As is said, “Well, hell.”

[Walaw717]

I haven’t posted lately since I was waiting for the gun kit I ordered, and all I heard was, “it is in transit,” “it is delayed,” etc., so I said enough. I canceled the Hawken kit and ordered one from Jim Kibler. It's a much different gun, but since I am not interested in being a re-enactor and want to build a gun and finish it for my soul, I ordered American and know I will get it.

I have continued to follow and read the posts on this forum and get the impression that we are all mostly older men who are out of place and in the wrong century. At least I know I feel that way about the 21st century. That we are drawn to these older types of guns, and many are drawn to the older forms of dressing and being, says a great deal about how we feel about the present. I know I am tired of wokeness, wealthy elitists, supply change issues, and the general mess we live through. I made it through the 1960s and 70s with his hippy-dippy leftist stuff. Should providence allow, I will live through this.

Currently, I work with active duty, combat veterans, and their families and deal with helping them to manage traumatic stress – theirs and mine. One of them has told me that we are already at war with China, we have been for a long time in a cyberwar, and our wealthy and much of our political class is behind the wokeness and undermining us to make more wealth for themselves. That sounds believable, but I know none of this woke stuff would fly in either Russia or China, so it does not make sense. All I know is that I need to turn closer to home to get the gun build I want. Maybe that is a good thing and part of the good lord pointing me to get away from all this cultural craziness.

I will still be around, hopefully sharing how the Kibler kit goes. I ordered the colonial in .58 and, after a great deal of thought, chose a smooth bore with a maple stock. I have thought long about how I should go, keeping it simple or ornamenting it with some carving. Been a lifetime since I did any wood carving, but I do know-how.

I think I will put together a Hawken in time but maybe look for an American-made kit to build it from parts. But I want to start with something simpler.

I am throwing this out to hear from you'all about your experiences building this colonial Kibler kit.

 

[frankie]

please post pictures of progress. I hope all goes great with it

 

[andy52]

I like your post and attitude and of course, your Tam being of Scottish descent. I do understand the feeling of being out of place in the 20th and 21st centuries. Unlike many people I have no problem spending days on end alone without getting lonely.

 

[Dave Marsh]

You will be very pleased with your choice. Kit goes together easily and looks great. I have one in 54 caliber with the fancy maple. 58 caliber was not available when I bought mine otherwise I would have gotten the 58. Just take your time in finishing and watch Jim's videos. If you run into any problems call Jim. You couldn't ask for a better company to deal with and it is all American owned and operated. Good luck and progress pictures are great.

Dave

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

Walaw, I think you speak for all of us. And I am one of the Vets that are glad someone is there like you. Vietnam did me in, so I walk funny now, have bad dreams, etc. But the VA now is as different as night is from day as to what it used to be. Lots of good, caring and respectful medical people, at least at Columbus OPCC! The 100% disability pay, started about 2 years ago, really helps me in this ML activity.
Like you, I am a man out of time - but I know that, were I in the same physical condition in the late 18th, early 19th Centuries, I would not survive. Still, I do enjoy making and using firearms and accouterments - they can lure me into ignoring all that woke-ness Liberal crap. And that, my friend, is a glorious thing.
We should chat some time. Thanks for re-appearing on the forum.

BTW, I believe you will be very happy with Jim and Katherine's products. IF I ever finish one of the 5 or 6 projects I am currently buried in, I want to get one his kits also. Has to be big bore, tho - I am enamored with large led PRB's.

 

[thomas]

Welcome to the forum.
Thomas

 

[Walaw717]

Walaw, I think you speak for all of us. And I am one of the Vets that are glad someone is there like you. Vietnam did me in, so I walk funny now, have bad dreams, etc. But the VA now is as different as night is from the day it used to be. Many good, caring, and respectful medical people, at least at Columbus OPCC! The 100% disability pay, which started about two years ago, really helps me in this ML activity.
Like you, I am a man out of time - but I know that I would not survive if I were in the same physical condition in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries; I would not stay. Still, I enjoy making and using firearms and accouterments - they can lure me into ignoring all that woke-ness Liberal crap. And that, my friend, is a glorious thing.
We should chat sometime. Thanks for re-appearing on the forum.

I believe you will be pleased with Jim and Katherine's products. IF I ever finish one of the 5 or 6 projects I am currently buried in, I want to get one of his kits. It has to be a big bore, tho - I am enamored with large-led PRBs.

