toe plates

[srottman]

Looking for pictures of toe plates made of antler or bone and how they are made or where you can get get them
thanks

 

[Dane]

srottman,

The only way I know of to get one, is to make one.

Find an appropriately sized piece of bone/antler, slab saw it on bandsaw and flatten/shape to size. It's then simple to inlett and file to fit the profile of the stock, just like you would one made of brass or steel.

Hope that helps.

 

srottman,

If you are asking about original pieces, I cannot recall ever having seen such a toe plate or comb plate on an original southern mountain rifle or on any other school, at least on originals predating say 1950. Its a neat idea, but I think its part of the modern 20th century 'poorboy' culture. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, just that it wasn't a common thing in the 18th or 19th century. The buttplate-less southern guns I've seen were just plain ol' wood. An occasional Appalachian rifle appeared to have some sheet brass or leather tacked on, but even those appeared to have some wear at the heel before that was added.

Sean

 

[Black Hand]

A toe plate of antler or bone seems to defeat the original purpose of a toe plate. It would chip as easily, if not more easily than the original wood. Pretty but not very functional.....

 

[srottman]

Thanks for the reply on the toe plate Iam having second thoughts. may just stay with the plain steel toe plate

 

[paulvallandigham]

Are you sure you are looking at Toe plates, or at the Heel plate? I see lots of heel plates made of bone or antler, on both original and replica guns. Toe plates, if they exist, are usually made from sheet brass, or sheet steel. Not all originals had toe plates, particularly if they had no buttplate, either.

Because of the way guns are often stood upright against walls, or corners, it makes more sense to put something stronger than wood at the heel, as with the stock pitch, the toe of the stock is often lifted up off the floor when a gun is leaned against a corner, doortrim, or wall. If the heel plate is squared at the back end, it lends stability( just a little) to the gun as the muzzle of the octagon barrel is also leaned against the flat edge of the top flat.

My Poor Boy Tennessee style rifle has NO buttplate, but has both a heel plate, made of antler, and a toeplate of steel.

In the same vein, the first custom Southern Rifle I saw had these features, as well as a muzzlecap made from antler. Very pretty piece. :hmm:

 

[Birddog6]

The only toeplate I ever made with antler was with a piece of elk antler. You can get a very flat piece & thin usually from elk antler & it will work for a toeplate.

 

[Zonie]

I think there is some confusion about what is "the toe of the stock".

All of the books I have indicate that the "toe" of the stock is the place where the rear of the stock (the butt) meets the bottom surface when the gun is held in a normal firing position.

Places which sell hardware and furniture for muzzleloading guns also refer to the pieces of metal which go in this location as "toe plates".

Because the butt of the gun is placed on the ground (or your shoe or a pad) while loading the wood in this area of the stock is easily damaged.
This of course was why many original and reproduction muzzleloaders have the plate. It reinforces the wood at this often sharp corner to prevent marring or breakage.

Because the toe plate is a structural piece as well as being decorative I don't think that a material like a piece of thin horn or bone would be able to but up with the abuse the stocks toe is subject to with normal usage.

That is at least the way I see it.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I always thought the stock was compared to the human foot. We talk about " Drop at Heel", and Drop at comb, to determine the shape of the top of the stock, which would be analogus to the human calf, or rear of the leg. The Butt of the stock is analogus to the bottom of the human foot. and the "toe" is at the opposite end of the heel, or at the bottom of the butt when its mounted against your shoulder/chest.

If I have this wrong, BOY, HAVE I BEEN WRONG for a lot of years! :shocked2: And, that doesn't explain why we talk about "Drop at Heel !!!", in measuring stocks. :hmm: :surrender: :thumbsup:

 

[Birddog6]

Well, you got me confused.... Where does the Ankle come in to play ? :hmm: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[srottman]

Zonie your rifles are MAGNIFICENT. I am going to finish my first poor boy made from maple cm2 do you think there is a enough figure to use your lye method or should I just stain it. I thinking of using LMF stain. Thanks

 

[paulvallandigham]

On a modern rifle stock, and on some MLers, its the raised cheek piece. :grin:

 

[rabbit03]

Maybe you meant something like this!

Rifle made by Chuck Oder of the Friendship, Indiana Gunsmith fame!

I bought it from Eddy May and ended up selling it back to its maker Chuck Oder when I realized it was too small for me.

Mr. Oder made the rifle in the early to mid 70's as I recalled him telling me.

rabbit03

 

[Zonie]

srottman: Thanks for the compliment. :grin:
The amount of curl in a #2 grade stock depends on who you buy it from.
Most folks agree that Pecatonica River grades their stocks low so what some places call #3 PR calls #2. What PR calls #3 other places call #4 I've used both of PR's #2 and #3 grades.
Usually PR's #2 has some nice curl in it but PR's #3 is excellent with stripes very evident on both sides and for the full length.

Paul. When I think of "Drop at the heel" I think of the measurement from the center of the barrel down to the top of the stock right at the top of the butt plate. I also think "Drop at Comb" is the measurement from the center of the barrel to the foremost high place on the comb.

 

[SNoopy22]

A toe plate of antler or bone seems to defeat the original purpose of a toe plate. It would chip as easily, if not more easily than the original wood. Pretty but not very functional.....

I drilled out deer antler for powder measures and burned up drill bits?????? I have an elk rack in my garage my grandfather shot when I was seven ...43 years ago and it looks like the day he removed them....I'm curious how it would chip as easy as wood????