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Kibler Colonial 58, Finally Done

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Joined
Jan 1, 2014
Messages
124
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221
Location
Chestnut, IL
Well, very nearly done. I had attended the build class at WKU in June with Wallace Gusler as our instructor. Had a great time! Jim Kibler was also in the building teaching another class. And there was simply a lot of talented people around to offer advice. Forgive me for not naming all the people offering encouragement. I sure needed it. Thanks!!

I was suffering with a bit of muscle spasms in my back from yanking too hard on a tractor just before I attended the class. So I was lazier than normal. I went in with the idea that I was not going to use any sandpaper on the wood stock. Files, chisels, and scrapers only. Learning to burnish a scraper is something I am going to have to work on. But it finished up well within my expectations. I also knew that in six days I was not going to be able to rub in multiple coats of finish. Which is why that had to wait until I returned home for completion. I wanted this rifle to be something an average man might purchase in the time. Not having the money for extra carvings, engravings, or highly polished finishes on the metalwork. Something perhaps an apprentice might be expected to produce. I did allow myself the use of a piece of green Scotchpad on the brass work. In all the files I took with me. Most old, some new, I only had a very few that produced good work. Too many cut and then balled up the filings which gouged into the metal. But I managed.

The stain I started with was Laurel Mountain Forge Honey Maple with just a bit of cherry added. Some turpentine to thin. Several coats got me a stock that others called "That orange stock". Some deep red, orange, spots of honey amber. This was a standard stock. Upon returning home, I did a coat of Art's French Red Stock Filler, and then a coat of French Red stain. Every day, or other day the stock got a light rubbed in coat of Laurel Mountain Permalyn Sealer. When I started seeing that iridescent look in the light, I stopped. It's quite shiny. Almost like it had been coated with shellac.

The brass work was shined to a point. I wanted it to appear as if it was nearly finished. But not a lot of expensive time had been spent. It got a coat of brass black and then washed and rubbed off a bit. I had hoped the brass would like like it had been cast, and partially finished. Then tossed in a pile for a time to await when it was needed. The barrel was drawfiled. But not sanded. Then also wiped with brass black to give it a bit of grey color. Not freshly white from drawfiling. I did nothing at all with the as cast finish of the lock. I wonder about that.

I have a few pics. Not really good ones and no old rails or anything to use as a backdrop. Getting the sun angle right so you can see the grain was interesting. Have not decided how long to leave the ramrod.

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with respect to the lock, the consensus here is to polish the lock to remove the casting roughness and leave a smooth surface.

Yes, I have read that several times in the build threads. It was discussed at the WKU class. Wallace pointed out that we may have a difficult time polishing the frizzen. I knew I did not have the skill-set to anneal, polish and then re-harden the frizzen. My lock does have a nice smooth finish for a sand cast surface. No little burrs. Almost as if it had been smooth to begin with and then bead blasted. So, it's still something I can do. Is it something I must do to be more period correct? Maybe.

By not disassembling the lock and polishing at the class, that gave me time to solve other problems. So it may yet happen.
 
Beautiful rifle and the work looks flawless. What is WKU and where is it located? I'd love to take a class on building a long rifle. I'm new to long rifles and kit building so I was lucky to find this web site. Tones of information and I already ordered a Colonial 54 kit without patch box. .......
 
Beautiful rifle and the work looks flawless. What is WKU and where is it located? I'd love to take a class on building a long rifle. I'm new to long rifles and kit building so I was lucky to find this web site. Tones of information and I already ordered a Colonial 54 kit without patch box. .......
Western kentucky university, bowling green ky. Hour north of nashville.
 
Beautiful rifle and the work looks flawless. What is WKU and where is it located? I'd love to take a class on building a long rifle. I'm new to long rifles and kit building so I was lucky to find this web site. Tones of information and I already ordered a Colonial 54 kit without patch box. .......

There are a number of build classes that get advertised. You will often see them offered in the magazines like Muzzle Blasts and Muzzleloader. I attended one organized by the NMLRA.
 
Well, very nearly done. I had attended the build class at WKU in June with Wallace Gusler as our instructor. Had a great time! Jim Kibler was also in the building teaching another class. And there was simply a lot of talented people around to offer advice. Forgive me for not naming all the people offering encouragement. I sure needed it. Thanks!!

