Who is John Bivins?

[flashpanner]

I have been trying to find out who John Bivins is. I'd like to see some of his samples of work. Anyone have an idea of who he is, where he resides, and have some pictures of his work? Thanks

 

[waksupi]

I don't know if John is still alive or not. He was contemporary to the 1970-80's period at his peak, but I've not heard much of him for many years. He was certainly one of the finest rifle builders this country has ever seen, and did some fine presentation and exhibition grade rifles. I know you could find information of his work by doing a search, for "John Bivins muzzle loaders". He was responsible for the design of some of the finer rifle parts available from TOTW, Dixie, and other suppliers. A friend of mine, Monte Mandarino apprenticed under him, and became the foremost builder in the world. The last firearm of his I handled was an 18th century style french fowler, chase engraved and gold inlayed from end to end. Selling price, $230,000. Skills he learned from John. Monte's work can be seen on the overleafs of the book, "Steel Canvas".

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I think John Bivins died a few years ago.

 

[rich pierce]

John is gone. He was a museum curator and author with knowledge and expertise in furniture and pottery and many areas as well as a prime mover in the custom flintlock world in the 1970s and 80's. He was so intelligent, gifted, and forceful that he basically founded a new school of building, one in which perfection beyond what was commonly seen in original American guns was the goal. Monte is also a once in a lifetime talent Guys like Bivins and Mondarino have abilities far beyond what is required to make a period correct colonial rifle. Folks with that kind of talent have to innovate and take the art to a new level- otherwise it would be like Mozart playing someone else's music.

 

[Birddog6]

You can see some of Johns rifles in "Contemporary Makers of Muzzle Loader Firearms" by Robert Weil. No doubt about it, the guy was an Awesome gunmaker..........

:thumbsup:

 

[VAshooter]

I once spent the day with John Bivens at his home in North Carolina. I watched him work on shaping the forstock of a rifle he was building. First he would change the direction of the light. Sight down the stock. Scrape once or twice with a small sharp knife. Change the direction of the light, look down the stock from several angles, scrape scrape with the knife. I asked him about fitting a swamped barrel. He said he did it by hand and he wanted it to fit so that the barrel rang when you tapped the stock. I told him I had built a few rifles but nothing with the precision of his rifles and asked him about the difference in our work. He answered "time and patience, it just takes time to make something as perfect as possible". I feel fortunate to have had the oppurtunity to watch him work.

 

[flashpanner]

Thanks all for your replies. Sounds like we lost a legend in our midst. Hope there will be others like him to emulate.

 

[reddogge]

Simply put, Biven's rifles are museum pieces.

 

[Mossyrock]

In addition to being an epic craftsman, Mr. Bivins was also an accomplished writer. He wrote several articles for "Rifle" magazine on the nuts and bolts of flintlock building, to include inletting, shaping, carving and inlays. He also wrote an excellent article on browning, rust bluing and building a humidity cabinet for rust bluing and browning. If you can dig these articles up, they would be a worthy addition to your reference library. The last time I saw them, they were in a Wolfe Publishing gunsmithing compilation book.

 

[Zonie]

The book "GUNSMITHING TIPS & PROJECTS" , by David Wolfe, published by Wolfe Publishing Co, copyright 1989
ISBN: 0-935632-81-6 is an excellent book for anyone interested in working on guns, including building muzzleloaders.

Part of what makes this book great is it's chucked full of articles by John Bivins. These are:

pp 27-32 about curing stock wood
pp 66-71 covers how to apply an Express Oil Finish
pp 115-119 Inletting a swamped barrel
pp 120-125 Sidelock inletting
pp 126-138 Stocking a Flintlock
pp 139-153 Carving a Flintlock
pp 154-161 Advanced Carving
pp 184-194 Installing inlays ::
pp 294-297 a Damp box
pp 356-361 Investment Casting
pp 368-375 Blueing and Browning
pp 396-401 Precision Assembly of Lock Kits
pp 402-412 Building a Forged Barrel
pp 420-443 Restoring Antique Rifles

In addition to these, there are a number of other articles by noted authors. Most of these deal with those new fangled things like restocking your #1 Ruger etc. No, there's not a word about those In-L..... ::

This book is worth the price. Lots of photos and information.

 

[BLAHMAN]

Is that book still in print?

Inquiring minds wanna know!

 

[loophole]

He was an artist, historian, and a wonderful man to spend time with. I called him out of the blue when I was in
Winston Salem years ago--he invited me over to his house and spent the evening answering questions and talking about rifles and colonial Norht Carolina. May he rest in peace--he was one of the great ones.

 

[Mossyrock]

Is that book still in print?

Inquiring minds wanna know!

Yup!

http://www.riflemagazine.com//catalog/detail.cfm?ProductID=53

 

They sell it elsewhere too, my wife got my copy from Track of the Wolf.

Excellent book, definitely a good addition to the library.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Is that book still in print?

Inquiring minds wanna know!

Yup!

<a href="Gunsmithing Tips and Projects" target="_blank">http://www.riflemagazine.com//catalog/detail.cfm?ProductID=53</a>

That link doesn't work because there's one too many "/" after ".com". Try THIS LINK and it will take you right to it.

 

[RiverRat]

I was reading the "letters to the editor" in my copy of The Buckskin Report, September 1981, and there was a letter which the writer was enclosing a check for John Bivins. Apparently, John had a difference of opinion with BATF on the builder's excise tax. I will look through my other copies to see if there was anything more written on this subject.

 

[rich pierce]

Bivins became a "test case" for the BATF when he built and sold a "BiCentennial Longrifle". These guns were Lancaster styled, each one slightly different, but were made from closely machined precarved stocks and standard parts of high quality, lost wax cast, etc. John was one of the pioneers behind the technology for today's kits you all enjoy.

Because he was so famous and was advertising the making of a limited series of seemingly "manufactured guns", he carried on a running battle with the BATF that took years to settle out. There was a John Bivins Defense Fund, etc. I think "we lost".

 

[Zonie]

"...I think we lost."

Not if my information was correct. In the end, we may have won.
See EXCISE TAX