Carving

[smylee grouch]

I like this carving design. It fills the space well and does not look too busy or over the top.

[Matt Evans]

I’m really not a fan of a lot of carving or inlay on guns, but in my opinion this is very tastefully done. I’m now considering a carved Woodsrunner for my next assembly.

[B Shipman]

OK' I've got to get into this. First of all the whole concept of producing a rifle that 10 year old can put together does not make you a gunmaker.  It's the product of a talented engineer who went beyond what ever he learned in college as an engineer. And became one of the most talented and original makers in the country. How many people has it brought into muzzleloading with a great rifle to start with. The flow and shading of the carving is not only exceptional-it's identifiable-from across a room.

I just finished a carved woodsruner. I put it together in shootable condition in 1 1/4 hours. That can be cut in half. Other than the box. The box slowed me down. too tight. 2 hours getting the right slop and snik with the release. Just a little thought required.

I think I will put on items for sale and see what happens albeit with some additions.  Call it professional risk. On a site of gun builders-not buyers.

[Daryl]

Well spoken, Bill.

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Well, Jim, as the old adage goes, "You can't please everybody, so why try". I build what I'm paid to build, whether I like the style or not. Seems to me you're selling a lot of Woodsrunners, both fancy and plain. I say keep up the good work.
Semper Fi

[bob in the woods]

I like it. So do a lot of others. If you really don't like it, purchase the rifle without the carving option and do it yourself.  How this has become a contentious issue is beyond me 

[Birddog6]

Jim Kibler. 

It will never please the HC/PC police, if that is a quest.  They are people I will never understand.  They get on sites stating this is wrong, that is wrong, & You are wrong, etc. because it is not PC/HC. The original they saw in a book was like this.......... Like we can see the other 300-500 lost rifles the guy may have made & Only One 1 survived ??   He may have built 14 variations of that Same Rifle.
  Then they BUY a precarved stock, lock, barrel, sights, Everything to assemble that rifle, & theirs is HC/PC cause they assembled it ?  but that is OK. YOU are still wrong. 

I say it's a dang fine looking rifle & I know I would be proud of it. Better than I could
build. The dang finish is awesome too.  Someone mention the ? $400 to carve it may be a tad much.  I won't carve one for $ 400,  & they would not either if they could carve.

Its a very nice rifle, regardless of any negative responses. 

You have made a Considerable contribution to the ML world & I appreciate it.

[Howard]

In June I had the privilege of visiting Jim's shop after leaving the KRA. I was amazed at what he has done. He has proved and improved and reinvented the gold standard on what a long rifle should look like and at a very reasonable price. My hat off to the standards you have set. You should be proud of your product!!

[Tumbledown]

We need "like" buttons...

Why?
If you like it, just type “I like it”

Then we end up with a dozen extra comments in the thread.

[canadianml1]

Having completed three JK's I second Howard's comment!!!

[Bob Roller]

Some carving is so extreme that it probably took more time than making a rifle of any kind.Personally,I think it's OK but I don't want it.
When I came into this forum it was Taylor Sapergia who read my pedigree and I do have a preference for the Eastern caplock rifles made by Whitmore and other Eastern makers.I had Leonard Meadows build a very Southern long rifle with a 44" barrel  and he asked me if I wanted any carving and I said "None at all".It was on a wall rack with my own Whitmore with lock scope sight plus a Whitworth 451 that was a full match rifle for long range in semi military configuration.I have never owned a carved engraved gun except for a Holland&Holland side by side breech loader and it was on the smae rack as the 3 muzzle loaders

[Mule Brain]

I like some carving, but less than comes on the runner. I am not a fan of those small straight lines in the carving area. That being said, the products coming out of the Kibler shop, are light years ahead of what
Kit producers offered. I have only put together a couple, and it was a joy, compared to other work I have done