Tip Curtis Fowler Pics?

[Brewer]

Hi Everyone,
I'm seriously considering the purchase of a Tip Curtis American Fowler kit. He seems to have an enviable reputation for making quality flintlock kits.

My questions are these, for anyone who has one of his muskets (or has handled one):

Are the kits in-the-white, assembled guns? If not, how much inletting and metal work is involved?

Anyone have any pics of unfinished kits and/or finished pieces? Pics of the fowler (English or American) would be best, but if anyone has pics of any other pieces by him I'd love to see 'em. Tip sent me some inkjet printed photos but the detail is poor.

Thank you!
Brewer

 

[GregC]

Hey...

All I can say is that Tip is a first class guy.

I purchased a Tulle from him this spring. It was "in the white". The gun was 100% assembled and ready to shoot.

What did I have to do?

1) Final sand the stock. I mean just details sanding and smoothing. No wood removal.

2) All inletting was 100% complete

3) Stain and finish the stock

4) Wetsand and polish the brass.

I was / am 100% satisfied.

I had an issue with a small chip of wood coming out directly behind the tang. I called TIp and he said send it back. I just got my Tulle back this morning and he repaired the chip and glass bedded the whole breech area. No charge.

Greg

 

[musketman]

Brewer, if you get this, let us know, I too want an American Fowler...

 

[Militiaman1835]

Does he have a website showing his guns? JIM

 

[Java Man]

Unfortunately not. :cry:

 

[Darkhorse]

C'mon guys. Show some pictures. I too have been considering a Tip Curtis Fowler.
But as you say his photos are poor. And I just don't know what I would be getting in a kit.
And its too far to drive to the Frontier shop. Well maybe it is. Maybe not.
So good pictures are second best.

 

There is a tip curtis lancaster in the white on TOW right now if you want to see the general quality, if not the specific gun....

 

[musketman]

Nice fusil de chasse Greg...

 

Doooooo,

Nice Tulle Greg...

Gosh oh golly don't let TG, or Okwaho catch ya callin it a Tulle, It's a fusil de chasse, produced in Tulle. course they only corrected me bout umpteen times, and mine even says TVLLE on da lock. Course iffn it were one of zonie's , he would dodad it so much it would be a Fusil Fin Delux by the time he was done with it :crackup: Bill

 

[squirejohn]

OH OH isn't that one of those NO NO Germanic locks ?

 

[Okwaho]

Yep it sure is.

 

[musketman]

Doooooo,

Nice Tulle Greg...

Gosh oh golly don't let TG, or Okwaho catch ya callin it a Tulle, It's a fusil de chasse, produced in Tulle.

I know its a fusil de chasse, I had the Jethro Tull CD on at the time and TULLe just slipped out... (my bad)

 

[Runner]

Is JT officially traditional music? I always suspected!

 

[tg]

"Yep it sure is"

Yeah Tom, and I think one might do as well trying to explain astronomy to some folks rather than bother with French gun history, at least there may be a few out there lurking around who will benefit and appreciate the seperation of fact and fancy.

 

[Okwaho]

TG, sadly you're right and by the way what do you is the length of the barrel on the gun in those pics?I couldn't tell from the angle of the gun .
Tom Patton

 

[E.Boyd]

Just returned from Tip's shop yesterday. He had a rack full of smoothies in his show room. From American Fowlers, Tullies, Smooth rifles ect.

 

[tg]

"TG, sadly you're right and by the way what do you is the length of the barrel on the gun in those pics?I couldn't tell from the angle of the gun "

I would guess 41" or maybe 42" it is rare to find commercial builder making one any longer other than on special order. the use of generic parts and standard barrels is probably the only way they can keep the cost down, it is no doubt a trade off between historical accuracy and affordability, I just hope that folks know what the are getting and are not expecting more or buying first and asking questions later so to speak, and I am not saying that these are not nice well built guns, only that the level of authenticity falls short in most cases, whether that is an issue is an individual matter...BTW are you still getting the ^%&** Democrat routine over at you know where ?(VBG)

 

[Okwaho]

You're probably right on that barrel,it just seems to be a tad shorter but it could be that the angle of the photo creates the illusion that it could be shorter.The answer to your query is Naaah.It's gotten to the point that a lot of the queries on that board raise questions and issues that aren't the type I feel compelled to answer.Mike can be counted on to raise provocative issues not necessarily related to an historical atmosphere and I always enjoy wondering just what issue he will next raise or on which side of the issue he will come down. I assume that is the board to which you refer since all the others aren't nearly so free wheeling except for the "Front Porch" section of "Frontier Folks" which can get pretty raucus at times.By the way I am gearing up for my annual muzzle loading firing demonstrations at a nearby museum event. It's the only time I wear white man's clothes but I have all the gear for an 18th century backwoods settler's persona including an Edward Marshall rifle{built 1986} which I will let my son use.I'll stay with my 17th century French fusil.It's lighter and as you well know these guns increase in weight on their own as they get older.
Tom Patton :thumbsup:

 

[Mike Brooks]

Well, I hesitate to even start this,and please take no personal offence, but that"TULLE" is about as far from what a fusil de chasse should be as you can get. You might try a more appropriate lock, maybe a walnut stock and some iron mounts. The barrel should be around 44" long.
I'm not going into the "TULLE" market as it's just about been rode untill it's dead. But, I'll have a "type D" kit out by december that's about as close to correct as you can get,with mostly new made parts of my design, and also a fusil fin will come shortly after that.

 

[tg]

Glad to hear there are some PC options becoming avaiable for those who are looking for a French Fusil Mike, you will fill a much needed void.