Pear wood stock

[Gary Rad]

I was wondering if anyone has made a stock out pear wood. I would really like to see what it looks like. If anyone has made one could you please post some pictures.
Thanks, Gary

[flinchrocket]

You may find one On Jim Kiblers website. He built one several years ago and had some photos of it showing his carving.

[AVP]

I think someone here a few years back made a two-piece pear stocked rifle. Cant remember who but it was. Really nice. I have a pear that fell a few years back. I slabbed some and made some axe and knife handles as well as some small boxes. Its a really neat light peach to white color with interesting grain. Finished up beautiful with beeswax. Try it!

[Jim Kibler]

Yeah, I made a custom rifle out of pear a few years ago.  https://www.jimkibler.net/rifle-3.html  I've also made quite a number of kits out of pear.  In my view, it's a really nice stock wood.  It's hard, has a super fine texture and finishes up very nice.  It also carves extremely well.   I believe we still have a few pear blanks left if anyone should want a stock or kit.  These are on the thin side and will only work for a later rifle or fowler. 

Jim

[rich pierce]

Some apple is very colorful. Just beautiful. But usually trees are twisted and can have some rot as they get old.

[Pete G.]

....usually trees are twisted and can have some rot as they get old.

Sorta like some guys on this forum

[Karl Kunkel]

Bada-bump, ching!

[mountainman70]

....usually trees are twisted and can have some rot as they get old.

Sorta like some guys on this forum

Yea, wisenheimer !! Ya beat me to it. hahaha. Touche' Dave F

[GANGGREEN]

I've always been interested in a rifle stocked in pear or in apple.  I have some nice cherry, curly cherry and curly maple gunstock blanks that I'd trade even up for a pear or apple blank that was suitable for my needs if anyone has a source.   I also have a few walnut blanks, although they may show a bit of sapwood here or there (mostly clear heartwood). 

[Pukka Bundook]

I'd guess the old "Fruitwood" stocks could be apple, pear, or whatever?
I suppose cherry is a "fruitwood" so is plum...
Wonder why it was called "fruitwood" ?

Mind you, Limewood was a very popular wood in the earlier period, and even now after  4-500 years, still has that distinctive lime-smell.  (is Lime a  fruitwood??)

[GANGGREEN]

I've got an orchard at my home with plum, cherry, pear, apple, etc. and none of my trees are anywhere near large enough to use for this purpose, nor will they be within my lifetime.   There are 4 pear trees on my uncle's farm that are well over 100 years old (we have the family history and even old photos to prove that they've been there forever) and I doubt that even those trees are large enough, even if they were solid and they died or we chose to cut them down.   

Curly maple is beautiful and what I build most of my guns with, but I've always wanted a pear or apple stocked flintlock rifle.

[Top Jaw]

Be aware that some “pear” wood is from Bradford Pear, Cairn Pear, etc., which are not pears at all, but only pear like blossoms, etc.   From what I’ve heard, it is all weak inferior wood, not suitable for a gunstock. 

[jerrywh]

I never made a gunstock out of pair but I have used it for many years to carve patterns for casting. It is marvelous for carving and some of it actually has fiddle back in it.  I still have a few small chunks for patterns it is sort of pink colored when unfinished.

[LilysDad]

I'd guess the old "Fruitwood" stocks could be apple, pear, or whatever?
I suppose cherry is a "fruitwood" so is plum...
Wonder why it was called "fruitwood" ?

Mind you, Limewood was a very popular wood in the earlier period, and even now after  4-500 years, still has that distinctive lime-smell.  (is Lime a  fruitwood??)

I believe the "fruitwood" kitchen cupboards are mostly European Wild Pear which get's taller than orchard pears, though it probably wasn't available to early Americans. As has been said, Apple is beautiful wood, but grows horribly twisted and is very unstable when  being dried. Lime is a European version of Linden(Basswood).