Appropriate carving for a Woodsrunner era Kibler kit?

KH · Nov 8, 2024

Hello All,
As I wait for my Kibler Woodsrunner kit, I am interested to learn what sort of carving is appropriate to that era?
I’d like to teach myself to do it if not on this rifle then the next one. I would just want the carving to be somewhere in the right timeframe for the gun.
Where might I find photos or reference to see period correct carvings?
Would wire inlay have existed at that time?
Thanks for any advice on where to start this learning curve.

Art Caputo · Nov 8, 2024

I would lean towards a simple C scroll type carving like the carving options for the Woodsrunner offered by Jim Kibler…Check out his samples shown on his web site. They appear to be period correct…1770’s-1780’s.
https://kiblerslongrifles.com/products/woodsrunner-rifle-kit-pre-order

PathfinderNC · Nov 8, 2024

Ethan Yazel (“I Love Muzzleloading.com“) did a very good job on his Woodsrunner (which was his first attempt at it!). It has a wonderful warm and original feel to it that I would love to emulate. I’m sharing photos which he posted in the ALR Forum.

Capt. Jas. · Nov 8, 2024

KH said:
Hello All,
As I wait for my Kibler Woodsrunner kit, I am interested to learn what sort of carving is appropriate to that era?
I’d like to teach myself to do it if not on this rifle then the next one. I would just want the carving to be somewhere in the right timeframe for the gun.
Where might I find photos or reference to see period correct carvings?
Would wire inlay have existed at that time?
Thanks for any advice on where to start this learning curve.

Have you seen the carving on the original Woodsrunner?

simonbeans · Nov 8, 2024

I did this one with the original Woodsrunner in mind.

KH · Nov 8, 2024

PathfinderNC said:
Ethan Yazel (“I Love Muzzleloading.com“) did a very good job on his Woodsrunner (which was his first attempt at it!). It has a wonderful warm and original feel to it that I would love to emulate. I’m sharing photos which he posted in the ALR Forum.

Wow, impressive for a first attempt I’d say. I like the simple, subtle look and the use of dots /dashes her and there.

KH · Nov 8, 2024

Capt. Jas. said:
Have you seen the carving on the original Woodsrunner?

I have not and would love to see the original inspiration for what Jim Kibler has drawn from.

KH · Nov 8, 2024

simonbeans said:
I did this one with the original Woodsrunner in mind.
View attachment 360795
View attachment 360796

That’s beautiful! I like that look a whole lot.
Nice job.

nchawkeye · Nov 9, 2024

The original.

nchawkeye · Nov 9, 2024

My attempt..

reddogge · Nov 9, 2024

simonbeans said:
I did this one with the original Woodsrunner in mind.
View attachment 360795
View attachment 360796

That's a beautiful and tasteful job.

Eric Krewson · Nov 9, 2024

I intended to carve a few of my rifles until I got out some maple boards to practice my carving on, it quickly became obvious that I had no business messing up a perfectly good rifle with feeble attempts at carving. I decided my plain rifles were a step up from anything I would try to put carving on.

Practice a lot before you touch your Kibler with any carving tools.

KH · Nov 9, 2024

Nice job nchawkeye, and thanks for the pics of the original. That’s what I was looking for.

KH · Nov 9, 2024

Absolutely agree with you, Eric, about practicing before messing up a beautiful piece of wood. I am a perfectionist and tend to not “pull the trigger” so to speak, on anything until I feel 100 percent confident in what I’m about to do. Sometimes I feel it’s a curse because I have to research things to death before I jump in.

Bucolic Buffalo · Nov 9, 2024

Get a scrapbook and a stack of pencils. Draw. Draw, draw, and draw. C's, S's, circles, organic shapes, and lines. Draw till you are sick of drawing. And then draw more. And study older muzzleloaders in books. You want to be able to perfectly draw those shapes.

Get a practice stock. Kibler sells one. Maybe others do. Draw your shapes on it. You can erase and draw again. Then start learning to sharpen your chisels. Keeping practicing at that until they are scary sharp. Start carving.

There are some classes, and videos. Those will help.

JohnBHM · Nov 9, 2024

I looked up as many photos of originals as I could before deciding what I wanted. I also got together a number of good quality carving tools. I started practicing on some scraps with a couple of basic tools and added different once I figured out what I was trying to accomplish. It helped me build confidence completing an old T/C kit that cost $250 before cutting into the Woodsrunner.

KH · Nov 9, 2024

JohnBHM said:
I looked up as many photos of originals as I could before deciding what I wanted. I also got together a number of good quality carving tools. I started practicing on some scraps with a couple of basic tools and added different once I figured out what I was trying to accomplish. It helped me build confidence completing an old T/C kit that cost $250 before cutting into the Woodsrunner.View attachment 360882 View attachment 360883 View attachment 360884 View attachment 360885 View attachment 360887 View attachment 360888 View attachment 360889

Man, that turned out really well. Nicely done. I like the subtle work on the patch box lid too.

Eric Krewson · Nov 10, 2024

You will do just fine KH because you have a solid game plan.

oreclan · Nov 10, 2024

PathfinderNC said:
Ethan Yazel (“I Love Muzzleloading.com“) did a very good job on his Woodsrunner (which was his first attempt at it!). It has a wonderful warm and original feel to it that I would love to emulate. I’m sharing photos which he posted in the ALR Forum.

Ethan also did about an hour long video on carving that Woodsrunner for a friend.

Norman Brooks · Nov 11, 2024

Woods Runner with what is close to what the original has for carving.

Appropriate carving for a Woodsrunner era Kibler kit?

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