Years ago…what wood working skills I have….. came from building Kentucky longrifles from scratch. These guns usually averaged 180 hours of tedious carving and scraping and finishing. I do not finish my stairways as I do these rifles…because if I did….I would go bankrupt doing so. The cost would double the stairways price. But…..it would be nice to find a client one time willing to pay for an all out treatment. For now…the stairways finish is left to the owner/contractor.
The reason being is that I would try to finish it like these rifles. The steps are sanding down through 100….150…220…320…..then 0 steel wool….00 steel wool…000 steel wool…finally 0000 steel wool.
This is followed by burnishing with a cotton sock on my hand until the wood is hot.
Next comes the chromium trioxide acid that burns in the curl into the wood. It will actually start the cotton rag smoking.
Finally comes the linseed oil treatment. One coat a day for a week. One coat a week for a month…and one coat a month for a year. Then an annual coat.
These pictures do not do the beautiful curly grain that GOD put into this wood…not Stan. My job was just to try to display what beauty is in nature.
Sorry for the C grade pictures.
Stan
Edited 11/6/2005 8:12 am ET by StanFoster
Edited 11/6/2005 8:13 am ET by StanFoster
Edited 11/6/2005 8:14 am ET by StanFoster
Replies
Stan
Beautiful, as one would expect from you!
Did you build the guns to shot or did you do it more for the sport of "building the gun"?
I own 4 old Kentucky long rifles, one is a late 1700's early 1800 flint lock that was converted to percussion. It has some of the most beautiful silver and brass inlay that I have seen in an old rifle. When I bought it at auction it had the leather pouch and a very early hand made (for lack of the proper term) mould for the lead ball.
I love anything in tiger maple so I've always been fascinated by the Kentucky long rifle.
Doug
Doug: I used to shoot these rifle in state and national matches. I just now hunt with them.
Stan
Beautiful!
Try shoting the rifle against a neutral (gray) background; the auto color correction in you camera has messed up the color balances.
Also, lighting objects with a high gloss can be tricky.
Good work. I like to make stocks for rifles too, but mine are modern--first one was a .220 Swift in myrtle wood (yellow). Second was an 03-A3 .30-06 Springfield in walnut. I started a .45-70 cavalry carbine stock, in maple, in the style where the stock goes all the way to the end of the barrel, about 15 years ago and never got very far--still have to inlet the barrel!
Jeepers. I'd struggle with a decent looking slingshot.
Some guys are talented enough to cross that line from carpenter/woodworker to artist. You're a shining example of one of those folks.
Nice work Stan!!
as always
How much one of those go for??
50 bucks???
Mr. T. MOTOL
"They keep talking about drafting a constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it's worked for over 200 years, and we're not using it anymore."
-- George Carlin
"I think natural selection must have greatly rewarded the ability to reassure oneself in a crisis with complete bull$hit."
I'm Swiss!
Mr. T ....the last rifle I made for sale was in 1983. I sold it for $2500.00. It was purely for the love of building...and not monetary as is obvious.
Stan
Well, now I really am screwed, your art is impeccable, I can't even compete. but ya can't play "proud mary" on a rifle..or can ya? Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
" it is your reflection , silly" ..Dare I say?
>but ya can't play "proud mary" on a rifle..or can ya?
"Smoke on the Water".Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix
http://www.vocalperformers.com/JoyceWerry.htm
Stan, Beatiful work! Is that an actual working flintlock mechanism?
Allen: It is a real working flintlock. They are very accurate and awesome to shoot.
Stan
I forgot to post the rifles little brother...a Kentucky pistol. I made this in 1982 and it hangs on my wall.
Stan
2 more questions Stan.......where did you get the mechanisms and is the barrel rifled?
Allen: The lock part is a Siler lock. I bought it at a muzzleloading shoot. The barrel is rifled as well. I did not rifle the barrel but the procedure to do so is very interesting.
Stan
Thought you might be interested in seeing these. Dad took a class from a guy in Springfield where they built a rifle from scratch. But before Dad could get the thing done, the guy's unit was activated and he was sent to Iraq. So I don't know if Dad will finish the thing or not. This is how I looked while I was out at the farm for Christmas. I don't know what kind of rifle it's supposed to be. If you do, maybe you can fill us all in some.
Hiking in the woods without taking any food is no picnic.
Boss: Thats another version of a Kentucky longrifle..in maple. It would be nice to have it finished. Would look nice on the wall or bringing in a deer with it.
Stinky: This gyrocopter I am building now is by far the most dedicated I have been to any one project. I knew it going in...and really have enjoyed it. But it takes a lot of discipline to keep the project from going into a several year ordeal. I actually am way ahead of where I thought I would be by now. I should have it all wired sometime next month.
Stan
That's beautiful. I would love to be in on something like that. The tiger maple, or curly maple was used alot to make those stocks origionally.
When I was a kid, one of Dad's best friends was a collector of real antique firearms. There was not alot of reproductions done then as there is today. Anyhow, we used to go out to "Harry's farm" and shoot the old muzzle loaders whenever we could. He had everything on up to the Enfield & Springfield standard issue for WW1. My favorite to shoot was the longrifle much like you show here, except this was an origional. They were heavy but because of their length, you could hold a steady and true aim without a problem and they were very accurate. The muskets were fun to shoot, but the real kicker (and I mean it) was when we would fire the Sharps .50. I only did that a few times.
The Kentucky longrifle interestingly enough was actually developed in Pa and called the Pennsylvania longrifle before it went ver to the Bluegrass state.
This brings back many good memories for me.
Is the Sharps .50 cal the gun used in the "Quigly Down Under" movie?
thanks
Derrick ...tighten it til it strips then back it of a quarter turn...
Never saw Quigley Down Under.
The Sharps was developed in the mid 1800's and the factory was eventually set up in West Philadelphia. It was made as a stronger, more rugged weapon than the muzzle loaders giving a much greater accuracy and longer range with a bigger punch. It was also a breech loading gun which made it much easier for the user. It was quickly scooped up by the military and at one time was considered by many experts to be the finest sidearm made. The Sharps is one of the few weapons of legend that came out from the War Between The States. It was also very popular as a buffalo rifle because of its power.
Yes."A bore is a man who, when you ask him how he is, tells you." -Bert Taylor
Is that a barq o lounger or a strat o lounger?
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Don't really know. It's Dad's recliner, and I'm not allowed to sit in it.(-:
The La-Z-Boy... this is very flattering, isn't it? Why don't we just call it the half-conscious-deadbeat-with-no-job-home-all-day-eating-Cheetos-and-watching-TV recliner? [Jerry Seinfeld]
LOL..I need one. this milk crate in front of the wood stove is getting old fast.
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Nice... If he decides he's not going to finish it and he's looking for a good home for it, please let me know. I built one a few years ago, and I've been looking for another one to work on... What caliber is it? Flintlock or percussion?
I think he WANTS to finish it. But the guy who was running the class got sent over to Iraq. Once the guy gets back they will likely pick up where they left off. If Dad never finishes it I might take a crack at it.
Q: What's the definition of "teenager"?
A: God's punishment for enjoying sex.
It's a blast. Have fun with it!!
Stan, What takes more skill, building the gyrocopter or the rifle?. stinky