In the spirit of full disclosure, this is my second longrifle. I chose to build it as a learning tool. I spent my free time last winter reading and drawing from a book called "the acanthus leaf" by M. May. She is an old world trained master carver. I drew many many leaves two winters back wearing out more erasers than pencils in the process. This rifle displays Italian, Greek and Roman type leafs and vines. I began the carving this winter. A 3mm V tool and a 6mm fishtail did most of the heavy lifting.
The stain is a 50% cut Lancaster Maple I purchased from TOW.
I did the engraving on this but I have trouble in that I suffered a firearm explosion many years back and only have a working pinky on my left hand. I have some difficulty angling and rotating the chisel because of this. c'est la vie! I have done the best I have been enabled to do.
I just completed putting a gold band about 1/2 or so back from muzzle. It took three tries. Thank God for a good TIG welder to add back what I should not have taken off! The screws are now all fire blued and engraved (Bolt head and bolt end where visible.
I plan on browning the barrel with Mark Lee's rust browning. I had made a jig for setting up the correct height to drill through pins in the stock on swamped barrels and decided to brown it. I heated, applied solution and cooled it in snow. Gave a beautiful violet red plum brown. I am hoping for that result again...
Looks like I may need to sweep that floor so too.
I truly appreciate the comments. BTW Acer helped me some time back with a suggestion to narrow up the patchbox side plates. A tip of the hat to him. It made them look more lacy to my eye.
During this build I dealt with Thyroid cancers, a torn retina, both cataracts "repaired", a the deaths of several close friends and a parent. Building and learning are great consolers. (And only marginally more expensive than Therapy!) You all are appreciated more than you may realize. God Bless!
