I have decided to sell some of my revolvers since I don't shoot them. this means I have some cash to spend on some nice to have tools and components. I am thinking of getting a complete set of gouges in wither 3mm or 6mm a nice set of rifflers to clean up around carvings. any other tools you guys can think of that make gun building easier or more enjoyable? I want to work at getting better at carving and engraving.
I’m assuming you have a bench and vise.
Stocking.....
For stocking a rifle you’ll need the following.
1/2” flat bench chisel
1/4” flat bench chisel ( by far my most used chisel)
A 3/8, Swiss 8/7 or slightly smaller round gouge (for lock noses and ramrod grooves....some times general inletting and some stock shaping when used with the flats)
A good high quality wood rasp, at least the quality of a Nicholson # 49 or # 50. I use a # 50.....
Nicholson has slipped some in quality so some of the euro made or Japanese made rasps may be the wiser choice now.
I can’t stress how important having a good rasp is.
A course rat tail file/rasp
A selection of files
A set of good quality sharpening stones an a piece of thick leather for a strop. Sharpening compound would be nice.
I recommend diamond stones.
I don’t use jigs for me I found them a waste of money and time.
A drill motor and drills
A mallet to drive chisels or gouges...
In a pinch a short hickory sledge type hammer handle can work well.
A non marring hammer. Rubber/dead blow, soft head, etc......the double hammers with the removable heads work great.
A good cross peen hammer.
A back saw or carpenter saw.
A good quality hack saw.
Punches.
Cold chisels.
Brass drift.
A big slack jawed wrench or breech plug tool. I use a giant antique “steam/boiler wrench”.
Wooden pads for your vise.
A propane/map torch, flux and solder....
You’ll use the torch for other stuff besides soldering.
Pliers or side cutters.
Depth gauges
Measuring tools....calipers, machinist squares, rulers.....
Pencils
Markers
Candle
Reading glasses/ magnifying/ Opti visors... You can’t work on what you can’t see.
Lighting
Sand paper and blocks and dowels
Glue
Optional but used a lot...
*1/8” flat bench chisel
* 1/16 flat bench chisel great for triggers and lugs.
* 1” gouge for barrel channels and stock work.
*Bench grinder (can make special tools with it....chisels, drifts etc etc etc......)
* tin snips
*scrapers
A lot of this stuff you will have.
The basics to stock a rifle.....
1/4 chisel
3/8 gouge
Good rasp......
Carving......
3 main methods today
Gouge carving ( with a selection on gouges)
Stabbing in with a stabbing chisel.(Gary Brumfield)....
Free hand with a V chisel/ parting tool (Wallace Gusler)....
Gouge carving.....
Basically a large selection gouges are used for the curves and radius’s in Rococo carving.
It’s hard to say which ones you really need. These probably bought as needed.
This can be very expensive to get a herd of carving gouges.
A stabbing Chisel.....,
This is a method used by Gary Brumfield.
Brumfield used a small custom made stabbing chisel. This small chisel had a slight radius on one side nearly flat on the other. It’s between 1/16-1/8 wide at the most.
The small size and radius was good for stabbing in inscised lines and designs.....
These can be made from cheap chisels, concrete nails or hacksaw blades.....
V tool/parting tool/v chisel....
Used free hand like Wallace Gusler.....
The V tool is used to cut in the design. It’s driven with a small mallet like engraving.
Today I believe most builders and carvers will mix methods.
Tools
Small skew chisel
V or parting tool
Small round gouges
Smaller fishtail gouges
Engraving.....
Graver and mallet.
I just a stocker right now I’m getting ready to carve.
My best recommendation is education.
Videos and books are OK but taking a class or studying under a mentor is by far the best money and time you can spend.
