Nathan's Traditions build

[brightboy]

Thanks to inspiration from Panama Red's post, I've decided to share progress on my traditions kit - this is their "Shenandoah" kit which appears to be exactly the same as the kentucky with the exception that the full stock is actually one piece of wood instead of two - not a bad thing at all!

Below are some pictures of my initial thoughts - I'm considering using a German silver guard instead of brass. The other pictures show where I reshaped the comb and added a cheek piece out of maple. Hopefully maple stains up the same, there wasn't enough wood to carve it out of the existing stock so I had to add it.

I'd love your overall thoughts and input on the triggerguard too.

Im a firm believer that the last 20% of the project makes or breaks the outcome so I'm hoping I can make a nice looking gun out of this one. I have feibings alcohol dye and oil for the finish and plan to faux some wood curl with a flame and wire.

Happy Saturday!

 

[brushblind]

Looks like the silver guard has more room which is better in my opinion. The star would be a nice add!

 

[brightboy]

Looks like the silver guard has more room which is better in my opinion. The star would be a nice add!

Agreed! I have a larger star too that will most likely be utilized

 

[Eric Krewson]

I think you have the silver trigger guard too far forward, the trigger spacing looks odd. I like the way you drew out narrow lock panels, beaver tails are difficult to draw in right especially on an English style lock plate that is rounded in the rear. I looked through the southern rifle section of the ALR virtual library where the gun builders used mostly English style locks and didn't find any with a beaver tail but I didn't go all the way down the list. In gun building there are no absolutes, anything and everything pops up in any one school so you can do it any way you want.

 

[Loja man]

First I didn’t even know Tradition offers a Shenandoah kit! Is this an older kit you found used?
I agree with Eric, the silver guard looks a little out of center…or something. That said overall I think it is a nicer one than the original. I would stain a scrap piece of your maple. Stain the barrel channel. Lay your piece of maple in the channel and see how they look.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Good project, I would make the lock moldings longer at the front and especially the back to give a longer sleeker look to match the trigger guard. Adding the cheek piece is a dandy plan.

 

[hanshi]

Your works looks very nice to me. Once you jigger the tg to fit the lock a little better you'll have a fine little rifle.

 

[brightboy]

I couldn't agree more! I knew it didn't look right - just wasn't sure why lol

 

[brightboy]

I think you have the silver trigger guard too far forward, the trigger spacing looks odd. I like the way you drew out narrow lock panels, beaver tails are difficult to draw in right especially on an English style lock plate that is rounded in the rear. I looked through the southern rifle section of the ALR virtual library where the gun builders used mostly English style locks and didn't find any with a beaver tail but I didn't go all the way down the list. In gun building there are no absolutes, anything and everything pops up in any one school so you can do it any way you want.

I couldn't agree more! I knew it didn't look right - just wasn't sure why lol

 

[brightboy]

Good project, I would make the lock moldings longer at the front and especially the back to give a longer sleeker look to match the trigger guard. Adding the cheek piece is a dandy plan.

Thank you!

 

[brightboy]

First I didn’t even know Tradition offers a Shenandoah kit! Is this an older kit you found used?
I agree with Eric, the silver guard looks a little out of center…or something. That said overall I think it is a nicer one than the original. I would stain a scrap piece of your maple. Stain the barrel channel. Lay your piece of maple in the channel and see how they look.

Great idea about testing the stain. I plan to do some faux curl and mabye bone black if I need to hide the transition.

The shenandoah as far as I can tell is a kit they make just for the Senorian Desert Institute (online gunsmkthing class) and I lucked into one via a local sale. I'm not really sure if these are technically supposed to fall into the hands of someone outside of the program. They pop up.as finished kits from SDI graduates from time to time on GB.

 

[Loja man]

Great idea about testing the stain. I plan to do some faux curl and mabye bone black if I need to hide the transition.

The shenandoah as far as I can tell is a kit they make just for the Senorian Desert Institute (online gunsmkthing class) and I lucked into one via a local sale. I'm not really sure if these are technically supposed to fall into the hands of someone outside of the program. They pop up.as finished kits from SDI graduates from time to time on GB.

Interesting.

 

[Panama Red]

Bruh! I was so jealous of that one piece stock!!! I was like “WHAAAAA??? They make a one piece???” I don’t feel quite so bad now that you explained it further!
As a total noob to the flintlock world, I have benefited so much from the guys in here.
Best to you on the build. Keep us posted and put up plenty of pics. Really want to see how your faux curl comes out!
-Red, waiting and watching…

 

[Panama Red]

And you should have titled this “Nathan’s Most Amazing Single Piece Stock Traditions Build: Better Than Red’s Because I Listen!”
Kind of catchy, don’t you think?
-Red, making it up as I go along…

 

[brightboy]

And you should have titled this “Nathan’s Most Amazing Single Piece Stock Traditions Build: Better Than Red’s Because I Listen!”
Kind of catchy, don’t you think?
-Red, making it up as I go along…

Hahaha! This is my first build so I hope it begins to live up to my expectations. I'm not sure how I lucked into the one piece stock but I'm thankful. I'll keep ya updated!

 

[Eric Krewson]

I don't know what is "proper" with trigger placement but for set triggers I like the front trigger pretty much centered in the trigger guard bow. On this rifle that I made, there is just enough room to set the rear trigger without hitting the trigger guard. I had to bend the bow a little deeper to keep the back trigger from hitting.

Sometimes when I want a quick reference on stuff like this, I pull up a few Kibler rifle pictures to see how Jim spaced things, he is always right.

 

[brightboy]

I don't know what is "proper" with trigger placement but for set triggers I like the front trigger pretty much centered in the trigger guard bow. On this rifle that I made, there is just enough room to set the rear trigger without hitting the trigger guard. I had to bend the bow a little deeper to keep the back trigger from hitting.

View attachment 218741

Sometimes when I want a quick reference on stuff like this, I pull up a few Kibler rifle pictures to see how Jim spaced things, he is always right.

In Kibbler we trust! Haha

 

[Rawhide67]

Is it just me or does it look like that cheekrest is glued on?

That stock would look good if there is a way to make the darker grain lines pop out a little, almost like a piece of white ash.

 

[davidmc62]

Thanks to inspiration from Panama Red's post, I've decided to share progress on my traditions kit - this is their "Shenandoah" kit which appears to be exactly the same as the kentucky with the exception that the full stock is actually one piece of wood instead of two - not a bad thing at all!

Below are some pictures of my initial thoughts - I'm considering using a German silver guard instead of brass. The other pictures show where I reshaped the comb and added a cheek piece out of maple. Hopefully maple stains up the same, there wasn't enough wood to carve it out of the existing stock so I had to add it.

I'd love your overall thoughts and input on the triggerguard too.

Im a firm believer that the last 20% of the project makes or breaks the outcome so I'm hoping I can make a nice looking gun out of this one. I have feibings alcohol dye and oil for the finish and plan to faux some wood curl with a flame and wire.

Happy Saturday!

Not trying to talk you out of the flame and wire striping, but "in my opinion", it never looks right to me. I am not an authority on faux striping a stock but painting seems the logical way it was done. Burning the wood will result in ruining your "smooth and level" sanding job. I just dont think it does a good job of "simulating" a natural wood curl. Look at a lot of examples (Henry Leman did this to a lot of his guns) and try it on other pieces of wood before you burn your project.

 

[brightboy]

Is it just me or does it look like that cheekrest is glued on?

That stock would look good if there is a way to make the darker grain lines pop out a little, almost like a piece of white ash.

It is applied on instead of carved out. There wasn't enough meat on the original stock to do it any other way.