Christopher Malouf
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I've already started the artwork.
Sometimes I think the biggest push comes from those that say "no".
Sometimes I think the biggest push comes from those that say "no".
Winchester '73 Restoration Question
- Thread starter Christopher Malouf
- Start date
I'm like you Chris, I never had the good judgment to say I couldn't do something, and if someone said that I couldn't it just made me more determined................................
But then determination is one of those traits that every engraver has because it takes a lot of it.
But then determination is one of those traits that every engraver has because it takes a lot of it.
Bob Bullard
Elite Cafe Member
Win 73
Chris
I was heavily involved with gun collecting years ago and there was a furniture
store in south El Paso where you could g o and take your pick from 3 barrels in
the gun portion of the store they was marked 25.00 30.00 and 35.00.all lever guns and a friend
of mine would go buy several at time.Some he would work on and replace broken
or missing parts and then take them North or 400 or 500 mi from the border here.
My point is unless it is a museum quality piece a person of your skill should't hesitate
to engrave it and there is one more very important thing It is yours.
Chris
I was heavily involved with gun collecting years ago and there was a furniture
store in south El Paso where you could g o and take your pick from 3 barrels in
the gun portion of the store they was marked 25.00 30.00 and 35.00.all lever guns and a friend
of mine would go buy several at time.Some he would work on and replace broken
or missing parts and then take them North or 400 or 500 mi from the border here.
My point is unless it is a museum quality piece a person of your skill should't hesitate
to engrave it and there is one more very important thing It is yours.
FL-Flinter
Elite Cafe Member
Know exactly what you mean Ron, been like that my whole life too, even made a business out of doing things everyone else said, "can't be done".
Chris,
I'm glad you started working on it, that's usually the hardest part of taking on any such project, thinking about it ... and thinking about it ... and thinking about it ... then hesitating to turn that first screw. You'll get over that in time, we all do, by the time you get to number seven or eight, you won't even think much about it, just dive right in and get going letting the hand play out as it will. When the next one rolls around, you'll know a few things you want to do differently and by the time you're on #25 or so, you'll still be learning but when you make a mistake, figuring out the fix will come much easier and quicker.
I can't wait to see the "after" pic's!
Christopher Malouf
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Hey Flinter .... procrastination sure is a killer.
I might invest in an old 8x58R Remington Rolling Block and rework the whole thing as well. Rechamber it for 45-70 or 40-65 while I'm at it.
Love your web site .... particularly your comment on the shipping for the taser. Truly priceless!!!
I'm getting addicted to the Internet again so I'm gonna take a breather for a few and get some work done.
I plan on putting together a practice plate with a portion of one of the scenes that will be on this '73. I'll probably post it here and give it to anyone who wants it. So far I'm happy with the artwork. I'm ditching the scroll I've been doing and relearning that as well.
Catch ya later,
Chris
I might invest in an old 8x58R Remington Rolling Block and rework the whole thing as well. Rechamber it for 45-70 or 40-65 while I'm at it.
Love your web site .... particularly your comment on the shipping for the taser. Truly priceless!!!
I'm getting addicted to the Internet again so I'm gonna take a breather for a few and get some work done.
I plan on putting together a practice plate with a portion of one of the scenes that will be on this '73. I'll probably post it here and give it to anyone who wants it. So far I'm happy with the artwork. I'm ditching the scroll I've been doing and relearning that as well.
Catch ya later,
Chris
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I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I'll even trade you for it. I got a few practice plates, one I did for my 73. That would be appropriate wouldn't it? My 73 practice plate for your 73 practice plate? I have some plastic copies of it (not the rifle just the practice plate) and a plastic copy of yours would be super. Have you done any mold making and plastic copies? That would be fine. Then you would have more to sell or give away.
You ought to see my collection. I'm pretty proud of it.
Ron S
You ought to see my collection. I'm pretty proud of it.
Ron S
Christopher Malouf
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Bob, that's a great story. It's amazing some of the things that have happened to these old rifles over the years. This project will not disappoint.
Hi Ron, You gotta deal. Haven't made the copies but I can figure it out. I figured on making a series of plates to practice each scene. I'll use copper, merlin's gold and silver for the colors I need in the inlay to simulate the fire and smoke in scenes on the practice plates. The real stuff will be in the old rifle. It'll be good practice as I learn the bulino techniques before I actually execute each scene on the rifle. I was planning on giving away a couple of the originals as I present them here in the forum ... sortof a sneak peak giveaway. I would be more than honored to give you one of them. I only hope that it will be worthy of trade with one of yours. I'll probably begin the first plate in the next couple of months. I don't think I'm going to experiment with what I mentioned in my e-mail on this project. I'll keep this 2 dimensional although steel inlay might be very interesting indeed.
