Finished Lehigh

[Mike Lyons]

Here’s the finished gun.  This has a .50 Caliber 46” Southern Mountain Classic Rice Barrel.  Larry Zornes Classic lock.    Buttplate and triggerguard are Mike Brooks castings.  Patchbox is an EK via Mike Brooks casting.  Wood is from Stoner Creek. Barrel was perfectly inlet by David Rase. Finish is tannic acid and iron nitrate, covered with tried and true varnish and waxed.  I didn’t use and dyes, toners or stains. Thanks everyone for the advice and patience dealing with my questions. 

[Stoner creek]

A fine piece buddy! Now, let’s start thinking about the next one! Maybe a generation earlier! I’m thinking Crispy Creme (Christian’s Spring). Our buddy Brooks is coming out with some new castings that would suit just fine!

[FALout]

Looks mighty fine

[Tim Crosby]

 Looks Great Mike, Well done, really fine work.

  Tim

[BOB HILL]

Great job all the way round, Mike.
 Bob

[alyce-james]

Mr M. Lyons. Sir, all your worries turned out well. Very, very nicely completed. I have always like the Lehigh school. Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend. AJ.

[rich pierce]

Wow!  Looks terrific all around.

[smallpatch]

Mike,
Nicely done.  You’ve captured well, on your second Lehigh, that it took me 7 or 8 to get.
Very nice.

[J. Talbert]

Nice job Mike.
Great looking all around.

Jeff

[Daryl]

Very nice, Mike. Well done - love the carving.

[alex e.]

Awesome work!
Don't take this as a negative comment,
But that beautiful piece of wood detracts from all your  nice carvings.
Again, I like it alot.

[Mike Lyons]

Thanks everyone.  Alex,  it is a beautiful piece of wood and it does detract but what do you do?  Haha  I’m always open to criticism and advice.  You can’t learn if you don’t listen to people.  One of the greatest things my grandfather taught me at a very young age was that you can’t listen if you’re talking and that you need to wait several minutes before opening your mouth when given advice.  Most of us here have enough money in these things to pay for a college education. Several have paid for what Med school costs.  To me,  they need to be respected as such.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Really nice work Mike.  I especially like how slender you got the vertical plane of the stock through the front end of the lock.  The rifles lines flow very well.

[Not English]

Mike,
Very nice Lehigh. I always have a soft spot for Lehighs. That's very nice wire work as well. It goes well with the wood.

[TommyG]

Great job Mike.... I like the fancy wood and the carving.  I know that was a concern you had posted, but it turned out great.  Now all you need is a volunteer to stand still this deer season..

[gunmaker]

If I saw that rifle on ground I would pick it up right quick.....gold star....Mike....

[Greg Pennell]

Super nice work, Mike!  I can’t wait to get to look at it up close, she’s sure a beauty in these photos. Congrats!

Greg

[wattlebuster]

Ya did big. Thats redneck for outstanding job

[Marcruger]

Your learning curve looks like a Saturn V rocket.  That is just beautiful.  The carving and finish look super.  I think you made the right choice with the finishing method you chose.  Very rich.   God Bless,   Marc

[Mike Lyons]

A fine piece buddy! Now, let’s start thinking about the next one! Maybe a generation earlier! I’m thinking Crispy Creme (Christian’s Spring). Our buddy Brooks is coming out with some new castings that would suit just fine!

I’ve got one more super duper fancy log.  I don’t know much about those guns but I’ll give it a try. 

[Eric Smith]

That's a fine rifle. You did a fantastic job. The wire work really embellishes it.

[WESTbury]

What a great looking rifle Mike, long and slim flowing lines.

Ya gotta love those Lehighs.

[t.caster]

She's a real beauty! Great color! How many applications of the acids did it take? separate apps of Tannic and A/F, or mixed?
Thanks for posting.

[Mike Lyons]

She's a real beauty! Great color! How many applications of the acids did it take? separate apps of Tannic and A/F, or mixed?
Thanks for posting.

It was a big cluster. Here’s how it ended up as it is. It was a coat of tannic acid,  let it dry, iron nitrate,  let it dry.  Then blush it. Make sure you don’t blush it completely.  Shouldn’t be that difficult because you are in low light.  Do that twice.  Then start using tried and true and a maroon scotch bright pad to rub it back.  Do the entire process on low light.  After you rub it back,  take it to a well lit location and let the panic sink in.  You should have a yellow/green splotchy look at this point.  Use some honey amber trans tint to try to get something good out of the mess.  You should have a huge mess all over your hands and on the gun.  The wood should look terrible.  Take a break and hope for the best overnight.   Next day,  Start blushing and you’ll notice that the gun changes colors as it should have but,  due to low light it didn’t.  Blush it real good with the tried and true on there and start taking it off with paper towels.  Rub it all back with scotch bright pad, sand paper and steel wool.  Then add iron nitrate and blush it.  You should start seeing nice red orange tones when you blush it.  Do it again.  Then start rubbing tried and true on in very thin coats,  once a day for about 4 or 5 days.

[B.Barker]

Mike, nice job on the rifle. I hope you get a deer with it this year.