Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
Not yet. I want to get some more coats of oil on it before I add the bone black but we've had rain for the last 2 days so it's still curing and tried and true is very slow to dry in humid weather.
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Kibler Southern Mountain rifle kit and supplies arrived. It's going to be a fun build.
- Thread starter Hatchet-Jack
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That is one neet short starter.
How many coats of T&T are you planning on? In Jim's videos he shows it being added in stages over several coats.
Are you burnishing between every coat? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm studying for my build.
Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
I applied the initial 4 coats with 50/50 oil and turpentine. I burnished it once with a deer antler. Once it's completely dry I will continue to apply very thin layers of the TT oil (no turp mixed in) and burnish with 0000 steel wool and/or the antler between coats until all the pours are filled and it's smooth.How many coats of T&T are you planning on? In Jim's videos he shows it being added in stages over several coats.
Are you burnishing between every coat? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm studying for my build.
Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
After nearly a week the oil is finally "almost" completely cured. It's been so humid and wet here that I had to get creative. I ran a De-humidifier in my shop and surrounded the stock with light bulbs to warm it up. That sped things up. Today I hung an emergency blanket in my window to trap the heat from the Sun. I wouldn't do this when it is tacky, but now that it's hardening this is helping to ensure it's completely dried.
The lesson learned is that Tried and True Varnish takes forever to dry unless you let each very thin layer completely dry before applying the next, and humidity and lack of sun slows the drying down immensely.
Tomorrow I am going to French Grey/Antique the metal and assemble the rifle. I'm going to Friendship on Sunday to shoot it. After that I'll continue to add many more coats of oil and some bone black, but I want to shoot this bad boy so that'll have to wait!
Not many incandescent light bulbs laying around but these did the job.
122 degrees F and 10% humidity
The lesson learned is that Tried and True Varnish takes forever to dry unless you let each very thin layer completely dry before applying the next, and humidity and lack of sun slows the drying down immensely.
Tomorrow I am going to French Grey/Antique the metal and assemble the rifle. I'm going to Friendship on Sunday to shoot it. After that I'll continue to add many more coats of oil and some bone black, but I want to shoot this bad boy so that'll have to wait!
Not many incandescent light bulbs laying around but these did the job.
122 degrees F and 10% humidity
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Looking good. I remember reading somewhere, when you use turpentine for thinning it will increase the cure time.
Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
That's interesting. I thinned it with turpentine hoping it would decrease the cure time. I applied the oil unthinned to my pistol stalk and it dried in 24 hours.
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According to the Tried & True website they don't add driers to they're varnish, so that in cures from the inside out vs outside in. With multiple coats it may just take a lot longer to cure. I got one of my coats a little to thick (with Chambers oil) and had to wait and extra day. Then I had to burnish some of that back with scotch bright.
Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
Burnished with 0000 steel wool and another very light coat of oil. The grain is really starting to fill in now.
Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
Adding a link to this final post.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/my-jim-kibler-southern-mountain-rifle-is-done.131533/
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/my-jim-kibler-southern-mountain-rifle-is-done.131533/
My SMR in extra fancy maple should be here within two weeks. I anticipate this taking 3 months to finish. I will savor every moment. I originally ordered .45 caliber, but got an email saying they could deliver quickly if I switched to .40 caliber.
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I am curious on an ETA of mine, when did you place your order? Did the e-maill give an exact reason as to why the .45 was taking longer?
I got that email, as well. I'm in no hurry so I'll wait for the 45.
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Could be that Green Mountain Barrel rifles the .45 caliber and larger and Jim Kibler rifles the blanks on anything smaller.
Last edited:
Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
Congratulations! You will love it.
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It's looking good , Jack.
I also got that email and decided to see what deal I could get. Extra Fancy Maple in .40 will be on the way shortly. Just took delivery of my Colonial in .58 a week ago. I am watching all these finishing threads for ideas. Got plenty to do.
Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
Thanks I posted pics of it here:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/my-jim-kibler-southern-mountain-rifle-is-done.131533/
Just friggin beautiful!!
Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
Thanks Russ! Looking forward to seeing what you do with yours.
