched over to the last of the metal polishing on the blunderbuss before I begin the engraving.

The next pictures will be of engraving work.....

n stephenson · « **Reply #55 on:** November 25, 2016, 06:10:26 PM »

Dave , The list of superlatives to describe your work has about been used up but, I`ll throw my hat in the ring with everyone else on here who looks upon your work with amazement. It is always a treat to view your posts. However I do humbly request that you post proof of at least one mistake that you`ve made ever ! so that we know that your not a government created cyborg sent to this site to shame the rest of us into taking up needlepoint and burning our shops down LOL !!! . SUPER WORK !!! Thanks for sharing Nathan

davec2 · « **Reply #56 on:** November 26, 2016, 06:27:53 AM »

Nathan,

Thanks for the vote of confidence......I make plenty of mistakes. I just don't take pictures of them and show them to all of you. And, as I have gotten older, I am better at fixing my mistakes. Now sometimes that involves just starting all over again, but then there are a few tricks I have learned along the way, many from others on this board, that have made it much easier to recover from a substantial screw up. Here is a link to one major screw up and the fix......

Go down a couple of posts from the beginning.....wrist grain problem I didn't notice until the rifle was almost done !

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=37152.0

n stephenson · « **Reply #57 on:** November 27, 2016, 07:00:36 PM »

Dave, Nice repair job. I had a friend a couple years ago drop a rifle on my shop floor it actually fell out of a vise . It broke right through the wrist. We drilled it and epoxied a brass rod in the wrist . The repair turned out almost invisible. It still is a hair raising thought. Thanks for sharing. I love seeing your work. I do have a question for you about making a touchmark stamp. I know that you have a really nice touchmark.I felt that with your skillset you probably made it yourself. If you have any info. on how to make one I would be very gratetful to hear it.. I want to make one for a bladesmith friend of mine so it will be used for hot stamping blades. If you don't have anything to share on this subject I understand . I just thought you might have some pointers . I`m also planning to make one for myself which will be used cold. Thanks, Nathan

davec2 · « **Reply #58 on:** November 27, 2016, 08:17:03 PM »

Nathan,

This thread will take you to a complete explanation of the stamps I have made and purchased and how I apply them:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=1138.0

And here is one from Acer and how he does it.....

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=981.0

davec2 · « **Reply #59 on:** December 16, 2016, 07:37:14 AM »

Had some time to start engraving on the blunderbuss.......

Lock is done:

Started on the barrel:

.....and the barrel tang......

Seth Isaacson · « **Reply #60 on:** December 16, 2016, 05:14:16 PM »

Beautiful work. I like the tasteful engraving style you've gone for: minimal but very finely detailed.

Daryl · « **Reply #61 on:** December 17, 2016, 10:10:03 PM »

Too bad Prussian Blue wasn't a permanent finish!

Really nicely done, Dave.

davec2 · « **Reply #62 on:** December 18, 2016, 12:12:12 AM »

Finished the barrel breech and tang engraving......

Carl Young · « **Reply #63 on:** December 18, 2016, 12:24:36 AM »

That would make the Mantons jealous! It's hard to find words to describe the elegance and craftsmanship of your work Dave. Thanks for the continued postings.

Blessed be your Christmas.
Carl

Joe S. · « **Reply #64 on:** December 18, 2016, 02:57:58 AM »

Ya man, tight and elegant,that's some real nice work there.

David Rase · « **Reply #65 on:** December 18, 2016, 03:48:31 AM »

I got to learn to work faster. Or not get distracted. One or the other, or both maybe. Great looking blunderbuss and workmanship. One question, are the little circles that border your wedding band at the breech of the barrel stamped in or cut, or a combination of both?
David

davec2 · « **Reply #66 on:** December 18, 2016, 05:35:06 AM »

David, the border beads are graver cut into little squares and then octagons. After the rough cutting, I use a punch to make the beads perfectly round. Works well in steel or brass. The beads are three dimensional, not just circles. Here are the same beads in steel:

Keithbatt · « **Reply #67 on:** December 18, 2016, 08:32:14 AM »

When looking at your earlier work, I'm suitably impressed... But there is no doubt that you are constantly improving. This is absolutely beautiful. Crisp, precise, and absolutely Crisalli in style.

davec2 · « **Reply #68 on:** December 18, 2016, 09:20:32 PM »

Trigger guard engraving done:

Daryl · « **Reply #69 on:** December 18, 2016, 10:40:39 PM »

Quote from: davec2 on December 18, 2016, 05:35:06 AM

David, the border beads are graver cut into little squares and then octagons. After the rough cutting, I use a punch to make the beads perfectly round. Works well in steel or brass. The beads are three dimensional, not just circles. Here are the same beads in steel:

Don't know what to say - Oh My!

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #70 on:** December 18, 2016, 10:53:08 PM »

Beautiful workmanship All around Dave.

Tim C.

davec2 · « **Reply #71 on:** January 01, 2017, 01:51:56 AM »

Well, I quit working on anything over Christmas. Just enjoyed spending all of my time with the family. But here on New Year's Eve, I am trying to finish up the engraving on the blunderbuss commission. All the engraving is now complete....just final metal finishing and wood finishing to do....and add a couple of sling swivels. Updated photos:

bob in the woods · « **Reply #72 on:** January 01, 2017, 02:50:16 AM »

That is superb !

oldtravler61 · « **Reply #73 on:** January 01, 2017, 04:20:46 AM »

Excellent workmanship. Dave

SingleMalt · « **Reply #74 on:** January 01, 2017, 09:15:08 AM »

Very nicely executed.

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Author Topic: A Blunderbuss Commission - Finished.....Finished !!! (Read 41858 times)

n stephenson

n stephenson