Custom Left Hand Full Stock Hawken

[jdkerstetter]

If he's serious about buying a custom Hawken I suggest that he ask Taylor to quote him the price of a new build. If you are not aquainted with a person I feel asking what he charged a given customer for a given gun is just bad form.

J.M.2.C. Enjoy, J.D.

 

[Eric M]

This is my understanding as well concerning flints and hawkens. I have also heard that they were built, however, there are no originals to prove this.

 

[Dave Marsh]

+1. Hawkens were percussion in my understanding.
:thumbsup:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Why not just make contact with Taylor and ask him what the original price with the two locks and two barrels was? You have a link to his blog plus he posts on ALR all the time.

No point to doing that. I really don't care. I congratulate him on getting top dollar. It is free enterprise. And, despite what many consider a lot of money for custom guns it is less known that many builders do not live high. It is tough to make a living as a custom ml builder. One of the best recently passed away. I know that in his last years he got by largely by the help of his friends.
As for getting top dollar. I never mastered that part of marketing. I know one person who is a fairly well known ml builder. He also does fine scrimshaw. He once scrimed a pair of grips on a 1911 for an NBA star and charged thousands for what usually would be hundreds of dollars. How one gets clients like that is beyond my knowledge. I make some items, not ml related, that i would like to sell for big bucks but just don't know how to reach the big spenders. :idunno:
So, good for Mr. Taylor. But, I ain't paying the big bucks.

 

[Dean2]

Here is another example of Taylor's work. It started as a Chambers Issac Haines Kit that Taylor did all the finish work on. Quoted price to replicate this is $5,500. Given the carving, inlay's, patch box etc, it casts a lot of doubt on the vendor's claimed price of $7,000 for the very plain 2 Barrel Hawken. I would consider $5,500 a reasonable price for this product from a custom builder. The guy really does do nice work.

 

[jdkerstetter]

There you go Dean. Seams as though you've put your own mind to rest. Enjoy, J.D.

 

[Dean2]

There you go Dean. Seams as though you've put your own mind to rest. Enjoy, J.D.

Yes I think I might have. That said, from the info Taylor supplied it appears it takes two to three months to do a rifle like the last one I posted pictures of. I think I have to agree with Dan P on the pay rate for top rend custom builders. Out of the 5,500 quoted he would have at least a $1,000 in material costs. If I only earned 4,400 for two months work, let alone three, I would definitely find another job.

I don't know what else Taylor does to make ends meet but if he earns all his money building guns she would be a pretty spartan life style.

These guys have to do it for the love of the work because big pay certainly isn't the attraction. Have to respect that level of artistry and dedication.

 

[54ball]

http://www.daytraco.com/images/rifles1.jpg

Note rifle #1

From 1818 to the mid 30s there had to have been some flintlocks made.

 

[jdkerstetter]

Good catch Travis. Enjoy, J.D.