Building a 1750s English fowler

[dave_person]

Hi,
Wrist plate is done and inlet.

dave

 

[Artificer]

That's pretty. Are you going to engrave your initials in the wrist escutcheon?

Gus

 

[mamero]

Your skill is evident my man, amazing work so far

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Thanks for looking. Gus, I will engrave my monogram "P" which will cover over the old engraving picked up by the casting. It will coincide exactly because the old monogram was also a "P". The inlet picture above does not really show the extent the plate is inlet and it also has a lot of messy inletting black around the edges. This photo gives a better sense of it.

dave

 

[Rifleman1776]

Breath taking beautiful. I love this avocation more for the preservation of history and skills than anything else. :bow:

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Thanks Frank. Well I got the shell carving done today. I painted the stock with dilute stain I intend to eventually use. It is part of my whiskering and finishing process. During my final carving and scraping, I scrape away the stain and it shows me where I've missed scraping. It also shows up scratches and tool marks difficult to see. The shell came out OK.

dave

 

[stubshaft]

Very, very nice :hatsoff:

 

[Artificer]

Hi Dave,

With sincere respect of your humility, the shell came out much better than simply "OK."

That fowler is shaping up to be a real Lady.

Gus

 

[Davemuzz]

Ghee.....if my "Ok" comes out like that......I'll be thrilled!!!

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Well the stock is pretty much done and ready for silver wire inlay. After the wire work I will do a final cleanup, then stain and finish. While drying, I will engrave the hardware.

dave

 

[Col. Batguano]

Are you going to go with one of those super fine finishes, like you see these days on fine English guns? I understand those can take months to apply, and dozens upon dozens of coats rubbed back about 98% between them.

 

[dave_person]

Hi David,
No. Those finishes are appropriate for late flint and percussion era British guns, guns from the 1820s and later. My fowler represents a gun from the 1750s and the proper finish is an oil varnish with a satin gloss but not the rubbed back glass finishes of later British guns. British styles changed over time just like American longrifles. One would never think of building a pre-Rev War longrifle but carve, finish and engrave it like Melchior Fordney?

dave

 

[Col. Batguano]

You're absolutely right in your analogy. You've built a fair number of English guns, so if anyone would know what is correct or not, it would be you. Have you EVER done one of those finishes before (on a gun it would be appropriate for)? It seems to me they wouldn't lend themselves very well to guns with any carving on them other than some checkering (that would be re-cut right before the last coat went on).

 

[dave_person]

Hi David,
Yes, I have on 2 half-stocked percussion rifles from the late flint era. I am starting a late flint English half-stocked rifle right now that will have a fine rubbed finish. It will be checkered and engraved but no carving.

dave

 

[Col. Batguano]

Are you able to get to the same level as the fine London Shoppes in your finish (Boss, Purdey, Holland and Holland)?

It seems to me that those guys are able to do the level of work that they do because they are specialized and that's ALL that they do. Guys like us that have to build the whole gun and cover everything can't possibly have the experience or expertise that they do. But, if there is anyone that MIGHT be able to come close, it would be you.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
It took me a few days to work out my designs for wire and inlay on the stock. I want to add the silver inlay wire to connect decorated portions of the gun but I don't want to obscure the fabulous figure in the wood. Most British sporting guns with wire inlay are extensively covered with some exceptions. I am going to use the main lines inspired by original work but restrain the coverage to use the figure in the wood to advantage. It is a balancing act. First, I work out the design on paper and then transfer the design to the wood using artist graphite transfer paper. With a simple design, I just draw it on the wood but as a design becomes more complex, I resort to drawing it on paper and transferring it to the wood. With the basic design transferred to the stock and darkened using a pencil, I inlet the silver inlays first. Small inlays are hard to trace on the wood and I used to glue them in place with a dab of wood glue and then trace them when the glue dried. It worked OK, but after moving to Vermont I visited Dave Price. He showed me a much easier way. Following Dave's advice, I tape the inlay in place and then place a thin metal ruler on top. I tap the ruler with a small hammer and the inlay dents the wood, marking the outline. Then I just use my micro chisels to cut the mortice for the inlay. Small inlays will just be glued but larger ones may be anchored by silver pins and glue. I like my inlays to be just proud of the wood when finished like many originals.

dave

 

[Rifleman1776]

I just use my micro chisels to cut the mortice for the inlay.

just? I love the just part.
Some have the art in their hands to do that. Some don't. Like myself. I once put some inlays on my (then) new TC 'hawken' and posted the results in Muzzle Blasts. :redface: Big misteak. Should not have done that. A month or so later a genuine artisan wrote an article for MB that was dedicated to me explaining how to do inlays. Did I say that was embarrassing? :wink: :redface:

BTW, Dave that is mind blowing beautiful work. :bow:

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
I got some wire work done today.

dave

 

[Artificer]

Wow, looking great.

OK, just HAVE to ask, is that face of a Devil/Demon or some kind of Cat?

Also, do you glue the larger silver inlet pieces into the stock?

Gus

 

[dave_person]

Hi Gus and Frank,
Thanks for looking and the nice comments. Gus, the demon head is actually a satyr. If you look at wrist plate, you also see a satyr head looking at a bunch of grapes on the vine. They were party hardy animals and symbols of excess. Very popular with the wealthy sportsman of the day.

dave