Lehigh, Bucks, Bedford County Book Suggestions

[Flintandsteel]

rootnuke,

The Lehigh Valley style is absolutely beautiful. However, one of the most difficult to build.
I've built mostly Lancaster style for several years, and with the straight lines are a delight to work on and build.
I've been working on a Lehigh scratch built gun off and on for almost 2 years. With the stepped wrist, two different radius on the lower profile, and an additional one on the top of the comb, they are a real BOOGER.
Also, the carving is a lot different than the old Lancaster standby.
All in all.... an absolutely elegant, graceful gun.....but a real pain.
Eric Kettenburg, and Allen Martin are the pros. The stock that I've been working on is one of Allen's profiles. I've actually shot it already, and it sits real nice, but I still have to finish carving, and put on the stain and finish.
I just know I'll finish it someday....Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise. :m2c: eace:

 

Couple of books on ebay right now, one by shumway, they're under sporting goods, hunting, vintage, blackpowder. In case anyone's interested Bill

 

[Delta Factor]

One dimentional photos suck.

True, but you can get a good pattern from a picture.

I used a picture of an Eric Kettenburg Lehigh rifle. I cropped the image so all that was visible was between the trigger and the middle of the butt plate, which is a known (or easily guessed) dimension. Then I resized the image proportionally assuming the pull length was approx. 14 inches.

Since my printer can't print anything longer than a standard sheet of paper, I had to split it up into three separate images - two of equal length (7" each) and one little nib for the very top/rear of the buttplate (not very important, but I wanted to get the total view of the butt) that I then cut out and taped together to get the final pattern.

I used the tools that came with my printer to be sure they were printed at the correct width (7" each). The pictures are blurry at that size and the edges are rough, but you only need the outline.

Stock Pattern

 

[rich pierce]

Nice job. There might be some slight difference caused by the comb of the gun being turned toward the camera (can see the whole comb but not the toe). That might give a little different view to the transition at the rear of the trigger guard.

 

[Delta Factor]

Good point. That will be something to look out for. I think the difference can be worked out by eye when the time comes.

 

[rich pierce]

EK had some nice thick and domed Lehigh patchboxes cast (the originals were quite thick). I am not sure he still has any for sale but I bought 2 of them for future projects and they are sweet. The tricky part is drilling them for the pin and lining up the head and the door and making the knuckles line up nice. A friend of mine did the drilling for me and now I am good to go. There's a Lehigh in my future, too.... but probably in 2006. I've got 2 other projects lined up first.

 

[LSU TIGER]

Rich, Eric told me in an email that he expects to have more patch boxes in the near future.