Author Topic: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice  (Read 1593 times)

Offline RaiderSix

  • Starting Member
  • *
  • Posts: 30
Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« on: November 23, 2022, 01:32:07 AM »
I am at the point in “building” my Kibler SMR that everything is fitted and sanded and is ready for whiskering. I know the SMR is intended to be a sort of plain, nothing fancy kind of rifle, but I just can’t leave the “trapezoid” part of the cheekpiece undecorated. I have seen plain old saw kerfs that look fine, but am really enamored with the ones with sort of an ogee moulding, or other three dimensional effects. I’ve got “the Art of Building the Pennsylvania Longrifle” and “The Gunsmith of Grenville County” and couldn’t find much about this little detail. Would you go about this with a scratch stock, or carving tools?

Offline rich pierce

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 18819
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2022, 04:12:46 AM »
It’s too short for a scratch stock to be efficient in my view. I bet folks use combinations of back-saws, chisels, and rasps to shape cheekpiece moldings. I start with chisels.

I’m not sure how common such cheekpiece moldings are on original SMRs but I can understand wanting to add some personal touches.

Ok I checked, plenty of originals to inspire you right here. https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?board=364.0
« Last Edit: November 23, 2022, 05:22:23 AM by rich pierce »
Andover, Vermont

Offline rsells

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 676
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2022, 05:52:13 AM »
Search the web for Ambrose  Lawing, William Lawing, and Bean family rifles and you can see how some of the old builders done their rifles.  It will depend upon the amount of material you have to work with.  Your rifle is like the original Jim chose to duplicate and is correct.
                                                                                                       Roger Sells

Offline mgbruch

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 154
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2022, 12:19:59 PM »
I begin with a "V" gouge for the groove(s), followed by a triangular file to open them up. To add definition I use a chisel, followed by needle files.

Offline mgbruch

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 154
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2022, 12:32:57 PM »
Also... when cutting into that raised surface with the gouge, or chisels, I cut into the wood from the outside edges and meet in the middle. Running the chisel off the edge runs the risk of popping a little chunk of wood out. Especially if you've got some cross grain right there.

Offline Cades Cove Fiddler

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1693
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2022, 04:45:33 PM »
 8) 8).. the BEALS family of Unicoi County made the style of cheek-rest I think you are after,... this one is by  William Nelson Beals,.... the centre area is raised and rounded,.... regards,... CCF


Offline rsells

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 676
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2022, 07:23:10 PM »
RaiderSix,
If you have a copy of "Kentucky Rifles of the Great Smokey Mountains", look at rifle #18 by Joseph Whitson Sr.   I think the cheek design is correct for the rifle Jim duplicated.  If you do not have this book, search the net for 'Whitson Family Rifles'.  The first rifle under this topic  is "iron mounted rifle by Heins, Frank House, Jim Kibler and Ian.  I think the cheek carving in the subject will be correct with the Whitson rifles.
                                                                                      Roger sells

Offline Scota4570

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2254
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2022, 10:17:13 PM »
Lots of ways to do things.  I go with what I know.  I also checker.  I use hard plastic Dymo labeling tape to lay out straight lines on stocks, in a situation like this.  I use the tape as a guide to make a checkering line cutter run straight.  Once the line is there you can change the contours.  I do not use V-gouges.  They are hard. for me,  to make cut straight and even. 


Offline RaiderSix

  • Starting Member
  • *
  • Posts: 30
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2022, 12:19:37 AM »
Lots of good examples and advice. Thank you. Going to start planning and practicing on some scrap tomorrow.

Offline RaiderSix

  • Starting Member
  • *
  • Posts: 30
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2022, 03:35:41 AM »




I guess I chickened out. I marked the lines with a marking knife, then ran a “quirk” scratch stock through the groove. I may try and run them deeper, but I’m not sure yet.

Offline Daryl

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14970
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2022, 04:00:57 AM »
Barely a little bit wider & a little bit deeper, maybe.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline RaiderSix

  • Starting Member
  • *
  • Posts: 30
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2022, 05:02:56 AM »


Stopping here.

Offline RaiderSix

  • Starting Member
  • *
  • Posts: 30
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2022, 06:40:15 AM »


Sanded to clean it up a little. Now, on to whiskering the wood.

Offline Daryl

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14970
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2022, 06:48:26 AM »
Looks good to me.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline mgbruch

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 154
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #14 on: November 25, 2022, 08:59:06 AM »
Good job.  Good symmetry.  And a good attitude.

Figure out what you want to do.  Do some homework.  Plan.  Jump in and execute deliberately.  That's how we learn to do what we do when building Longrifles.

Offline Fly Navy

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 147
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #15 on: November 25, 2022, 09:03:00 AM »
^looks good. I did something very similar on mine.

Offline Jim Kibler

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4283
    • Personal Website
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #16 on: November 25, 2022, 08:28:19 PM »
Nice work.  You can also use a three cornered file to adjust things if necessary.

Jim

Offline ettoreR

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 58
Re: Seeking cheek piece decorative edge moulding advice
« Reply #17 on: December 03, 2022, 06:28:28 AM »
I am at the point in “building” my Kibler SMR that everything is fitted and sanded and is ready for whiskering. I know the SMR is intended to be a sort of plain, nothing fancy kind of rifle, but I just can’t leave the “trapezoid” part of the cheekpiece undecorated. I have seen plain old saw kerfs that look fine, but am really enamored with the ones with sort of an ogee moulding, or other three dimensional effects. I’ve got “the Art of Building the Pennsylvania Longrifle” and “The Gunsmith of Grenville County” and couldn’t find much about this little detail. Would you go about this with a scratch stock, or carving tools?

I generally use a combo of files, sandpaper wrapped around various shapes, and saws. Use the saw to cut a straight line then alter that to your desired shapes with knives, scrapers etc. Finish it off with sandpaper. Anything can be a scraper if your determined enough. Save the scratch stock for things like butt and fore arm moldings, it can work, but it will be finicky and you'll still need to clean the final result up
« Last Edit: December 03, 2022, 09:41:22 AM by ettoreR »