The Why
A single-shot Ivers Johnson Arm & Cycle Works 12 gauge that belonged to my grandfather, possibly his father. At some point the original butt stock seems to have been replaced, with a butt plate cut from a piece of rubber (maybe an old tire wall). This was the shotgun we started hunting with when we came of age.
My father made another butt stock for it out of black walnut. It's shaped really well, following the pattern of the replacement. There's just one problem: He never put a butt plate on it.
No problem, right? Just get a slightly oversized universal butt plate and grind to fit. Except while the stock looks good even without a finish, it's non-standard, with a huge butt. It's 4 1/2" long and 1 15/16 inches wide. The universal butt plates I've found so far are either way oversized, meaning they won't look right when ground down, or undersized, and the stock looks too good for me to attempt to thin down.
This is why I'm thinking of a DIY butt plate, but want to do something different than just cutting a piece of rubber to fit.
Sentimental Value Only
While still in operating condition, this shotgun has seen heavy use over a century. Even if it had all original equipment, it would only have sentimental value. Since it's on it's third butt stock, sentimental value is about all it has. This means I'm not going for authenticity here. That odd sized butt stock removes authenticity, anyway.
First Thoughts
I noticed one of the universal butt plates was a urethane casting. This has me wondering about shaping a replacement to fit out of modeling clay, making a mold, and trying to pour one. Drawbacks are bubbles and maybe fragility.
Second Thoughts
Came across using fabric and resin to make knife handle material. That might be the simplest, and the fibers would work against breakage, but not comfortable with the look of the material. OTOH, it looks a lot better than that first DIY rubber butt plate.
While We're Here
I'm thinking a linseed oil finish would match the forestock better than a modern varnish.
Comments on both?
A single-shot Ivers Johnson Arm & Cycle Works 12 gauge that belonged to my grandfather, possibly his father. At some point the original butt stock seems to have been replaced, with a butt plate cut from a piece of rubber (maybe an old tire wall). This was the shotgun we started hunting with when we came of age.
My father made another butt stock for it out of black walnut. It's shaped really well, following the pattern of the replacement. There's just one problem: He never put a butt plate on it.
No problem, right? Just get a slightly oversized universal butt plate and grind to fit. Except while the stock looks good even without a finish, it's non-standard, with a huge butt. It's 4 1/2" long and 1 15/16 inches wide. The universal butt plates I've found so far are either way oversized, meaning they won't look right when ground down, or undersized, and the stock looks too good for me to attempt to thin down.
This is why I'm thinking of a DIY butt plate, but want to do something different than just cutting a piece of rubber to fit.
Sentimental Value Only
While still in operating condition, this shotgun has seen heavy use over a century. Even if it had all original equipment, it would only have sentimental value. Since it's on it's third butt stock, sentimental value is about all it has. This means I'm not going for authenticity here. That odd sized butt stock removes authenticity, anyway.
First Thoughts
I noticed one of the universal butt plates was a urethane casting. This has me wondering about shaping a replacement to fit out of modeling clay, making a mold, and trying to pour one. Drawbacks are bubbles and maybe fragility.
Second Thoughts
Came across using fabric and resin to make knife handle material. That might be the simplest, and the fibers would work against breakage, but not comfortable with the look of the material. OTOH, it looks a lot better than that first DIY rubber butt plate.
While We're Here
I'm thinking a linseed oil finish would match the forestock better than a modern varnish.
Comments on both?
