# Done it again



## CK'n (Jan 26, 2007)

maybe should post this in the picture section....but,

Cleaned up Non-furniture category today, as I did last year at the Georgia Woodworker's Show. 

Please excuse the glazed eyes, it has been a very long day.







Chris

ps the top rifle was for exhibiting only, the yellow ribbon winner was a muzzle loader that was sitting in another booth. Forgot to move it over....have to take another picture tommorrow.


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## SnowHunter (Jan 27, 2007)

CONGRATS Chris!!!
Thats AWESOME!!
Beautiful Rifles, and LOVE the stocks!
    

Nicole


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## CAL (Jan 27, 2007)

That's some beautiful work Chris.Thanks for letting us see it.


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## duckbill (Jan 27, 2007)

Keep working at it Chris.  You'll get good at it one of these days.  

Nice work !


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## wickedjester (Jan 27, 2007)

Nice work!

Come on February..Getting my bonus check,then let the saw dust fly for my stock and forearm!


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## boneboy96 (Jan 27, 2007)

Wow Chris...congrats...I was at the show today and although I didn't know you or your work then, I saw those 3 rifles and their stocks and took notice of the craftsmanship.  I'm not sure but did you have the Kentucky Rifle with all the brass, etc at another booth?   I saw you today!      Nice work!


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## Nicodemus (Jan 27, 2007)

Congrats!! That`s some fine work! That rifle on the bottom is really something!


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## Lostoutlaw (Jan 27, 2007)

Congrats on the display and the awards, man dat is some kind o scope on the second gun the whole set up looks Real Good


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## CK'n (Jan 27, 2007)

*Thanks guys*

Thanks for having a look and stopping by to say hello. It is very nice to put some faces to names.

The muzzle loader with all the brass is mine, it got a yellow ribbon (3rd). I was using the Dogwood School's work bench to make a stock during the show. Because of the crowds gathering and the lack of space in the Guild's booth. I moved across the aisle to there, besides, Ron was nice enough to lend me his bench, the least I could do was work in his booth...and the rifle is for him. (Ron owns the woodworking school - Dogwood)The ML was moved over there so I could get some measuremnts off of it and use it to explain what I was doing. So far the show has been on 14 hours..got maybe 1 hours worth of done. Thank heavens tommorrow is the last day and it is a short one.

The big scope is a Leo 14X-28X (or something like that) with a sun shade that makes it look long. It is sitting on a Sako Vixen in .222, shoots pretty well and has collected it's fair share of prairy dogs. 

the bottom rifle is a .270 based on Mauser98 receiver, douglas barrel, Timney trigger, and an American Walnut stock. Rest assured the wood has been played with, actualy all except the Winny High Wall have been. There are a minimum of 2 colors, and the ML has 3 colors added to accent the grain. I'll explain what I did later, I'm a tired pup! There are a couple of tricks using stains and making them disapear. Remember Sophia Loren, Princess Grace, and many other of the worl's most beutiful women used make-up. The trick is to do it in such away no one can tell.
Labor intensive, but often worth it. The grain in the walnut stock, expecially in the cheek piecearea, ripples as you move around it. I tried to get it to imitate a mink pelt.

Thanks and take care,
Chris


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## Jason280 (Jan 28, 2007)

Chris,

Excellent work!


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## Holton (Jan 28, 2007)

Good  work guy's.


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## Eric Lewis (Feb 5, 2007)

*stocks*

Congrats on the awrds and staying awake long enough to recieve them  

The stock on top looks like the curley maple on in one of your previous posts that I liked so much !


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## MrgreenJeans (Feb 6, 2007)

can we get some cmore detailed pics of each one. Looks beautiful.


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## seaweaver (Feb 6, 2007)

awesome.when you get time lets see a levergun!
what do you think about purple heart?
cw


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## Perry Hayes (Feb 6, 2007)

Those look great!


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## CK'n (Feb 7, 2007)

*lever guns and purpleheart?*

Purple heart is so dense and heavy, I wouldn't want to carry it around.  I suppose it could be done. A varmint type rifle might work where you don't have to lug it around and can use a tripod to support it all on...hmmmm, i have some too.

Haven't done much with lever guns. I do have this Marlin 22lr





did a little checkering on it






and I am working on this stock (on the left) for another one. Want to brown the barrel and make it look like a small buffalo gun.






