favorite go to tools

[Chevythunderman]

For a beginner what is the best go to tool in your gun shop? I would have to say my magnifying light right now is my favorite but that's just because my technique is still pretty raw and need lots of light and help with my eyes.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

A 9 pound sledge.

Just kidding. I find myself using Iwasaki carving files for wood and a pile of metal files, and razor sharp chisels to be my go tos. If you can find OLDER Nicholson 49 and 50 rasps, get those. I have them and they are indispensable. Careful though, there delicate and pricey.

 

[Doug Lykins]

My eyes are not what they once were either. My go-to-tool is a set of 5X optivisors.

 

[wulf]

A Hammer. When the only tool you have is a hammer
you have to look at every problem as a nail.

 

[galamb]

Yes, if we don't count "reading glasses", then I would have to say it's one of my wood rasps.

Yes, plural - maybe because I often neglect the reading glasses I have eight or ten rasps, all identical, in strategic locations around my shop on various benches.

I think I could build 90% of gun with just the wood rasp - might have to try that sometime :grin:

 

[ehoff]

A pencil, handy for drawing and redrawing reference and layout lines. Marking that high or low spot when shaping. Writing down measurements or even the odd note to oneself on the stock.

 

[bushnell60]

My best go to tool is a checkering finish file. I have a old Herters brand hand checker tool that cuts 1 line. With it was a file to finish the end of the lines into the border line. It is a double ended round rod with small flat fish hook looking ends. One end has teeth on just the outside edge of the tiny hook and the other hook has file teeth lines on the sides. It will cut tiny circular lines, straight lines and clean up very small inlet areas. I just use it all the time for fine work.

 

[Tinker2]

For a beginner what is the best go to tool in your gun shop?

For a beginner:
Some how to do it books and DVD




Tinker

 

[Chevythunderman]

That's what I intended the thread for but after some of the responses I like how the thread kinda went to everyones go to tools.

My favorite chisel that I use is one that I made out of an old chainsaw file on the small end that I use to do finish work. I made the handle out of a deer horn that I had cut off to make a knife handle out of and was a small left over piece. I'm too cheap/broke to buy any high dollar chisels so I just make my own out of old files and screwdrivers. Probably would make my work a little easier to invest in some good store bought chisels but until then I'll just use what I have.

Another tool that gets a workout is my little Stanley finishing planer. I don't know what the model number is but its my little workhorse.

 

[Chevythunderman]

I use a pencil for everything also. I'll shade high spots and draw lines everywhere for my rough outlines. It has to be as sharp or sharper than my chisels. I also have a mechanical pencil for tracing out locks and such also. You can extend the lead down so it doesn't distort the area to be removed a whole lot. I find it a lot easier to use it than keeping a regular pencil or carpenters pencil lead long and slender from breaking.

 

[ehoff]

I agree in some areas a mechanical pencils is a good tool that doesn't get alot of mention. I keep two on my workbech along with an assortment of regular pencils.

 

[bubba.50]

I find a Nichols 4 in 1 rasp to be pretty indispensable.

 

[bjmac]

Could you post a pic, please?

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
1. No. 49 Nicholson pattern maker's rasp
2. straight and French curve scrapers
3. narrow bladed carving knife
4. set of palm chisels

dave

 

[MSW]

For a beginner what is the best go to tool in your gun shop?

For a beginner:
Some how to do it books and DVD




Tinker

got it in one!!
Recreating the American Longrifle, Buchele, et al
The Gunsmith of Grenville County, Peter Alexander (my personal favorite)
any of a wide variety of DVDs, including Jack Brooks' Beginning Carving

all of these are available from Track ... they seem pretty expensive, but if you add up the cost of parts you didn't ruin because you had the knowledge these books impart, it's a good bargain.

also, get a book on how to sharpen everything. you want your edges scary, neuro-surgery sharp... sharp enough to shave with is barely a minimum standard.

good luck with your project, and remember: the coolest toys are the ones you make for yourself!
:grin:

 

[Chevythunderman]

I've been building guns for a little while someone had approached me once at a shoot what my favorite go to tool was and I got to wondering what everyone elses favorites were just to get some difference of opinions.

The one thing I struggle with is sharpening of my chisels. I know they're by far not sharp enough but they work. I am gonna have to work on that.

 

[Treestalker]

Travis, back in my misspent youth I worked at a saw and knife shop in Beaumont, Texas. Part of my job was sharpening surgeons bone chisels. These were different widths with about 1/4" thick blades. Starting with a 1" thick 100 grit chromium trioxide wet turning stone, the edge was established in one plane from 1/4 " thick to razor edge on the flat side of the turning stone. then the blade was honed across the length of the flat plane on a large hard Arkansas stone by hand to 'samurai'. I sharpen my wood chisels on the side of a medium grit turning corborundum stone then finish with a fine corborundum bench stone by hand, then a stropping on smooth leather with jeweler's rouge. Buy the best steel chisels you can afford, you will not regret it. The ones I use most are 3/8ths and 1/8ths inch. Hope this helps. Geo. :thumbsup:

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have found the best way to sharpen chisels ( I am a retired tool and die maker and tool grinder) is the "scary sharp" method. It consists of a plate of heavy glass, wet/dry sand paper in various grits, and a honing guide to keep your angle constant. Before I retired many co-workers would bring me their knifes and chisels to sharpen and were surprised when I got out a large tool stone rather than using any of the big grinders to sharpen their tools.But since you most likely don't have a large enough tool stone use the glass plate and wet/dry sand paper. :idunno:

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I find 5 seconds on a buffing wheel to polish my edges up and get them sharp enough to shave your arm smooth.

 

[MSW]

I run across float glass from time to time in woodworking catalogs. here's a good alternative: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32526&cat=1,43513,51657
I would say forty buck well spent. if you use adhesive spray to stick the wet/dry sandpaper to the glass (or stone) you can remove it with a product called "Goof Off," which dissolves the adhesive.

a hunk of veg tanned leather will work well as a strop: bigger is better. I like jeweler's rouge. it is possible to overstrop and round the edge.

good luck with your project











(he's hooked now, for sure)