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Kibler SMR finally finished in cherry

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Trapper Scott

45 Cal.
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For those considering a Kibler kit gun, don't judge Kibler by my finished rifle. I put the finishing touches on my SMR today. It was a 40 caliber quick ship kit I saved a few bucks on, The wood finish is a lye wash with Permalyn sealer. The metal finish is Jax black which was slightly distressed. The ram rod finish is just Permalyn. The patch box and toe plate were ordered from Muzzle Loaders Builders Supply.

I added a few more pictures in case someone wanted to see my lack of inletting skills.
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That looks fine. And .40 too. I'd love a .36 or .40

I've never seen Jax Black before. I like it. Kind of a sooty black.

Good job keeping your screw slots pointing in the same direction. I noticed the butt screw slots are going a different direction. Is that for balance? Ying and Yang and all that.
I had to do the butt plate screws that way because, in the spirit of the 1820s, there wasn't any such thing as OCD. 😁
 
Now you have to shoot the new rifle very much. That will give it an honest patina. I do like your choice of wood. My first build has a cherry stock.
This was my first cherry stock project and it was interesting, to say the least. I like the simple grain of it like an Appalachian poor boy's rifle should be.
 
It’s so interesting how lye can add color and tone to Cherry. This is a great alternative to using stains or dyes. Thanks for your various experiments with lyes and finishes!
I had no idea about how lye was used until I ran across a post that casually mentioned it and then I found several YT videos and articles on it, so I got interested in it. I always loved the reddish tint on gun stocks but was never able to find a pre-made stain that would render the desired results so it has been a quest. When I ordered my SMR they sent me a couple of extra scrape pieces of cherry so I started experimenting with them. Glad you found it helpful.
 
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