# Gunstock Carving



## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

I've carved a few gunstocks. This is a M-1892 Winchester. I made the stock from scratch from a walnut stump I processed.







This is a M-12 Winchester 20ga. The pattern, called "style A", is one used by Winchester from 1880-1925. I had to modify it for the larger shotgun forend. Wood is from Fajens from 25 yrs. ago. Gary


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

That is very, very clean work. Good stippling, too.
If you are using palm tools, any particular brand that you like best?


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Absolutely beautiful, did you hand carve them? Either way they are outstanding.


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

Robson Valley said:


> That is very, very clean work. Good stippling, too.
> If you are using palm tools, any particular brand that you like best?


 I used a Dremel with a flex shaft. I don't think I have enough time left in my life to learn traditional carving.:no: I just do it for myself so power carving works okay on my guns. Gary


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## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

WOW! This is gorgeous!


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I haven't tried power carving yet, I don't think I would have as much control power carving, as hand carving, but not having tried it, I could be totally wrong.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

That's some real clean work homebody. 
Excellent job!!!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

That's really good. What tool did you use the texture the background.


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

I used a single point punch and a small hammer. Tap tap tap tap...about a million whacks. Gary


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Very nice work...a lot of patience. Did you have a pattern you used as an example?








 







.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

HomeBody said:


> I used a single point punch and a small hammer. Tap tap tap tap...about a million whacks. Gary


I was afraid of that. I've often thought about getting a stippling tool made for leather to try on wood.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Nothing wrong with power carving! I watch a carver work in elk, moose and deer antlers.

Bill Judt, in his relief carving text, show how to cut a 9-point stippling tool in the end of a 1/4" x 1/4" x 6" piece of iron with a Dremel and cutoff wheels. Looks best in dark woods.


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

Robson Valley said:


> Nothing wrong with power carving! I watch a carver work in elk, moose and deer antlers.
> 
> 
> > Here's a moose antler I carved. Antler burr came from Alaska. I copied this from a Native American shell gorget that had this design scratched in it. The gorget was found at Cahokia Mounds and dated to 1000 AD and was worn around the neck. Archaeologists call this character a "long nosed god". Gary


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

You've been a busy boy! Has a very Central American/Aztec style to it. Good.


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> Very nice work...a lot of patience. Did you have a pattern you used as an example?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



A good design is the most important thing. I'd rather have a piece of work with a good design and poor execution than one with a lousy design and the best work. Better to have a good design and good execution too! You have to draw a lot to get good. A lot.

The oak leaves came out of my head. I've drawn a ton of them so they are easy. The other pattern on the shotgun was a copy of an original Winchester pattern from the late 1800's and early 1900's. I had to modify it to fit the larger shotgun forend. 

Here is a pencil rubbing done in 1912 of a factory carved Winchester rifle forend. Conrad Ulrich got $12.50 for carving it. I converted that into todays dollars and it was something like $267 in 2012. I would probably carve that forend today for $267.



This is my original sketch of how I modified the pattern to fit my larger forend. I used all the original design elements, just rearranged and added more of the same. Gary


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

I had a rare opportunity to take a drawing class and a watercolor painting class. The instructor wanted to begin with the w/c but we all wanted the drawing class first. So be it.

Gary, you make some strong points that support your carvings:
a) draw often and draw lots. Practice brings improvements.
b) In the w/c class, the instructor pointed out that "a strong drawing makes for a strong painting."
I use 11x17 paper to plan my wood carvings, average 8-10 sheets per project. No eraser so I simply switch colors to keep the original (pencil) in plain sight. I did a Halibut/fish serving platter, maybe 20" x 14". Four tails in four colors to see something I liked that fit the wood.


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## aaroncr (Dec 30, 2011)

Great work,.....both of those stocks are super nice.


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## bigcouger (Jan 4, 2012)

Beautifully Done, I have done a few Last winter I did my own shotgun. First time I did one for myself that was replacing the stock also. I had gotten some beautiful Walnut from Mike1950 an it worked out great. I go both ways hand an power carving it depends on how much time I got to work on the project an how the client wants it :laughing:


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