Slimming down wood

[mario]

I finally got my Early English Trade Gun from Sitting Fox ML and I want to slim the forestock down by maybe an 1/8" all around.


Should I use:

A hand plane? (I have various smaller ones)

A scraper?

A rasp? (I think that would take too much off, too quick and be harder to clean up afterwards)

Mario

[jbullard1]

I use a double cut file and sandpaper

[ridjrunr]

mario,I'm not real exp. hear or anything .but I just recently took ALOT of wood off of a cva kentucky kit to make it not look like a cva.I did the bulk of it with a 4-way rasp and then progressive grades of sandpaper on blocks of wood.Am very pleased even though it is not finished with the stain yet. The sculpting I feel went great.I took my time over a few weeks as it was my first.A little nector after each session didn't hurt either.I'm thinkn the best tool is patience.Yers is a might bit more spendier though so the more exp. guys I'm shure will give input.   ridjrunr

[BEAVERMAN]

a# 50 nicholson rasp first, then progress down with the files and paper

[Ohio Joe]

I use a double cut file and sandpaper

That's what I use as well.  I would avoid the hand plane as it would be to easy to gouge out a piece of wood you didn't intend to.  Just work slow and keep checking.  Before you know it you'll have that stock where you want it.

[Captchee]

i use no sand paper on my rifles . none .
only scrapers and files  to take the wood down

 if you do go with  paper , make sure you use a block to sand

[jbullard1]

.......................................................if you do go with  paper , make sure you use a block to sand

Very good advice  
And Be careful not to round corners that need to be square

Capt.    Do you make or buy your scrapers??

[Captchee]

not normaly . some of the smaller ones for the inside of the lock mortises and patch boxes i do  but  my main scrapers i get from Garlick & Son.
IMO  the use of scrapers adds alot to the overal look of a rifle . a good scapper will remove wood faster and much smoother then sandpaper ever can .
 the acception is around carvings which i also scape . however  i leave the scaper marks . in doing so  it shows that actual tooling was used to  finish the carving , not modern sand paper .
some folks say this doesnt look finished properly . but IMO it is and shows that the stock was done correctly not  mechined or worked as a modern rifle stock would be

 just bring things down with rasps  ... then swith to metal files to remove the rasp  marks  and finish  ruff shaping . then switching to scrapers to finish shape

[mario]

just bring things down with rasps  ... then swith to metal files to remove the rasp  marks  and finish  ruff shaping . then switching to scrapers to finish shape

AHA! Sounds good.

Mario

[RichW]

A plane will work fine, it just has to be the right kind.  It has to be small enough to hold with 2 fingers and a thumb, and the blade has to be set at a low angle to deal with grain changes without chipping.  It also has to be very sharp.

With a plane you get nice long even cuts, but also small facets between cuts.  A file works down smaller areas but you can get an undulating surface.  Either way you need to finish with scrapers.

[Ohio Joe]

Yes, all these tools will work and they work best once a person has the developed skills of usage with them, which I'm sure Mario has.

[Sneakon]

There probably is not a  strict answer to this question, but I was wondering how much weight reduction could be expected from taking an eighth inch off the stock all around?  Would it be worth doing to an 8 1/2 pound hunting rifle to reduce weight?

[RichW]

I think part of the answer is, a trade gun is a dual purpose gun, and already has a light barrel.  Making the fore end lighter makes the gun point better, which is a plus for shotgunning.

[Ohio Joe]

If weight reduction is the purpose of taking 1/8" of wood off a person is not going to gain much.  If a person has some 1/8" strips of wood in their shop they can estimate the weight reduction by putting a caculated amount of this wood on a scale.  It's not going to amount to much.

Weight reduction would and could come from a combination of wood removal and swamping the barrel.

I could see removing the wood if you're going for slim line looks as this seems to be the in thing these days.  I'm not sure what muzzleloader style we're talking about here as I don't believe it was said, but in the Museum of the Fur Trade there are many examples of what I would call "beefy" stocked period muzzleloaders.

With this said I'll add that all of us have in our minds eye what we like and what we precieve as the look and feel we prefer in a muzzleloader, and I would see no reason to not to personalize your muzzleloader if it gives you a personal feel of what you prefer.

[Ohio Joe]

I see Rich posted we're talking about a trade gun here.  I must of missed that.  No barrel swamping with this.