ramrod thimbles - brass or iron

[Pork Chop]

I have an old pistol kit that I am piecing together. It was missing a lot, but I am getting closer. The barrel, stock and trigger guard are original to the Markwell Arms kit. The pistol looks like a kentucky pistol without the brass nose cap. The barrel is octagon 50 cal smooth bore with brass front and rear sights. The lock is a very plain caplock. The trigger is one from CVA - it is brass. The trigger guard is brass. I have the pieces to make a ramrod with brass ends. Where I am stuck is the thimbles. I could make them out of brass easily (brass tubing comes to mind as a very quick solution!) or I could make them out of steel. Being that there is soo much brass on the pistol already, I am leaning towards brass. There are no escutcheons for the pin. It is a very plain pistol - which is why I considered steel. What do y'all think?

 

[54JNoll]

I'd make them from brass.

 

[ol vern]

It's your gun & your project, do what makes you
happy.

You can allways change the pipes to brass if you don't like the way steel looks.

 

[Pork Chop]

I forgot to mention that I have the thimbles that came with the kit. They look horrible to me - overly turned heavy brass. If I go with brass, it will be a simple design. I may make them myself...

 

[crockett]

On the tubing, you ought to make the pipes out of sheet metal, clamp around a 3/8 steel rod in a vise. This forms a "fin" on top that receives a 1/16" sideways pin through the stock to hold it in place.

 

[Pork Chop]

I've thought about that, but this gun is about as un-PC as it gets. I am just saving it from being thrown away. I am leaning more towards the brass thimbles...

 

[MSW]

i agree with what apperas to be a general consensus- go with the brass.

good luck!

msw

 

[dlemaster]

Porkchop
Just a suggestion, but if you form your brass thimbles from sheet brass you might consider using a 25/64" drill bit. That way if your ramrod comes as a dead on 3/8" you won't get stuck sanding the rod to get it to fit. It might save you some time.

Regards, Dave

 

[Pork Chop]

Thanks for the tip! Once I figure out what I will do, I will try to post a pic.

Now for part two, the barrel and lock are in the white as is the stock. The stock has NO figure, so there is nothing exciting there. Any suggestions on finish?

 

[Zonie]

IMO, about 10 coats of Birchwood Casey Walnut Stain followed by several coats of hand rubbed linseed or tung oil.

The very dark walnut stain will hide the fact that there is nothing interesting in the wood to look at.

It's just my opinion, but some of the worst looking stocks are just lightly stained very plain wood.
The grain of the wood ends up looking like cheap pine (or worse).

 

[Pork Chop]

Wow!! You really hate plain wood, don't you?

 

[tg]

Plain wood was probably the norm in days gone by, the fancy high end silky smooth gun finishes are more of a contemporary thing, I personaly like plain wood finished with scrapers and oil and or varnish and made to look "common"