Now to the show: I haven't taken pictures of everything yet, the rest will show up tomorrow.
Your right Eric, that stock was in last year's show and shouldn't be in this picture. I added it and the Winny as an exhibit. There should have been a muzzle loader there instead. Had it on a workbench I was using to demo stock carving.

The muzzle loader is a 45 caliber tiger tail maple with brass furniture. Made it about 10 years ago, so it is likely I have old pictures of it posted to GON somewhere.  Decided to strip it down and redo the in-letting a lot better, stain (3 colors) the wood to bring the grain out better, and re-brown the barrel. It was a nightmare trying to get the wood to settle down enough to get the brass inlayed and be perfectly smooth with the surface of the wood. I wanted people to run their finger over the brass and wood and not be able to feel any line. Then to get all the screw slots to line up at the same time....no wonder I have no hair left!

I think this was the 2nd place holder
















3rd went to the varmint rifle. A Sako Vixen 222 in bird's eye maple. The checkering has no border. Don't think I want to do that again with all that real estate - no whiskers or over runs allowed.




















The 1st place was a walnut 270. it was made about the same time and may also have been shown in previous posts. Not cleaned up and redone as pretty as it is now. Just taken apart and redone similar to the ML above. The checkering was redone as well. All those panels (including the Sako above) may have cost me the ability to checker. The Doc says I have some kind of bursitis that will be resurrecting ever time I try to do much checkering. This last go around really pushed it too far...hope he is an anti-gunner and just wants me to stop making them 






Gotta retake this pic....look at all the dust!!! yipes















hope this keeps you interested. I'll add some more tomorrow.

Take care,
Chris


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## carabrook (Feb 8, 2007)

that is beutiful work Chris, sent yu a pm as well, congratulations


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## Burl E. (Feb 8, 2007)

It was good to meet you at the show. You do some Bee-u-tee-full work!!!!!!


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## carabrook (Feb 8, 2007)

*Old 22*

Chris,

Couldn't find anywhere to email you other than here so I am attaching some pictures of the old .22 pump that I was talking about. It's kind of neat with the hex barrell and all.

As far as I can tell from looking the same gun up on some auctions it was made around 1904. The stock etc is in pretty good shape but does have a couple of small marks on the stock. Send me a PM and let me know what you think. I would love to see this one restored properly.


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## CK'n (Feb 9, 2007)

*Nice old rifle*

This sounds about the time Stevens and Savage where together. For a little history.... there was a Savage arms company before the Civil war that had no relation with the modern company. They came up with a revolver (cap & ball) that was pretty neat. Heavy as all get out though! Have a really bad example of one in the shop now. It is so badly corroded, not sure what to do with it. It's part of our dwindling national heritage, so I feel I need to do something though....
Anyway, there is another thread where I posted a picture of a prototype civil war revolver; really plain looking. The engineers for that where just out of college and didn't know what would work in the field. Young Mr. Stevens (one of the four engineers that worked on it) learned the hard way how to run a company and about practical engineering. The company was sued by Colt for patent infringement. There wasn't any, but they could not afford the fight and had to close their doors. Cheap easy way to remove competition! In addition, he learned the design of the revolver would not pass government inspection. It would take about 2 shots to badly foul the workings, the revolve would not work. Mr. Stevens worked with 2 other engineers who learned the same lessons (a real dream team). They where Smith and the other was Wesson. They all went on to establish companies based on quality and practicality. They where also careful to stay out of each other's "territory" for the most part. 

So your rifle has an interesting thread.  Savage Arms worked with Stevens who learned with Smith and Wesson the hard how to make a quality product, keep the company alive, and avoiding (or use when needed) cut throat tactics. Oh ya, worked with a manufacturer named after a defunct company (Savage).... 

.....maybe more then you wanted to know, history is always interesting to me.

I'll try to post a picture of the Savage pistol. It doesn't look so good. Guess it is part of doing business, you get handed a few nightmares from time to time.

Thankfully yours is the opposite. It looks to be well kept and will take a minimum amount of work to restore it.

Look forward to working with you.


Take care,
Chris

PM sent about posting to PMs and email


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## Eric Lewis (Feb 10, 2007)

*WRAPPING COLORS*

Beautiful stocks Chris ! 

I'm trying to figure out how to "wrap some colors" to highlight the different grain lines on a little  $ 30 Traditions Deerhunter I picked up....Id like to emulte the coloring on My T/C Renegade shown with it. 

The blue tape kind of seperates  the different grain patterns.
The colors in the Renegade are natural to the stock, I just cleaned it up and they came out. But might want to go with more of a brown tone, although I do love the red.

