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Recent content by hotsparks

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  1. H

    Easy gunsmith jobs

    That's about all I use (not quite to Mike's level), but I have a 40+ year old Rockwell bandsaw that I wouldn't trade for nuttin'. I do all barrel and lock inleting the 'old' way with chisels..it's slow, but I do it for the pleasure. If I had to do it for a living like Mike, I'd starve to death...
  2. H

    Will a flintlock stop a bear?

    LOL...Zonie....it was neck and neck
  3. H

    Will a flintlock stop a bear?

    Over on a "modern" pistol forum, the same question was asked about pistol rounds for "last stand" bear encounters. We have blacks down here, I've seen a grizzly at a safe distance in BC, but have never seen a brown. From the posts, the Alaskan brown makes even a grizzly look like a pet. Anyway...
  4. H

    Remove breech plug or never remove breech plug

    That's about what I meant Zonie. As I sit here typing, I'm looking at four racks of six guns each, and only four of those are 'factory' guns, (not to mention pistols)so a warranty isn't much of a concern here. I can understand someone like Mike B., whether he has an implied or express warranty...
  5. H

    Remove breech plug or never remove breech plug

    I agree with Birdog, unless it's a "patent" (pronounced PIA) removing a breech plug is no big deal, or at least not as much as some try to make it. I used to make my own, now buy them and hand fit. During a fit, and a build that plug may be in and out two dozen times. Over the years I've...
  6. H

    hand files

    The FastCut files from Brownells are about the best I ever tried.
  7. H

    Forged cable patch knives

    Very nice!!! Tried a couple last year, definately winter or cold weather work...my forge fan was tired by the time I finished.
  8. H

    altering plans and parts

    To answer your original question, can you modify the fore end to fit a shorter "on-hand" barrel? Certainly, but be aware that there is not much you can do to maintain the porportions of the longer barrel in the fore end. Most, if not all, of the dimensions, barrel depth, web between barrel and...
  9. H

    Routing out the barrel channel

    LOL...mine is a pair of 1/4" and a 3/8" Garrett-Wade chisels. I did a 9" pistol tapered barrel Sunday in 26 minutes from layout to final fit, hard maple to boot. Bet most folks can't set up guides and all for a router in that time, plus you still get to hand chisel the last 3-6" at the breach. I...
  10. H

    gold lining a flash pan

    Rick Never done a pan, but have some experience "plating" furnishings on furniture (in a prior life). Best technique I found was to use Borax, the real stuff, not the flavored variety found in supermarkets, as a flux. Application is about like silver-soldering. Surface must be absolutely clean...
  11. H

    Spalted vs Curley

    I've done a rifle and a pistol from spalted, spalted is "soft", as said above it's, if not rotten at least punky...but it was pretty in it's natural state. I used aqua-fortis on the rifle and it wiped out the spalting and the finished rifle looks like plain-jane grade 1 maple. Hmmm, so I used a...
  12. H

    derringer so far,,,,DONE

    I look for and buy "derelict" M/Ls at yard sales and gun shows, generally pay $10 - 50 and can get 4 or so barrels from each, plus a lock, hardware and one breech-plug...not a bad price. Cutting, drilling and re-tapping for a new plug isn't hard, and I cone everything now so that takes care of...
  13. H

    forging trigger guard

    And then there are the extrordinary craftsmen that forge a single piece triggerguard...they claim it's simple and takes only three splits....and no welding....a cigar box full of "experiments" proves I haven't mastered it yet... John
  14. H

    Charging from a horn....

    Dan I've still got carbon inbedded in my left hand from stupid antics 45 years back with bottle rockets, I can't even imagine what it would be like to have that plasma wall of expanding gas enveloping my face, call it explosion or whatever you want, and I can't even imagine how that would change...
  15. H

    Blunderbuss barrel

    There were a couple on ebay last night
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