I was suffering with a bit of muscle spasms in my back from yanking too hard on a tractor just before I attended the class. So I was lazier than normal. I went in with the idea that I was not going to use any sandpaper on the wood stock. Files, chisels, and scrapers only. Learning to burnish a scraper is something I am going to have to work on. But it finished up well within my expectations. I also knew that in six days I was not going to be able to rub in multiple coats of finish. Which is why that had to wait until I returned home for completion. I wanted this rifle to be something an average man might purchase in the time. Not having the money for extra carvings, engravings, or highly polished finishes on the metalwork. Something perhaps an apprentice might be expected to produce. I did allow myself the use of a piece of green Scotchpad on the brass work. In all the files I took with me. Most old, some new, I only had a very few that produced good work. Too many cut and then balled up the filings which gouged into the metal. But I managed.

The stain I started with was Laurel Mountain Forge Honey Maple with just a bit of cherry added. Some turpentine to thin. Several coats got me a stock that others called "That orange stock". Some deep red, orange, spots of honey amber. This was a standard stock. Upon returning home, I did a coat of Art's French Red Stock Filler, and then a coat of French Red stain. Every day, or other day the stock got a light rubbed in coat of Laurel Mountain Permalyn Sealer. When I started seeing that iridescent look in the light, I stopped. It's quite shiny. Almost like it had been coated with shellac.

The brass work was shined to a point. I wanted it to appear as if it was nearly finished. But not a lot of expensive time had been spent. It got a coat of brass black and then washed and rubbed off a bit. I had hoped the brass would like like it had been cast, and partially finished. Then tossed in a pile for a time to await when it was needed. The barrel was drawfiled. But not sanded. Then also wiped with brass black to give it a bit of grey color. Not freshly white from drawfiling. I did nothing at all with the as cast finish of the lock. I wonder about that.

I have a few pics. Not really good ones and no old rails or anything to use as a backdrop. Getting the sun angle right so you can see the grain was interesting. Have not decided how long to leave the ramrod.

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Looks terrific!!
 
Well, very nearly done. I had attended the build class at WKU in June with Wallace Gusler as our instructor. Had a great time! Jim Kibler was also in the building teaching another class. And there was simply a lot of talented people around to offer advice. Forgive me for not naming all the people offering encouragement. I sure needed it. Thanks!!

I was suffering with a bit of muscle spasms in my back from yanking too hard on a tractor just before I attended the class. So I was lazier than normal. I went in with the idea that I was not going to use any sandpaper on the wood stock. Files, chisels, and scrapers only. Learning to burnish a scraper is something I am going to have to work on. But it finished up well within my expectations. I also knew that in six days I was not going to be able to rub in multiple coats of finish. Which is why that had to wait until I returned home for completion. I wanted this rifle to be something an average man might purchase in the time. Not having the money for extra carvings, engravings, or highly polished finishes on the metalwork. Something perhaps an apprentice might be expected to produce. I did allow myself the use of a piece of green Scotchpad on the brass work. In all the files I took with me. Most old, some new, I only had a very few that produced good work. Too many cut and then balled up the filings which gouged into the metal. But I managed.

The stain I started with was Laurel Mountain Forge Honey Maple with just a bit of cherry added. Some turpentine to thin. Several coats got me a stock that others called "That orange stock". Some deep red, orange, spots of honey amber. This was a standard stock. Upon returning home, I did a coat of Art's French Red Stock Filler, and then a coat of French Red stain. Every day, or other day the stock got a light rubbed in coat of Laurel Mountain Permalyn Sealer. When I started seeing that iridescent look in the light, I stopped. It's quite shiny. Almost like it had been coated with shellac.

The brass work was shined to a point. I wanted it to appear as if it was nearly finished. But not a lot of expensive time had been spent. It got a coat of brass black and then washed and rubbed off a bit. I had hoped the brass would like like it had been cast, and partially finished. Then tossed in a pile for a time to await when it was needed. The barrel was drawfiled. But not sanded. Then also wiped with brass black to give it a bit of grey color. Not freshly white from drawfiling. I did nothing at all with the as cast finish of the lock. I wonder about that.

I have a few pics. Not really good ones and no old rails or anything to use as a backdrop. Getting the sun angle right so you can see the grain was interesting. Have not decided how long to leave the ramrod.

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Looks very "Period correct" on ye old generator cover! Lol, couldn't resist. The gun looks great though.
Neil
 
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