New Rifle In Progress

[Ian Pratt]

Louie - you are right, I have long been inspired by that relic you mention but until now could never figure out the right project to expand on some of those details.  I took the "serpents for sideplates" idea and gave the snakes a bit more shape, reversed them and turned the heads around to create kind of a generally more triangular framing effect for the box, kind of gives the illusion of a patchbox with full side plates. 

The rifle is intended to represent one made by whoever would have made the gun pictured below - he's moved on down the wagon road somewhere South of where he built the one below and maybe fifteen years have passed in between the making of the two guns.

This is the "earlier" gun which I made for my good friend Ken Gahagan - bit of shameless self promotion I know, but David Wright did a wonderful job on the image and I've been trying to share it. 

       


The association with that relic you mention, plus some "precursors" to details on later Southern guns could possibly place a gun like the later one as far south as NC around 1780 - ? And with the symbolism / trade silver re - use, who might it have been made for? Anyhow, having fun. Anybody wants to talk more about it I'm glad to share my ideas on it and hear yours. I have to go, been sitting here watching out the window as my coal burns away, work to get done.

[louieparker]

 Ian, that relic sort of burned a little spot in my brain.. I still think about it. Your rifle is just an outstanding creation !  Though some part may be inspired by the snake rifle, this rifle  is your original art work, a unique creation.  Few can design and build at this level.   I certainly can not ! Congratulations !

Louie

[elkhorne]

Ian,
Beautiful work and something just jumped out at me. I love the way you worked the snakes in with your patchbox. They reminded me of a patchbox design that Wallace Gusler showed us in a class. He said it was a butt stock (only) that came out of a Creek grave and it included snakes up the side of the patchbox but not as good as yours. I have looked a many pictures in books but never seen this idea on any of the rifles. The remains of the one Wallace had give HC to the use of them. Would be interesting to learn what school or area the example may have come from. Thanks for showing us the rifle. You are doing a fantastic job on it. Can't wait to see the progress and finished rifle. Thanks.
elkhorne

[Gaeckle]

Was fortunate to handle the finished rifle at the CLA......somehow, though the pictures of the gun in progress are good, nothing quite compares to rolling it in your hands, looking close up to it, noticing small little details that just somehow aren't transpired through the photo's.

This rifle is really something else. Lot of subtleties going on beyond the obvious design features.....lot of continuity and contrast, and it stands above (far above) everything else. This will be hard to top.

[BOB HILL]

Pictures don’t do it justice. Another excellent and very interesting work of art.
Bob

[Elnathan]

Well, I hope that those of us that couldn't make the CLA show are eventually going to get to see pictures of the completed gun.

I'd like to see pictures of the relic gun that inspired this as well.

[mountainman]

That is some Beautiful Work Ian!!!

[Blacksmoke]

Ian: Your art work is truly inspiring!  Nice gun! Lucky owner.     Hugh Toenjes

[Ian Pratt]

A few photos of the rifle taken by my friend Ric Lambert -

[Curtis]

Thanks for the pics Ian!  I enjoyed seeing and handling that treasure at the CLA show!

Curtis

[Ed Wenger]

Absolutely beautiful rifle, Ian!  I like everything about it.



       Ed

[Mark Elliott]

That is a stunning work of art!

Mark

[PPatch]

Ian your work has changed a great deal over the last few years. I like the direction you are headed, and look forward to what comes next. Great looking firearm!

dave

[Craig Wilcox]

Ian, you are a true Master of your craft!  Everything about that rifle astounds and amazes.  My wish is that I can be 1/10th as good as you are.  Going to take a lot of work to get me to that level.

One, to me really good question, and that is :  How in the world do you get that metal finish done?  I live the "mottling" gray appearance, and my mind keeps wondering how it was accomplished.

I am very envious of the rifle's owner!

[Ian Pratt]

Thank you very much everybody, much appreciated.

Dave I agree with you that my work has changed a lot in recent years. I attribute it to learning over time to not talk myself out of my own ideas.

Craig - on the metal finish, it's just rust. There's a lot of monkeying around with metal finishes like that, but the basic idea is to apply something acidic and let it rust,  then remove some or most of it, then do similar in layers until you're happy with the look. By the time you get to the last applications you're not letting it work very long, just enough to get some surface color and accent the pitting.  It's definitely not as straightforward a process like browning or boiling in bleach water, a lot of it is in understanding how different metals are going to act with whatever you're using to rust them. 

 The best approach is to this kind of thing is to actually study corroded things that you find appealing - not kidding about this, I have lots of photos of not just guns but doorknobs, hand rails, tools, parts of bridges.

[Ian Pratt]

Here are a few photos of the earlier gun - really these two are a related pair. These were also taken by Ric Lambert at the CLA show last month