Mike Dubber
Elite Cafe Member
I have shown a few incidental photos of this rifle in other threads including the one about "Hand Push". I just got it all put back together yesterday and these are my first shop photos of the completed rifle.
The base rifle is a "Henry Original," a faithful reproduction of the 1860 Henry, currently built by Henry Repeating Arms.
The metal is hard brass and it engraves beautifully. The side plates are a bit harder than the frame, but all-in-all it was a good experience. Cutting bulino and fine-line on the portrait, letters and other figures was a challenge until I became more familiar with the properties of the brass. Brass is much brighter than steel, so the bulino dots do not darken naturally. I used a small amount of Renaissance Wax loaded with dry graphite to darken and shade the engraving details
As always, it was a learning experience to study Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. Historians say that although Jackson served faithfully and effectively under Robert E. Lee, that if he had not been killed (by friendly fire) at Chancellorsville, Jackson might well have been as historically honored as Lee as a central figure in the Civil War. His "Stonewall Brigade" was much celebrated for their ability to travel great distances on foot - winning battles as they arrived with little rest.
Jackson and his officers went out to try to find the Union front lines the evening of the first day of the Chancellorsville battle. On the way back to his reconnoiter area they were mistaken as Union troops by Confederate pickets. He was hit with three shots and his arm was amputated that evening. Although he was thought to be in recovery, he contracted Pneumonia and died a week later....on May 10 (hummm. that's today!)
Lee said of Jackson, "General Jackson his left arm, I have lost my right."
The base rifle is a "Henry Original," a faithful reproduction of the 1860 Henry, currently built by Henry Repeating Arms.
The metal is hard brass and it engraves beautifully. The side plates are a bit harder than the frame, but all-in-all it was a good experience. Cutting bulino and fine-line on the portrait, letters and other figures was a challenge until I became more familiar with the properties of the brass. Brass is much brighter than steel, so the bulino dots do not darken naturally. I used a small amount of Renaissance Wax loaded with dry graphite to darken and shade the engraving details
As always, it was a learning experience to study Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. Historians say that although Jackson served faithfully and effectively under Robert E. Lee, that if he had not been killed (by friendly fire) at Chancellorsville, Jackson might well have been as historically honored as Lee as a central figure in the Civil War. His "Stonewall Brigade" was much celebrated for their ability to travel great distances on foot - winning battles as they arrived with little rest.
Jackson and his officers went out to try to find the Union front lines the evening of the first day of the Chancellorsville battle. On the way back to his reconnoiter area they were mistaken as Union troops by Confederate pickets. He was hit with three shots and his arm was amputated that evening. Although he was thought to be in recovery, he contracted Pneumonia and died a week later....on May 10 (hummm. that's today!)
Lee said of Jackson, "General Jackson his left arm, I have lost my right."
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