Opinions/Suggestions on my enletting/stock finish.

Ive been praticing my enletting and stock finishing on my Traditions KY rifle/pistol.
Doing this before I move on to the more expensive quality kits.
I enletted the double eagles and small finials.
Then I gave the stocks two coats of Fiebings dark brown leather dye,four coats of boiled linseed oil and hand rubbed with burlap.
I know my enletting still needs a lot of work,but Im trying to improve with each job.

 

[rich pierce]

You are doing very well. It's obvious you understand how to angle the edges of your inlays, you've bent them to match the contours of the rifle correctly, and I don't see glaring gaps. You are wise to practice these skills before moving on to more expensive projects. Meanwhile you've customized your gun and made it your own. Good work.

 

[adrian]

That a mighty fine job!! Just wish my eyes would let me do fine work like that. :thumbsup: FJ

 

[oldarmy]

Nice work..
I love brass inlays and those rounded ones are a bear to inlet.
Did you use pins? Or did you epoxy in?
Either one works, but of course they didn't have epoxy "back then".
anyway... what's next??

 

Thanks for the kind words. I used epoxy.
Ill keep praticing until I feel comfortable enough to handle the high quality kits.
Here are some more pics of other enletting jobs.

 

Thanks Rich for the kind words.
:bow:

 

Thanks Fat Jack.
I appreciate it. :bow:

 

[PitchyPine]

Dang bro that looks cool, nice job i really like that. :bow: :thumbsup:

 

[tom hargrove]

82nd you sir, are like a bottle of wine you just keep getting better ,fine job wish i could do that ,i do not have the skill :bow: for that .

 

[Leon/Iowa]

I am right in the middle of doing an inlay myself. You said that you used epoxy for the inlay. Will epoxy hold with the different expanson rate of wood and brass with temperature change? I was going to pin it but epoxy would be a whole lot easier. Thanks for any help with this. Leon/Iowa

 

[rich pierce]

Pinning is period correct and they knew what they were doing too. Cut strips of the same sheet metal to use as brads, put a point on them, pre-drill the inlay and stock, and put a tiny amount of countersink on the inlay. Tap it in and peen it down and file it over.

 

[bioprof]

Epoxy will eventually let go of the inlays. Maybe not within 10 years, but in 15 or 20, unless you solder a screw on the back of the inlay to give the epoxy something to grab onto.

I restored a flintlock last year that was made in the 1960's that just used epoxy to glue the inlays. I had to replace about 7 inlays plus all of the ramrod pipes that were missing.

 

[Leon/Iowa]

Thanks for the input. I think what I will do is epoxy it in place and then put in some pins. I'm not sure that I can hold it down and drill at the angle I need, all at the same time. But this way will work. Leon

 

Thanks Pitchy, :bow:

 

Thanks Tom,
I wish I had at least half the talent that you and Pitchy have.
You guys can do anything.
:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

 

I think Ill go back and do the same thing.
Ive got some 1/16 pins in stock.