I debated the smoothbore but weighing all the options and watching guys have to stop and precise rifles after every shoot was not appealing. Yes, it cleans well, but I want to enjoy shooting it as much as making it. Growing up in the land of the French and Indian War, I also knew that rifles were rarer than smoothbores "shotguns," and I grew up hunting mainly shotguns and deer slugs. >58 is still a pretty small gauge as a shotgun.

I don't directly work for the VA but get referrals. But yes, they are better

I enjoy everyone I help, but I reach a point at 70 that I listen to kids whose worse issue is being called a name and think, "I am glad you did not have to deal with what I dealt with" and mean it seriously and sincerely. I do find my old age was making it harder to accept their woke self-pity. However, I know that our role in everyday society is to be grandfatherly and listen and help them through it. I have done that for 30 years, and the energy I have left, I want to spend on people who have not been so fragile and help them cope with the levels of stress they have lived through.

 

[Walaw717]

Thanks to all who responded. Someone suggested that instead of bluing or browning, I use the antiquing material from Jim that he recommends for the metal. They said it would leave the barrel a soft grey like it has aged naturally for the white—any opinions. Saw the rifle in question, and it was neither blue nor grey but had a very soft sheen. I am also trying to decide if to do the nitrate process or simply a penetrating maple stain like the one he posts on his sight. I want the curl to show but not quite so loudly and dramatically. All suggestions will be given thought. I want a finish for a simple frontier hunter of no great wealth but something that would not be bottom of the line for the period, so some minimal orientation appeals with a look like a couple of seasons living in the rough n the old northwest living rough. A natural patina that is soft.

 

[Dave Marsh]

I am a plus one on using Jim's antiquing material. It turned out very nice. I used the nitrate process and love the look. Once again good luck.

 

[Jim]

. . . . Someone suggested that instead of bluing or browning, I use the antiquing material from Jim that he recommends for the metal. They said it would leave the barrel a soft grey like it has aged naturally for the white—any opinions. . . . . .

I wonder if “Navel Jelly” would give bright steel the desired “soft gray” appearance.

 

[Walaw717]

I wonder if “Navel Jelly” would give bright steel the desired “soft gray” appearance.

I think the opposite. Naval jelly is a rust remover, rust is a form of tarnish on metal. Any other thoughts on this ? Anyone?

 

[The Crisco Kid]

If you give the clean metal a good coat of cold blue and then use the naval jelly to remove it you will get a grey color. Keep in mind that if you don't like it and want to go with a brown or blue you will have to remove every bit of the naval jelly coloring. Is it a phosphate coating? I don't remember.

 

[hawkeye2]

Naval Jelly is a mild acid and will etch the metal which may not be desirable specially if you are planning to go to a different finish. It does leave the metal a uniform dull gray.

 

[Walaw717]

Does not sound like a good plan then to use naval jelly.

 

[Hawk54]

I like the grey finish look. It looks clean but used. Don't like the antique look where they actually pit the metal.

 

[Walaw717]

I like the grey finish look. It looks clean but used. Don't like the antique look where they actually pit the metal.

Same here. To me a sign of a careless rifleman

 

[Steve Martin]

My two cents worth - I have done all of my flintlocks in a slightly dull bare metal finish. I even removed all the brown from a Northwest Trade gun I bought and did it as a slightly "aged" bare metal as well. I believe from all my reading that the vast majority of the guns we all are building or buying replicas of, would have also had only a bare metal finish. I just don't think a lot of the average owners cared to spend the time or the money to have their guns browned. I know that some did but I question if the majority bothered to do so. I vote for using Jim's bare metal finish.

 

[UndeadPoet]

Welcome, from North Carolina! Look forward to pictures of your build.

 

[zerosprk]

Hi and welcome from northern New Mexico. Thanks for what you do! You'll like that Colonial to be sure.

If you can hang for a while on the hawken, Jim Kibler has one somewhere on that long journey from idea to production if you didn't know that already.

 

[William Lincoln]

Look forward to see your progress. It is good to keep traditions alive. Plus these
old guns kill many deer these days as well.. Older men often enjoy the thinner slice of life.
We do not need big firepower unless serving our country. Muzzle-loaders are
safer for loved ones to be around--and safer if you have a mentally challenged love
one. You cannot keep everything locked away all the time. The loading sequences
for a muzzle-loader are a safety factor in and of itself. Then you have the people
involved in the sport. They are the more careful considerate types on average.
Appreciation of history is another feature of character you find with muzzle-loaders.
Quite a lot of hen pecking and dwelling upon these guns goes on. Over a life span
people often go in and out this sporting tradition. Be sure to join the NMLRA and NRA.
Post as you build-along with your thoughts. Building gets very addicting.