only a simple screwdriver ...

[enfield]

Recently , a collector friend asked me , if I could rebuild the missing screwdriver in his newly purchased Gastinne - Rennette Parlor Pistol case .

Well - today , he came by with this GORGEOUS case and I was lucky enough to have the matching materials in my stock : some Grenadill wood and also some O1 - steel .

Well - in the end , we ended up with some , what I think , pleasing substitute for the ( missing ) original piece .

But please look for Your own :

 

[enfield]

Some more pics ...

 

[Phil Coffins]

Nice.

 

[VA Hawken]

Great work! Wish I had the skill and the tools to make something like that.

 

[user 48679]

Excellent work there, Mister Gastinne - Rennette ! !

 

[enfield]

Well - the pistondriver and the recess in the case gave me an idea , how this missing screwdriver should look like - but unfortunately , the piston driver doesn't fit into the recess for the original screwdiver in the case . The screwdriver must have had a ( slightly ) different shape .

Therefore , I tried to make a tool which would fit , even if not in the same perfect matching shape of the piston driver , but fitting in the recess of the case and made of matching materials and style .

Gastinne - Rennette seem to have purchased their tools , powder flasks ( in this entire case from Dixon&Son , Sheffield ) , cases etc. from whatever sources - but ALLWAYS of the very best quality !

( I hope , I didn't add some inferior tool to this outstanding case )

I`m proud to have been allowed to try to rebuild a missing tool to such an unreplaceable work of an outstanding craftsmanship !

 

[Rifleman1776]

Beautiful work. And you are helping preserve history. Would you please describe what kind of wood is Grenadill? Does it have other names? Thank you.

 

[SOLANCO]

To do something that well must be very rewarding. And I am not talking about money.

 

[TDM]

You did a most beautiful job.

 

[SDSmlf]

Beautiful work. And you are helping preserve history. Would you please describe what kind of wood is Grenadill? Does it have other names? Thank you.

I believe it’s also call African Blackwood. Buddy of mine used to make pens and knife handles out of it.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Don't let the idea that these tools are for cased guns stop you. Making these kinds of tools for general use is very rewarding. Here is a turnscrew I made from scratch with a turned and carved ebony handle. It is my go to turnscrew for lock and tang bolts.

Often gun makers used old broken springs for the blades of turnscrews. Here is an example made for a cased set of pistols.

dave

 

[toot]

you did well!!!

 

[Rich44]

Looks perfect, Nice job.

 

[jimhallam]

Hi
I might be being a bit "picky" but it is a TURNSCREW -- - not a "screwdriver": that one was certainly sourced in the Birmingham Gun Trade and would be hollow ground, whereas "screwdrivers" -- as used by carpenters - have a tapered blade and b####r up the slot ;-(

Actually this is NOT a "parlor pistol". I have one in my collection. Gastinne Renette had a shooting gallery in Av. Franklin Roosevelt in Paris --- it closed in the early years of the 21st Century. The shooting gallery had an iron target with the silhouette of the Duke of Wellington. Duelling (for REAL!) went on well into the 20th century and Renette proviced the pairs of pistols and the loader who took the case to the Bois de Boulogne. These were the same pairs used in the shooting gallery.... nominal .44" muzzle-loaders of top quality. The pistol shown was sold as "... pour l'Amateur" -- so the gentleman could practice at home -- - thereofore rarely seen as cased pairs. It is a CAPPING BREECHLOADER (no self-contained cartridge, so the ML purists won't have a heart attack ;-)

Half-****, and push the triggerguard forward: the barrel slides forward and one can tip the breech upwards for the small charge of powder (about 5gr), then the ball: close the breech and the ball is seated in the rifling. They also produced a version with a tip-down barrel, chambering the .44 Devilliers wax-duelling cartridge -- as described in Walter Winans' 1911 2nd Edition.
My one has its complete documented provenance back to 1886 when it was sent to a Mr F Lord in NYC --- obviously t"Frank Lord" who had a shooting gallery; there is a "Lord Model" .22rf Gallery singleshot pistol named after him. It eventually ended up in Theodore Dexter's collection and I acquired it years ago at a Las Vegas Gunshow.
If I get a spare moment I will add more about these interesting pistols, bridging the period from the 1850s ML percussion to the 1920s - produced especially for a very privileged few.

 

[Artificer]

A lovely turnscrew indeed.

Here are some made at Colonial Williamsburg that while not quite as fancy, are still lovely as well. OH, 18th century gun screw slots were often V shaped, so these are tapered for those kind of screw slots rather than our modern straight slots. One can hollow grind or file the ends to fit for use with modern repro straight walled screw slots.

http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2016/06/turnscrews-from-gunsmith-shop-at.html
Gus

 

[Barry Strickland]

Enfield, that is a very nice job!

 

[Davey Boy]

enfield,

When you have the skills of a Master Craftsman like you do, and you make a beautiful piece like that to top off a prized possession of another person, nothing better for a reward.

Thank you for the post and pictures, it was a delight.

Dave

 

[Rifleman1776]

I believe it’s also call African Blackwood. Buddy of mine used to make pens and knife handles out of it.

Got it. Thanks. I have made pens from it also. Hard-hard wood.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Yes, Enfield's work is superb and I hope is an inspiration for some of you to give it a go. There is nothing like using a tool that works really well that you made.

dave

 

[Clint Meier]

Enfield, you are truly a master of your craft! Thanks so much for sharing your work with us.