Don't Carve That Stock!

[PathfinderNC]

Yes....based on what though?

Compared to what though?

You're opinion or real world examples of original work be they good or bad?

I mean, "contemporary" covers everything from the mediocre amateur work you're condemning here to actual craftsman created art work to what I consider fake CNC machined carvings the furthest thing possible from hand carved art.

If we are traditionalist here, should we not understand how and why the originals were done and emulate that in our work?

Goofy characters on powder horns are ok, but imperfect carvings on rifle stocks are not?

What's the base line to judge this by?

Oh my.

 

[11th corps]

Which is not the point of the discussion.

In your original post you said bad carving ruins a gun.
No, it doesn't.
Unless the aesthetic is more important to the owner then the function.

 

[The Appalachian]

Oh my.

That's what I figured.

 

[JeffG]

I came to the conclusion a while back, I'm not a wood carver. So my stocks are smooth.

 

[PathfinderNC]

That's what I figured.

That's what I figured.

Good, glad you got it

 

[nchawkeye]

Well, look at the scratchings on period powder horns. Nothing short of cartoonish cat scratches if viewed through an artists eye. We can easily say most of them were done sitting around a campfire....yet we often bend over backwards to duplicate that exact look.

Two totally different things, powder horns could and were carved on by the owner, not the long rifles produced in the period that we see relief carvings on.

 

[PathfinderNC]

In your original post you said bad carving ruins a gun.
No, it doesn't.
Unless the aesthetic is more important to the owner then the function.

Yup. And you can chop up your gun with all the terrible carving you want and make it “yours”. And it will be “special”.

 

[Coot]

Yup. And you can chop up your gun with all the terrible carving you want and make it “yours”. And it will be “special”.

There is use and there is abuse. Nothing wrong with honest use, but a gun that has been abused in one way likely has other issues as well. I was brought up with the understanding that if you were fortunate enough to have a gun, that you took good care of it.

 

[Oldbear63]

It is more likely that a nicely selected and well carved piece of wood on a masterpiece gun would survive to today than a rough hunter's gun with crude carving. We might be missing a lot of crudely carved historical pieces because they were used as metal scrap and firewood.

 

[Polecat_Tom]

I would suggest studying original work. Few take this advice. This doesn't mean thumbing through a book and calling it good. It requires hours and hour and hours of study. Break the design apart and try to understand how it was made. Start to appreciate what works well to the eye and what doesn't. I honestly don't know why few choose to study originals. It shows in most of the carving I see done today.

I appreciate a finely carved gun and I would love to have the instant gratification of being able to do it. But in reality I don't have that ability. I have looked at photos and can't tell the depth of the carvings. I have looked at the Kibler carving model that you sell and that helps some. In my area, I don't have the opportunity locally to see and feel original rifles. With me only wanting to carve one it doesn't make sense to me to invest that much time and energy to learn and so I will leave carving to those that have that ability and my guns will forever be plain Janes.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I appreciate a finely carved gun and I would love to have the instant gratification of being able to do it. But in reality I don't have that ability. I have looked at photos and can't tell the depth of the carvings. I have looked at the Kibler carving model that you sell and that helps some. In my area, I don't have the opportunity locally to see and feel original rifles. With me only wanting to carve one it doesn't make sense to me to invest that much time and energy to learn and so I will leave carving to those that have that ability and my guns will forever be plain Janes.

Buy the KRA CDs. You'll learn what carving looks like in 100x magnification. I highly recommend them.

 

[Old-Duckman]

In your original post you said bad carving ruins a gun.
No, it doesn't.
Unless the aesthetic is more important to the owner then the function.

Why can’t you have both? Aesthetics are important to me, a botched up job detracts from any firearm regardless of its accuracy or lack there of.

 

[The Appalachian]

Two totally different things, powder horns could and were carved on by the owner, not the long rifles produced in the period that we see relief carvings on.

I suspect flntlokr01 is more right, and oldbear63 above as well.

I suspect that a lot of early carving was done by bored fellows personalizing their guns while sitting around campfires, so wouldn't necessarily be very well done.

 

[PathfinderNC]

I appreciate a finely carved gun and I would love to have the instant gratification of being able to do it. But in reality I don't have that ability. I have looked at photos and can't tell the depth of the carvings. I have looked at the Kibler carving model that you sell and that helps some. In my area, I don't have the opportunity locally to see and feel original rifles. With me only wanting to carve one it doesn't make sense to me to invest that much time and energy to learn and so I will leave carving to those that have that ability and my guns will forever be plain Janes.

And note that not all guns need to be carved! It’s a matter of taste and talent in many regards.
Of my various flintlock long guns, my tending favorite is the Fusil de Chase; a very plain and functional gun but with an overall design that is just delightful in my eyes (and not to mention that it is a hoot to shoot!) Some things are beautiful in their own simplicity and there’s not very much to add that could make them more so.

 

[Graybeard2A]

The biggest problem that results in a poor job, is lack of understanding of the golden mean. If you can't draw a flowing design correctly with no flat spots, don't try to put it on a gun. When I was being taught engraving, I was put to work drawing designs on paper for a month before I was permitted to put a graver to metal. The actual execution can be a bit crude, as long as the artistic expression is done correctly.

You don't need to practice on a gun stock. Make cribbage boards, walking sticks, any piece of wood you can get your hands on, you can practice your drawing and carving skills.

I believe that's what everyone is trying to get across to newbies.

 

[Kmcmichael]

For me, the purpose of carving is for the user to look at it while waiting for his quarry. Maybe what he would do next time etc.

I did have a friend that was a pretty serious 3D carver which I wish I had learned from before he passed.

 

[Brokentaileddog]

My dear old Dad did checkering on modern rifles for about 30 yrs. , as a hobby , because he loved doing it. He had a small bench set up next to the furnace in the cellar. He would checker many evenings after work . I watched him work , but I had no desire to do the hours of repetitious lines it took to do checkering. He did. His work was flawless.

Great skill with someone who took pride in their work .My father was the same he did auto body work his entire life started out in the late 40s using lead he always told me you only get paid to lick a calf once and that's the same way I do my business...He instilled pride and quality in work and I do the same quality before quantity..

 

[waksupi]

Are completely uncarved rifles from pre 1800 historically correct? For example, would a Kibler colonial with no carving be right, or was there a base level of carving that the kits don't have?

Think about Poor Boy rifles.

 

[JimFlint]

This is an attitude that really frustrates me. nobody gets to be good at something without practice. My carving and engraving is amateurish to be generous but I get better every time I try. it is not sophisticated or a beautiful design or well executed but at least I am making mistakes and learning. I am not great at building the rest of the gun either but if I let my limited skill stop me I would sit in front of a tv for the rest of my life never getting better at anything. I really wish someone would write a book on drawing and design for Longrifles. disregard the naysayers and give it a go.

The work you do is your expression and if it satisfices you, then that's all that matters. I happen to like it. Keep working at it.

 

[Coinneach]

Bnewberry...Here is my attempt at it, feel like I did pretty good on the carving but not as good on the background cleanup...View attachment 256038

Well sir IMHO that probably looks about as good as anything carved way back then, and thats not to say your craftmanship is sub standard.