Is this repairable or restock.

[Dean62]

I have a JJ Henry &Sons flintlock that has been in the family for years. It has all the hardware but stick has been broken and stuck back together. My father always planned on having a new stick made. I am trying to get a plan on what to do. Here are some pictures. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Phil Coffins]

What do you hope to do with the rifle when done?

 

[Jaeger]

I have a JJ Henry &Sons flintlock that has been in the family for years. It has all the hardware but stick has been broken and stuck back together. My father always planned on having a new stick made. I am trying to get a plan on what to do. Here are some pictures. Thanks for any advice.

When you say "stick", you mean STOCK, right? "Stick" sounds like you are talking about the ramrod.

 

[Dean62]

Just have a nice old flintlock that my father always wanted to repair.

When you say "stick", you mean STOCK, right? "Stick" sounds like you are talking about the ramrod.

I meant stock.

 

[Dean62]

I have a curly maple stock blank purchased by my father to replace the stock. He purchased it in 1965. I have made modern gun stocks and also build guitars. But never tried a flintlock stock. I don’t want to mess up that old maple blank.

 

[64Springer]

I just rebuilt a shotgun that had a stock like yours. Cracked and broken through the weakest part of the stock. The lock mortise. Some old repairs that were terrible. Some wood missing.

I bit the bullet and made a new stock.

Your stock looks too far gone for a functional repair. Maybe get her back together and hang her on a wall.

Or you could send her off to a real stock repair professional and see what they say. But that's big bucks.

 

[deerstalkert]

someone with the proper abilities and patience can fix that stock. it may be cost prohibitive to you and then maybe not. the value of some of these old soldiers is far beyond what you would have to spend. research yours and make an informed choice.
regardless if you do have a new stock made, keep and protect the original, for study if nothing else. every time one is discarded we lose a book of knowledge.

 

[Dean62]

It is not a full size rifle either. My father always said it was a boy’s rifle. It is definitely for a small frame person.

 

[pacanis]

I've got a buddy that can fix anything. His expertise is stocks and refinishing work. He'll carve you a new stock out of a piece of wood if that's what you want.
What part of NY are you from? We may be close.

 

[Dean62]

Glens falls Saratoga area.

 

[Dean62]

I have nothing to loose. so I am going to give it a go and fix it myself. i will post pics when I get going on it. One question does anyone know what kind of wood it is?
Thank You

 

[rich pierce]

A Henry, in original flint, restored, may be worth $1500. It could be restored by a professional for maybe $600-800. Then it would be a collector piece. If re-stocked it might be worth $400.

 

[Phil Coffins]

I have nothing to loose. so I am going to give it a go and fix it myself. i will post pics when I get going on it. One question does anyone know what kind of wood it is?
Thank You

Restocking will remove most of the rifle’s identity and history. Please reconsider.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Pretty much anything can be repaired in some fashion, but often it isn't worth the expense. This one seems to be worth the expense. You could restock it at little risk, but keep the original stock if you do that.

Personally, if I had that one, I would be tempted to invest a few hundred dollars to have a professional repair the original stock, but I without knowing your abilities in details I would not necessarily recommend that you do the repair yourself. I've seen some "repairs" and "restorations" that could make your hair curl.

 

[deerstalkert]

the patina makes it hard to say what the wood is, but the pores that are in it makes me guess walnut.
to do the fix yourself properly you will spend hours with a dental pick just removing the old glue.

 

[Dean62]

Thanks for the info, I was thinking walnut as well. I know it will be a slow process, but I am used to that it the challenge that has me interested now. I build acoustic guitars as a hobby. I have many hours on each one. I also repair broken guitars, I just finished reconditioning and reblueing 4 guns damaged in a house fire for a family friend. So that got my gun stock interest going again so I pulled this one out. I enjoy fixing things back to as original as possible.

 

[Dean62]

Thank You For everyone's advice. I can't bring myself to restock it. It needs to have as much of the old stock as possible to keep its character. Any recommendations if I do decide to send it out for professional repair?

 

[Dean62]

Got things started on the old gun. Coming along slowly taking my time. Will post pics as I go.

 

[64Springer]

Great joinery.

Angles provide more gluing surface.

Keep putting up those pics.

 

[reddogge]

I'd say you are doing a great job. Keep it up.