Matchlock Axe/Pistol

[Bruce Bump]

Hey, I never thought of tiger eyes. They look like eye balls and tend to follow ya wherever you go too.

Hopefully the handle will be shaped by the time you get here. Cant wait to see our best Buds.

Maybe some tiger-eye studs......hehehe?

BTW: that new stock material is stunning! Can't wait to see it in person .

Dana

 

[Dana Hackney]

OR.....

How about a couple of star garnets or sapphires ?

Cool, about the handle, Bruce. Are you going to have it checkered?

Thanks bro,
Dana

Hey, I never thought of tiger eyes. They look like eye balls and tend to follow ya wherever you go too.

Hopefully the handle will be shaped by the time you get here. Cant wait to see our best Buds.

 

[Bruce Bump]

I think checkering may be too modern unless I can choose an old pattern, I think they used squares instead of diamonds. I may try to do some simple shaping around the edges. I can always have a pro do the carving.
I'd like to check on some star garnets. Do they have really small ones?

How about a couple of star garnets or sapphires ?

Cool, about the handle, Bruce. Are you going to have it checkered?

Thanks bro,
Dana

 

[Dana Hackney]

Hey Bruce!

Got it. I wasn't thinking about the checkering not matching the period. They should have some start garnets that are small enough. You may want to try some online searches. Whatever you come up with, I'm sure , is going to be awesome.

Dana

I think checkering may be too modern unless I can choose an old pattern, I think they used squares instead of diamonds. I may try to do some simple shaping around the edges. I can always have a pro do the carving.
I'd like to check on some star garnets. Do they have really small ones?

 

[oldsalt]

Blood red rubys?

 

[Gahagan]

I have used emeralds for dragon eyes. Youcan find them fairly cheap on ebay.


note: Gahagan, sorry to delete the ebay hyper-links, just call me paranoid. Please dont take it personal,
Bruce

 

[Bruce Bump]

I have used emeralds for dragon eyes. Youcan find them fairly cheap on ebay.

Pretty good prices. Do you have a link to a dragon or two that you've carved? I bet you could give me some pointers.

 

[Bruce Bump]

I've been inletting the steel parts into the new walnut handle and have made some good progress. I also drilled mounting holes for the trigger guard, breech plug tang and the pommel.
Now is the time to get back on the dragon carving. Its jaw was too big to fit into the primer box so I tapered the inside of the box and ground half his jaw off but it fits now.

 

[ddavelarsen]

My happiest mornings are the ones that start out with an email that you've updated this WIP! Happy Morning Bruce! That's looking good. I'd be freaking out drilling and milling into that awesome piece of wood, but it has to be done. I'm glad it's you doing that and not me... The dragon is looking good, can't wait to see how that comes out in the end. You're amazing to watch, thanks for sharing your hard work with us.

PS - I gotta say, that trigger guard is one of my favorite parts of this weapon. That just turns me on.

 

[Meno]

Bruce great work on the new WIP. the inletting looks as though its going really well.I always get in a panic doing inletting , move
the wheel half a turn the wrong way and you have a hole you dont need. I look forward to getting on each day to see if you have posted
some more pics. Thanks for showing us your incredible skills.

Regards Ray (meno)

 

[Bruce Bump]

Thanks much guys.
The inletting on the side plates is really deep and actually not so important as these are mounting plates for the barrel to the stock. The trigger guard and barrel/tang is more tedious as they will show. The mill makes a clean line as long as its straight but the curved lines are finished off with carving chisels wearing my optivisers. Next comes the beauty plates for the sides. They play an important role in covering up all my gaps around these dang mounting plates.

 

[Bruce Bump]

Today I took the dragon apart and ground away some excess weight and steel. Since this is actually a clamp I started on a thumb rest to open the clamp for slow match adjustment.

Its taking more shape but it reminds me of the wiley coyote on the Road Runner cartoon. I hope after the horns are polished and bent up and out it wont look like him.

 

[JC in SC]

I dunno, looks pretty menacing to me. Progressing very nicely Bruce. Cannot wait to see the finished product.

 

[Dana Hackney]

Hi Bruce!

I agree with JC. That thing's looking meaner with every file stroke. Very cool, Bruce, very cool.

Dana

 

[Bruce Bump]

OK this dragon is taking over my life. Thankfully its nearly finished. It needs to have the neck worked down and file some scales onto it but I need to switch gears for awhile and work on something else on the gun.

 

[Dana Hackney]

Sweet, Bruce! Don't send it off before we get there next week. That dragon is shaping up VERY nicely. Is it going to be blued or ?

Dana

 

[Bruce Bump]

I think it will stay natural. My hopes is the engraver will add some more details. In the past he does blue the parts and remove the engraved areas leaving it two tone. Blueing doesnt show details well. The finest engraved firearms are not blued.

Sweet, Bruce! Don't send it off before we get there next week. That dragon is shaping up VERY nicely. Is it going to be blued or ?

Dana

 

[ddavelarsen]

Bruce, what is that right-angled sanding disc thing? That looks like a dentist tool, but if it's generally available that's something I might go looking for. Very nice tools you have too, have I mentioned that? The dragon is looking great!

 

[James-G]

Very nice work On the Dragon

 

[Bruce Bump]

Dave, the 90 degree grinder hand piece snaps onto a foredom. It wasnt cheap but its very versitile to get into places unreachable from straight hand pieces. Check Rio Grande for one.