Building a Kit: ToW Early Flint Hawken

I am not an experienced builder by any means. I remember when I started my first build and had no idea what I was getting into when I ordered the "kit." After all, it was billed by the seller as an "easy" build.

I have seen many prospective builders post questions about what it takes to build kits, or those that may believe something like a GPR kit is like a ToW, Pecatonica, or other like kit.

During my yet-to-be-complete ToW Early Flint Hawken build I have been taking extensive pictures and have been notating them in a Flickr account. Again, I don't claim to be an expert. The gun is far from finished at this point. But I will continue to post until complete. I don't claim that any my processes are the best way, the only way, or anything else. I am only posting this so that those who have never done a "kit" build and may be contemplating can see what they might be in for so they make a more informed decision. Pictures might show this better than just words.

I wasn't going to post these, but a couple others who have seen these encouraged me to post.

I hope someone finds it useful. Click on the link and the album in Flickr should come up. Double click on the first picture and then you can page through the photos. My picture comments will be seen in the upper right.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100435142@N08/sets/72157639906287386/

Lookin good so far :thumbsup:

Agree, looking really good.

And an excellent tutorial to show any potential "first time" kit builders the depth of what actually is involved in a builders kit.

Your work clearly shows it's not a "put part A into slot B" and be out shooting in an afternoon.

Look forward to the rest of the build.

:thumbsup: This is developing into an amazing piece, both the rifle and the tutorial. Don't sell yourself short, this is a great tutorial on how a build should go. No "slap it together and shoot", but how to carefully assemble something to be proud of. :bow:
Thanks for taking the time to document your progress. I am looking forward to "the rest of the story."
Ed

Really looking good!

"easy" build.

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Pure advertising fluff.
That is closer to a 'scratch' project for an experienced and advanced builder than a beginner.
Fortunately, it looks like you have a well equiped shop and experience. Congrats on a good build and not screwing it up like I would have done.

Thanks for posting this.

UPS is sending my first kit tomorrow from TVM.

What is the dremel bit your using. Some sort of abrasive disc. A dremel P/N for those would be great.

TOW makes a real nice hawken kit. I love the lines of that tang.

I know little of hawkens though. A late English lock on a Hawken is correct? Either way, it good your representing the hawken as a full stock.

A late English flint is what many believe would be on an original Hawken if a surviving flint was ever discovered.

Jake and Sam both (most certainly) learned their initial gun making skills from their father Christian.

He was not fussy about what locks he used. He didn't build his own (at least not exclusively if he built any at all) and on his surviving originals you find both English and Germanic locks.

Because of that and because no undisputed original flint Hawken, in the plains/mountain style has ever been found, I personally would find it tough to argue that a Siler or Golden Age style from Chambers is any more "wrong" or "correct" than the late English from L&R (which is AKA the Hawken flint) or even a late Ketland from Chambers.

When you are building what some would call a "fantasy gun", to which there is no original to compare, it's kinda tough to get it wrong.

Spikebuck,
Excellent tutorial! I myself have been wanting to jump into the building game and want to start with a kit. This seems like the way I want to go. Your detailed remarks have really made this interesting and have gotten me exited. I can't wait to see the finished product. Thanks for taking your time to do this.

Jeff

looks great!

I had a great deal of trouble getting the cast parts to take a decent shine ... please pass on anything you have to tell on how you accomplished your effect (it looks as though you did a quick and efficient job, as opposed to my tedious and inefficient methods)

thanks for the nice photos!

galamb said:

When you are building what some would call a "fantasy gun", to which there is no original to compare, it's kinda tough to get it wrong.

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That's one way to put it,
I believe the current touted term is;
"Contemporary Build"

C Broad Arrow said:

Really looking good!

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I concur, especially nice looking wood came with that part set.

Welcome C Broad Arrow, I assume you are another Canuck newcomer here by the handle.

Great pictures and commentary.

Nice stuff! :thumbsup: Both the gun work and the pics and tutorial!! You can't buy this kind of explanation of "how too." A very commendable post sir!!

Dave

Hi MSW,
It looks like he is using a Dremel and 3-M bristle burrs. They are spiral abrasive disks that come in a variety of grits down to 3 microns. They work well but do not use any of the coarser burrs around screw holes and any crisp features that you want to preserve. They will round and dish those features similar to a buffing wheel although not as badly.

dave

Your photos are appreciated. I'm considering diving into a very similar project and I'm leaning toward a full-stock Hawken. Clearly, it's no piece of cake. :hmm:

MSW said:

I had a great deal of trouble getting the cast parts to take a decent shine ... please pass on anything you have to tell on how you accomplished your effect

Click to expand...

First...thanks to everyone for the very kind comments. Prior to my first gun build two years ago, I had no metal or woodworking skills...and I still have and always will have a lot to learn. It's the neat thing about gun building. One can never have learned everything. What I do have is a great desire to do the best I can and to apply what little patience I have. I walked away from that butt plate inlet for two full weeks at one point I was so frustrated. When I feel like that, I'd better not work on it.

As far as polishing the cast parts. I first use small files to take off casting lines and get the rough finish worked off. Then I move to my dremel with Dremel brand Detail Abrasive Brushes. The part numbers are: Coarse 36 grit: EZ471SA; Medium 120 grit: EZ472SA; and Fine 220 grit: EZ473SA. I run them at relatively high speeds working from coarse to fine. If I really want something polished bright I would then move to a buffing wheel with a little polish on it.

dave524 said:

nice looking wood came with that part set.

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That stock is the high-end upgrade for ToW. It's not like a high-end Chambers stock (I have one of those for a Haines build waiting in the wings) but it's pretty nice with figure through the entire stock. Just thought I'd let people know that's not the base maple stock.

A really great tutorial, Spikebuck. You got a good fit on the glass bedding for the whole barrel. Got a question: are you saying that clamping the tang down for 24 hours will put a permanent bend in it to conform to the wood? I just spent about four hours bending and rebending my flint tang to match my hand-sawed stock. Really good photography and fine work and clear descriptions of what you did.

Spikebuck said:

MSW said:

I had a great deal of trouble getting the cast parts to take a decent shine ... please pass on anything you have to tell on how you accomplished your effect

Click to expand...

First...thanks to everyone for the very kind comments. Prior to my first gun build two years ago, I had no metal or woodworking skills...and I still have and always will have a lot to learn. It's the neat thing about gun building. One can never have learned everything. What I do have is a great desire to do the best I can and to apply what little patience I have. I walked away from that butt plate inlet for two full weeks at one point I was so frustrated. When I feel like that, I'd better not work on it.

As far as polishing the cast parts. I first use small files to take off casting lines and get the rough finish worked off. Then I move to my dremel with Dremel brand Detail Abrasive Brushes. The part numbers are: Coarse 36 grit: EZ471SA; Medium 120 grit: EZ472SA; and Fine 220 grit: EZ473SA. I run them at relatively high speeds working from coarse to fine. If I really want something polished bright I would then move to a buffing wheel with a little polish on it.

Click to expand...

thanks! ... now it's off to the not- so- local Home Depot (it seems they're the only place with a decent selection of Dremel stuff, and they're a half hour drive one way ...

anyway, thanks again!