Eric


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## CK'n (Feb 10, 2007)

*you are starting*

out great. I see the test strip you are doing. That is one thing I rarely see being done. Very good idea, it will save a boat load of tears later. Imitating sap wood and hard wood is no easy task. You will have to paint all the dark grain on. That kind of grain is usually painted on with something like a bird's feather. Tried it several times myself...never had much luck. The naked stock does have an interesting change in grain, kinda like 2 different types of wood grew together. It might be easier to augment what you have there and  make it stand out.  Different then the other stock, but no less striking.

That I can help you with. Let me take a few pictures of how I do it. It will be a few days, so please be patient. I'll have to dig up some old pictures and make a few new ones of the process. If you want to try it, here's a list of stuff you will need. It will take a few colors of dyes, alcohol, sandpaper from 320 up to 600, paper towels (used as swabs as well as cleaning up ), small mixing bowls (cut the bottom 2" out of small cheap plastic drinking cup), and whatever finish you plan on using. The dye should be a good type that is dissolved or mixed in alcohol. Minwax won't work in this application. Highland Hardware, Woodcraft, and Rockler are the local stores that have some. On line try Woodworker's supply. I am guessing you will need the same I used on the muzzle loader shown below.  Golden Honey - not golden oak, you want the extra yellow, then red mahogany or a walnut stain with lots of red, and last a dark chocolate. 

I'll get the pics together and show you what to do with dyes over the weekend. It won't be Saturday, got a couple people coming over Saturday morning to look at the land around my house. It seems I might be living on top of a civil war encampment (near Pickett's Mill). They are suppose to make some surveys and confirm if it really is or not. Kinda cool if it true and with my choice in occupations...

Take care,
Chris


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## Eric Lewis (Feb 10, 2007)

*HAVENT DONE MUCH WITH LEVER GUNS.......*

HAVENT DONE MUCH WITH LEVER GUNS.......

I showed the pics of the marlin 39 to two friends  this afternoon...they about fell over & you might be getting some inquiries...(does this thing have a spell check)

Besides the great grain finish, checkering etc...( thats enough sucking up     I really like the shape on the forend, kind of a modified beavertail.

I'd thought about painting in the grain, but I did nt think it would work, just want to do some subtle color variations to highlight th different grains...and I think two triees might have been "pressed together" on this one...

Was also considering trying to get some color variations by going way up in grit on the sand paper (1500). In a few areas / or lines of dmarcation as it were to see how that would look...I do think the single smartest thing I've learned,  is to test on a nice piece of house trim.Prepped just as the stock will be...Takes some time , but not near as long as redoing the stock  over.  Only took a few times to learn that one !!!


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## boneboy96 (Feb 10, 2007)

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Chris today at his shop and enjoyed the afternoon looking at some of his work and his workshop and tools.   I truly felt like a kid in a candy store.  Can't thank you enough Chris...when I get back into turning pens, I'll make one up for you!


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## CK'n (Feb 11, 2007)

*candy store*

...shucks, just tools of the trade. Flattery does work though! I'll be looking forward to that pen. But then the offer to trade more wood for some lessons still stands. (I'm not so good with a wood lathe folks, he is) The work you showed me was fantastic. Wish I could do that. I am still making dust and catching the wood wrong and exploding parts all over the shop. 

Eric, that old thing is a lot of fun with the squirrels. Wait until the end of summer when the new one is done. California Myrtle with the same model Marlin (I have 2 of them). This one will have all the metal browned and a tang sight. Want to imitate a buffalo rifle. Noticed a blued barrel jarred too much with the color of the wood.  The odd forend is an attempt to make it easier to shoot off of a bag or stand. Didn't think it would look very good when I first tried it. Guess I'll stay with that idea for awhile.

got some folks interested in a copy of the Marlin?....guess this means I might owe you a bit of a discount on some work? (that hurts just thinking about it, discount part that is)

Hold off just a little longer on your stock if you can. I will start writing that article tomorrow morning. Hopefully it will help. If you will send me your email address, I'll send you rough drafts as I write it. Then I'll post it for everyone when I get at least the 3rd grade grammar errors out.

Take care, and thanks for the comments!
Chris


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## Eric Lewis (Feb 12, 2007)

*color dyeing stocks*

Chris,

I'm not in a rush on the stock...I know how long it takes to re-do one when you dont like the results 
And I had to do everything short of sandblasting it to get the original finish off !

