how do you begin to even try to figure out....

[necchi]

I built Rachel a smaller Kit Carson Hawken.

@Herb I honestly hope that Rachel will grow to learn what you have done and shared with her.
Your sharing, of your skill on our forum here,, is priceless. Thank you.

 

[Herb]

necci, that was kind of you. I really appreciate your comment. I got two degrees from the U. of Minn, 1957 and 1959. I have another engraving picture, on a powder horn. My niece, Lori, asked why girls couldn't get a ML rifle from me, so I made her one in .45 caliber, legal for deer hunting in Iowa, should she want to hunt.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Hi,
Keep in mind today's steel barrels and cast parts are much more difficult to cut than the wrought iron of the past. The famous Brescian iron filigree carvings would be really difficult with modern mild steel. In my opinion, carving metal is the hardest of all the decorative arts we apply to guns. From easiest to hardest, I rank common firearm decoration as follows: metal inlays, metal wire inlay, relief carving, incised carving, metal engraving, and finally, metal sculpting. Here is an example of carving wrought iron by one of the greatest barrel makers of all time, Nicholas Bis. Note the fine detail and crisp cuts. It is a first class example. However, let me focus your attention on a little trick used by Bis. Look at the areas below the carved leaves. They were shaded by single point stippling. That hides any roughness in cuts used to relieve the background. A simple trick, looks great, and is a short cut.

dave

Thanks Dave, as usual your great insight on Subjects...