painting on faux stripes.

[prairie dog]

Faux stripes are period correct.  Though not every one likes them.  Heck, I know one long time muzzle loader who doesn't even like the looks of real tiger striped maple.  However, painting stripes on a plain old piece of maple or birch does add some eye appeal if done correctly. 

Here are some photos of original Leman rifles with fax stripes. 


   [ Invalid Attachment ]

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

[prairie dog]

I did a bit of research on the Leman rifles before deciding to try it myself.  It seems he did it to appeal to his customers tastes.  Perhaps mostly natives?  There also seemed to be quite a few different opinions about how it was done.  The one that made most sense to me was a fellow who studied a bunch of Leman rifles and eventually noticed a repeating pattern to the stripes.  He speculated it was done with a wide paint brush cut down and notched so as to lay on several lines with each brush stroke.

Following that premise, I took a 3 inch wide china bristle brush and cut the bristles down to leave them one inch long.  Then I cut 7 notches out of those trying not to have them all the same width or the same spacing.  Practicing on scrap boards I noticed that flipping the brush over for each stroke left a more natural appearance in the  spacing and width of the stripes. 

First I stained the stock with Laurel Mountain Forage stains.  I like the nut brown with a layer of maple color to get a reddish brown.   I used brown leather dye from Tandy for the stripes.  I poured a little of the leather dye into a shallow pan and dipped only the tips of the brush. Then paint on a line of stripes, dip the brush again, flip it and paint on the next row. 

I like the results I got.  In fact I like my stripes better than those on the original Leman rifles I 've seen.

Here are before and after photos of the two rifles I've done.  Fax stripes may not be your cup of tea, but I think these rifles look much better with the stripe treatment.

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

[prairie dog]

Still trying to learn photo posting.  sorry.

[prairie dog]

Try again.

Before

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

[prairie dog]

and the after,

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

[prairie dog]

Maybe I will figure out how to post photos again.  Anyway,  If you have an ugly old rifle that still shoots good don't be afraid to put some new lipstick on the old girl. 

[Winter Hawk]

Those both look right nice!  On the Deer Creek .54, is that the original trigger guard?  I ask because it doesn't have the little curly-que thingy hanging down which so many of the CVA mountain rifles (and Deer Creek, like mine) have.

Ah, I see it on the "before" photo, so you must have cut it off?

~Kees~

[prairie dog]

The rifle had this when I got it.

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

I replaced it with one from a CVA mountain rifle and after a while decided the finger spur had to go.  I just cut it off and shaped it on the grinder.  I like it better now.

[prairie dog]

I kind of enjoy bringing an old rifle back to life and finding out how good I can make 'em shoot.  If something doesn't suit me, I will change it until it feels and looks "right" to me. 
That flint rifle sold the first time I took it out to shoot it.  It just wasn't the type of flintlock I wanted to keep but it was a good project for me.