What to do??

[J.E. Moore]

 Sure is a beauty! I'd be tickled to make something that nice.

[Mike Lyons]

Not sure I understand your question. Is that carved or just drawn on with a pencil?

   Tim

It’s carved Tim. 

[thecapgunkid]

When you bring this rifle to a match or other event, make sure the rest of your stuff looks that good and pose a lot.  The burden is not on the rifle, but on how you ACCESSORIZE so you can keep up

...."Who's that flaky looking guy?"...
..."I dunno, but that is one great looking rifle!"...

[alacran]

That is the conundrum you are faced with. You a have an exceptional piece of wood and you want to highlight its beauty. At the same time you want to carve it and highlight your virtuosity. However if you bring out the curl you diminish the clarity of the carving.
Wallace Gussler showed me a rifle he was applying more finish on. The wood was gorgeous and his carving was superb. The finish did not accentuate the curl by applying either tannic acid or aquafortis. Yet the curl  was there and easy enough to admire without taking away from the carving. Both the wood and the carving could be admired in harmony with the overall rifle.

[Marcruger]

I think it is what it is Mike. Nice carving and a beautiful piece of wood.  I’d finish it for the best color and contrast possible, then use black in the carving per usual to make it pop a bit. Just what I would do if I were a talented gun builder....which I am not.   God bless, Marc

[oldtravler61]

  Mike that sure came out nice...( Understatement) in my opinion..everything seems to come together.  Oldtravler

[Mike Lyons]

Thanks for all the advice and compliments especially Mike and Stoner for general advice and use on the parting tool and Taylor for finishing technic.  This is my 4th gun so stuff should be starting to coming together.  My confidence in engraving was barely above nil when I started and by the time I got to the star and thumb piece, I could see the improvements.  Same with the parting tool. Anyhow, I don’t have the experience to take a fine piece of wood and metal and mess with it yet.  I think that’s a skill that takes some time to acquire and it takes more knowledge than I have to vision what you’re after.  I’m relying on advice from trusted people on ALR who know what they are doing.  My building process has been to try to do the most difficult thing I possibly can on every gun so that I can knock my first attempt out of the way and learn as much as possible from the building process on each gun, piece of leather, horn etc.  If it’s a fine piece of wood, I’m going to try to try to pull the grain out as much as possible.  If it’s carving, wire inlay or whatever, I’m going to overstep my comfort level.  That’s just how I operate.   

[Bob Roller]

I can take $500 worth of parts and wood and make the finest $40 rifle in the history of firearms.
There are times that I wish I had paid closer attention to wood working but didn't and now have
no interest in it beyond what others do with it and I can never attain that now.Mike Lyons is doing
a fine job of recreating the long rifle.
Bob Roller

[flinchrocket]

That is a great color. Now paint it with Brooks black paint and take it all back off leaving the carving and low areas with paint. It will be perfect.

[Stoner creek]

Hey Mike, I know where the mate to that stock blank is