Look forward to the article.  So far I've sanded it up to 320 and steamed it to get the grain up.  A friend reccomended wet sanding it with 400g when  I put the first coat of clear on...As far as the 600 goes, I had thought of sanding different areas of grain with the different grits to affect the lightness - darkeness and bring out the color variations


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## CK'n (Feb 13, 2007)

*refinish*

Eric,
I am afraid you are likely to be disappointed if you rely on sanding to change the figure of the wood.

To strip a stock, and i am not kidding here, I use paint stripper. The same thing you use and comes from the hardware store. Apply it just like the instructions. Then I stick it in a tub with plenty of running water (slightly warm in the winter) and use a gently scrub brush to get as much off as possible. Sometimes you need to repeat if it is really hanging on. Don't be shy about getting water on it. You need to remove all the paint stripper. Let it dry, you can help it with a heat gun on very low or a hair dryer set on low. All you want to do is get the water off so the least amount soaks in. When it is dry, rub down with a strong solution of water and baking soda. That stops the stripper chemistry , or most of it, if there is any left.

The next day I sand. Maybe up to 320 like you did. I de-whisker. That is wetting down the surface with water and letting it dry. NO steam. Works for removing dents, that is about all. Cold water works here very nicely and doesn't soak in as far. You can assist the drying just like above. Sand with 320, repeat one more time. If there is a noticeable amount of fuzz the second time, repeat a third time. It never hurts to over do it. Then comes the decision to stain or not. If not, maybe sand to 400, if it is a course wood like walnut, don't bother. you have to do so much grain filling, you are waisting time, energy, and paper going further until the grain is filled. If you are going to be coloring/shading/tinting, then do it now. 

I'll get the article done shortly. Most of the pictures are taken and I have an outline...it really is in progress. 

I can also suggest stopping by the shop. There is nothing like face to face explanations. Much better then anything I can write about.  Then you can looking at what I am doing and me looking over your shoulder while you try it. It can be done in a few hours.

being diplomatic here... I think you will be disappointed in what you outlined as your plan of attack.

Take care,
Chris

PS: doesn't cost anything. I fully support amateur and hobbyist 'smiths and wood workers.


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## Eric Lewis (Feb 14, 2007)

*sent you a pm*

Chris,
Thanks for the invite...I have a couple including the  Navy Arms Yellow Boy lever action Im redoing that I'd like to show you. 

A friend used to have a sign in his custom van / car shop :

LABOR RATE    $35.OO/HOUR 
IF YOU WATCH $45.OO / HOUR
IF YOU HELP $55.OO/HOUR

 Wheres your shop located ?

If you send me an address I'll do a map. 

I have the stock stripping down pretty good...up until I got this old  Traditions Deer Hunter .50 Cal.
It waS so hard to get the finish off it was un-believable 
 I roughed it up with 150 grit to open the surface and two differnt types of stripper that normally work great didnt raise a single bubble. Finally had to resort to Acetone and coarse steel wool...it was so bad that I called traditions cust. serv. and the guy was intrigued enough to contact spain to see what they used...Probably epoxy 

Anyway, with a ton of sanding and more stripper & paint thinner & alot of sandparer later I got it down to bare wood 


The traditions detail work for the scew etc is pretty sloppy and a little soft...what is a good product to coat the inside wtih to reinforce it ?

anyway, thanks for the help.
Eric 

p.s. I tried doing a beaver tail forend like on your Marlin 39, same i dea, a better base for shooting off of a rest.
For my nef huntsman using the ole forend as a base...I'm a restorer definetly not a wood worker.


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## Eric Lewis (Feb 18, 2007)

Chris,

Sent you a pm

Eric


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## CK'n (Feb 19, 2007)

*didn't*

get it....


Eric,
Could you try it again?

Thanks,
Chris


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## Nitro (Feb 20, 2007)

Gorgeous work Sir!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing!

I love a gorgeous piece of wood on a firearm.


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## Eric Lewis (Feb 24, 2007)

*try it again...*

Chris,

sent you an email this time...

Eric


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## CK'n (Feb 25, 2007)

*Eric*

Still doesn't work.

Try cknerr@atlwoodwrights.com
cknerr@riflerestorer.com

or just call me 
678-574-5522 home
678-770-4274 shop

Sorry folks about addressing this in public...

Thanks for noticing Agarr, I really enjoy making them.

Take care,
Chris


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## Eric Lewis (Feb 26, 2007)

Chris,

this info I got , will call later in the week

Eric


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