Don't Carve That Stock!

[Juice Jaws]

...Unless you are good at it.
I've seen a lot of well made rifles, some even with very nice metal engravings, but then come the photos of the cheek piece or whatever, with some terribly done carvings (or more like attempts at carving).
Bad carving can absolutely ruin your fine gun.
Take the time to develop the skill, know your skill level and proceed with caution. It's better to leave it plain sometimes, honestly.
Cheers.

I have a hard enough time cutting my finger nails, I ain't carving on no gun stock

 

[ronaldrothb49]

The thing that makes gun carving trickier than furniture is that, generally, our American Long rifle carving is done in low relief, and furniture is done in high relief. The trick with low relief (max of 1/16" but most of it is much lower than that) is to make it LOOK like high relief in executing it. Under cutting and trenching around the the features so stain and finish can get under there is one way to make it appear higher. When you do high relief stuff you don't have to do that stuff as much because the features themselves are generally larger and don't need it as much.

From the examples I've seen over the years on this forum is that a lot of guys fall down on leveling their background planes around their features. You can often see the "digs" around the features. Scrapers and very small profile sanders can be very good tools for helping to get rid of it. I did too my first few attempts. Yeah, it's boring and time consuming. As mentioned previously, strong light from many angles can often help reveal it. Patience is a must have.

Another good reference book is Shipper's book "Engraving Historical Firearms." Lots of well done carving in that book to take references from (as well as the engraving).

John Schippers was a master at carving and engraving. Took his gun makers classes twice and got to watch him do engraving at several of the Conner Prairie Arms Makers Workshops back in the 90's. Used to love watching him engrave screw heads, I will never be able to do that.

 

[wganz]

A Dremel is not a carving tool!

A Dremel when used on a firearm should have an ATF Form 1 approved first to register it as a Destructive Device.

 

[PathfinderNC]

A Dremel when used on a firearm should have an ATF Form 1 approved first to register it as a Destructive Device.

Unless you know how to use it. I use my Dremel to carve out my lock mortises. Does that count?

 

[acavdragoon]

Unless you know how to use it. I use my Dremel to carve out my lock mortises. Does that count?

Something like this?

 

[PathfinderNC]

Something like this?View attachment 277569

Kinda.

 

[wganz]

Unless you know how to use it. I use my Dremel to carve out my lock mortises. Does that count?

Guess I don't. Every time I've either used or seen one used on a firearm, it takes off like it was possessed by a malevolent spirit straight from a Stephen King novel. Alas, I keep mine unplugged lest it see an unmarred steel surface and induces it into a chip flinging fury.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Guess I don't. Every time I've either used or seen one used on a firearm, it takes off like it was possessed by a malevolent spirit straight from a Stephen King novel. Alas, I keep mine unplugged lest it see an unmarred steel surface and induces it into a chip flinging fury.

I hold mine with two hands and keep the work secure. You need to be aware of the wood grain orientation and the direction of the rotation of your sharp bit. If you go with the grain it can dig and sweep. If you’re cutting against the grain you can gouge and split.
I use mine extensively for making tuning scrolls for instruments and it’s great. It’s really just a matter of controlling the tool, just like any other. But, yeah, it can be easy to make a big mistake fast!

 

[acavdragoon]

Kinda.

The previous owner of my project apparently didn’t have the skill level you have! I have to clean up his mess but I’ll be using hand carving tools Instead….

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

There is a router assembly you can mount a Dremel on too. I have seen friends use it to inlet lock inards.

 

[PathfinderNC]

There is a router assembly you can mount a Dremel on too. I have seen friends use it to inlet lock inards.

Yup! Clay Smith uses one in a video he made where he is routing out for a side plate with the Dremel router too.

 

[acavdragoon]

Unless you know how to use it. I use my Dremel to carve out my lock mortises. Does that count?

You’re an exception, but definitely not the norm.

 

[reddogge]

I carve ducks, shorebirds, and fish and the only place I use a Dremel is to hollow out a fish's mouth. The rest are hand tools, the only things I can trust.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

Guess I don't. Every time I've either used or seen one used on a firearm, it takes off like it was possessed by a malevolent spirit straight from a Stephen King novel. Alas, I keep mine unplugged lest it see an unmarred steel surface and induces it into a chip flinging fury.

That has been my experience in the past trying to use one. My lady has one that she uses to work on the Jewelry she makes, It has an adjustable speed, I have used it on a couple things recently and found that I can have better control of it when it isn't going full blast. Thinking about getting one of the routing attachments to see how that would work on the lock inlet.

 

[Norman Brooks]

After inletting the lock plate using the appropriate chisels I use forstner bit to remove a lot of the wood, then clean up with chisels.

 

[wganz]

I hold mine with two hands and keep the work secure.

Unfortunately, years of bending over a hospital bed to lift > 400# bariatric (aka land whales) has taken its toll on my back & hands. The pinched nerves will cause my fingers to move on their own accord. From time to time, my right arm will jerk with such force that it’ll throw the computer’s mouse off the desk. I’ll have to get the jig + a new variable speed Dremel for any kit building. Ironically, being an RN is an extremely unhealthy profession.

Hospital staff in Texas had such a higher rate of back injuries than construction workers that the State of Texas passed a law mandating the use of mechanical lifts in hospitals & banning workers from lifting.

It’s now obvious, that I have to get a new Dremel + jig when I get that work bench this Saturday.