galudwig's Current Project

[galudwig]

I started this Joseph Whitson inspired rifle back at the Canter's Cave Gunmakers Seminar in 2015.  The seminar instructors were Ian Pratt and Jim Kibler and it was Ian that first turned me on to Whitson's work.  He shared pictures of an original gun and I fell in love with the gentle curves in the butt stock and the recurved triggerguard.  I was really excited to hear Jim developed a kit around Whitson's rifles and think he has done a wonderful job capturing the simple beauty of his work.  I'm just glad I had the opportunity to work under the instruction of two of the finest gun builders in the trade today.

[KC]

Beautiful rifle. Well done.

[wattlebuster]

Sharp. I like it

[Don Steele]

Love that trigger guard..!!

[Kingsburyarms]

Very Very nice -

[thimble rig]

Awesome job.Its simple but yet elegant in its form,I wish I had the means to be able to go to canters cave and learn from the some of the top builders of all time.That would be awesome.I cant wait to see the gun all finished.Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.

[Percy]

Thanks for sharing. That's a very nice looking gun.

Percy

[Eric Krewson]

Could I see a picture of your patchbox release catch? I am just finishing up my first southern rifle with a similar patchbox and haven't decided which way to go for the release catch spring.

[galudwig]

Could I see a picture of your patchbox release catch? I am just finishing up my first southern rifle with a similar patchbox and haven't decided which way to go for the release catch spring.

Thanks everyone for all your comments.  They are greatly appreciated.

As for the patchbox release, it's pretty crude, but overall I'm pleased with my first patchbox install.  I had one of those common "z" shaped springs in the tool box so I used it.  I placed a shim under the base to get the lid to close just right after I added the "button" to the top of the catch. I filed out the button and attached it with solder.  The catch then fits into a slight notch in the lid.

One concern is that I feel like I had to remove too much wood so close to the butt plate to let the spring move freely.  The catch works well, but I'll probably do it differently on the next gun.



 

 

[galudwig]

Awesome job.Its simple but yet elegant in its form,I wish I had the means to be able to go to canters cave and learn from the some of the top builders of all time.That would be awesome.I cant wait to see the gun all finished.Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.

The Canters Cave Gun Builders Seminar (a.k.a Southern Ohio Artisans Workshops) is a real gem of an experience.  Because of it I've had the privilege to work with Hershel and John House and now Ian Pratt and Jim Kibler.  It's like vacationing on the beach, except that it's January, there's no ocean, and no bikini-clad women.  You basically spend a week couped up with a bunch of like-minded people; eating, sleeping, and building guns (now that's my idea of a vacation).  To learn is why you go to start out with, but you keep going back because of the camaraderie.  

[galudwig]

Love that trigger guard..!!

I'm especially proud of that guard.  The guard and butt plate started out as raw forgings from John House.  They were a bit "heavy" for the size of the rifle, so I did a lot (more like one "H*** of a lot) of filing to get the guard under control.  I think I had about 30 hrs in the trigger guard alone; at least it felt like it took that long. I also had to mend a separation at the forge weld on the spur with silver solder. 

I had good pix to work from so I think I captured the essence of the original. 

[P.W.Berkuta]

Your doing a fantastic job of it -- keep it up. Is the rear sight a "store bought" item or a home made one? If it is purchased - who from - I like it.

[Percy]

I'm interested in the sights as well, both front and back.

Percy

[galudwig]

The rear sight is a recycle from the tool box.  It started out life as one of these castings:



Mine is a composite based on pictures of the rear sights of the original Whitson and Jim's kit gun.  The ears are wider than those of the other two, but I kinda' liked the look of it. Still need to file the notch, but I usually do that when I go to sight in. 

The front site is a standard Cash with copper base and German silver blade (to compliment the German silver rod pipes). 



I like the look of a squared off blade instead of the rounded rear.

[thimble rig]

its going to look sweet when shes done.How do you think you will finish the metal?You should be very proud when youre done.

[Marcruger]

The hard work is worth it. That's a fine looking rifle. I look forward to seeing the finish work. Marc

[delivered]

Did you make the patch box?

[galudwig]

its going to look sweet when shes done.How do you think you will finish the metal?You should be very proud when youre done.

Hope so!    I'm kind of partial to what I've heard termed as a "French gray."  I use Dangler's browning solution to get the standard heavy rust brown.  I card between coats and try to get some good, even surface pitting. Once I get that, I use Formula 44/40 to darken the pits and work things back with steel wool.  I eventually end up with a gray sheen to the surface metal.  You also tend to get heavier brown areas around the sights and nooks and crannies around the lock and guard. It looks like a brown finish worn off through use.  I think other ALR members use this method too, so it's nothing new.  I heard the term first from Allen Martin in reference to the metal finish on a Schimmel I have of his.

This lock is from another rifle, but it shows what I'm looking for.

[galudwig]

Did you make the patch box?

No, but I'm not sure who made it either.  It's another recycle that I paid for $10 from a used parts box at the CLA last summer.  I liked that it already had a slight curve to the lid an finial that ended up laying on my stock almost perfectly.  Ian Pratt showed me how to go about filing the knuckles so that the lid would open without over-stressing the curved hinge joint.  Works like a dream!