I can't thank you (and everyone) enough for the support,
Chris
by the way ... I ordered your DVD on layout and shading as well a Chris DeCamillis' DVD yesterday. That FEGA video repository is has got to be the greatest collection of info on the planet.
Hi Ron, You gotta deal. Haven't made the copies but I can figure it out. I figured on making a series of plates to practice each scene. I'll use copper, merlin's gold and silver for the colors I need in the inlay to simulate the fire and smoke in scenes on the practice plates. The real stuff will be in the old rifle. It'll be good practice as I learn the bulino techniques before I actually execute each scene on the rifle. I was planning on giving away a couple of the originals as I present them here in the forum ... sortof a sneak peak giveaway. I would be more than honored to give you one of them. I only hope that it will be worthy of trade with one of yours. I'll probably begin the first plate in the next couple of months. I don't think I'm going to experiment with what I mentioned in my e-mail on this project. I'll keep this 2 dimensional although steel inlay might be very interesting indeed.
I can't thank you (and everyone) enough for the support,
Chris
by the way ... I ordered your DVD on layout and shading as well a Chris DeCamillis' DVD yesterday. That FEGA video repository is has got to be the greatest collection of info on the planet.
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carl bleile
Elite Cafe Member
I'm late to this post, didn't know it was that interesting.
I totaly agree with my brothers (Roger) replys #16 and #23.
when i first started engraving had to put up with a lot of crap ( is it factory,how much coverage for how little etc.) but as time went by people with the money were bringing me guns like Purdy, h&h, winchester, A&S, Parker and so on, these were not mint collecables and some like A&S came right from the factory, I had one person say it should have been cut in Italy, i said "no someone just wanted a very special shotgun" ( I believe this is the only A&S to ever be cut outside Italy)
I believe the point here is do the best work you can, try and put it on the best piece you can get and let it speek for its self.
Remember you cann't please everyone,
Carl Bleile
Cincinnati, Ohio
I totaly agree with my brothers (Roger) replys #16 and #23.
when i first started engraving had to put up with a lot of crap ( is it factory,how much coverage for how little etc.) but as time went by people with the money were bringing me guns like Purdy, h&h, winchester, A&S, Parker and so on, these were not mint collecables and some like A&S came right from the factory, I had one person say it should have been cut in Italy, i said "no someone just wanted a very special shotgun" ( I believe this is the only A&S to ever be cut outside Italy)
I believe the point here is do the best work you can, try and put it on the best piece you can get and let it speek for its self.
Remember you cann't please everyone,
Carl Bleile
Cincinnati, Ohio
Christopher Malouf
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Hi Marty ... this restoration is now complete. Some photos of before and after will soon follow when I get back back from Blade and visit ACGG Master Gary Stiles to pick it up.
I know how much you old guys like to "stand by your words" so you had better pack these words in your lunch pail ...... 'cause yer gonna eat 'em pal. LOL!!!
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another thought chris, and it's dirt cheap to do: create a "job file" of the varieties of work that you do. keep this on your hard drive. update as needed, and burn a batch of cd's as handouts. i've found people like that idea a lot, and it's easy to organize. what the hey, you're already takin the fotos anyway, make em speak for you !
i'd wager many of your clients would enjoy looking at a cd of your work when they are at home and have time to relax and take a long look at things. at a show, they are busy running around from table to table, and how much time do they spend at yours. how many examples of your work do you have there to look at.
the cd can show a virtual truckload of what you have done, and give ideas to people.
i'll wager if you try this, you'll not be disappointed.
i'd wager many of your clients would enjoy looking at a cd of your work when they are at home and have time to relax and take a long look at things. at a show, they are busy running around from table to table, and how much time do they spend at yours. how many examples of your work do you have there to look at.
the cd can show a virtual truckload of what you have done, and give ideas to people.
i'll wager if you try this, you'll not be disappointed.
Hey Chris, I am excited about this.
There were many thousands of 73's made, and your level of skill will add value to the vast majority of them.
Those who worry that you might ruin a good gun, don't know what you can do.
I do agree that an original, in mint condition 73 should not be cut on, and your comment about this is not a "One of One thousand" tells me you have the same mind.
I'm excited about that theme from "Revelations", can't wait to see what you do.
Charlie
There were many thousands of 73's made, and your level of skill will add value to the vast majority of them.
Those who worry that you might ruin a good gun, don't know what you can do.
I do agree that an original, in mint condition 73 should not be cut on, and your comment about this is not a "One of One thousand" tells me you have the same mind.
I'm excited about that theme from "Revelations", can't wait to see what you do.
Charlie
MICHAEL
Elite Cafe Member
Chris, I kinda speed read this thread. Not sure if someone mentioned this but thought I'd throw an idea at ya that you may know already, but here goes. Have you thought of saving the stock by repairing with clear epoxy (30 minute is best to use imo)? If there are deep gouges you can fill them also. Even if the stock is split in half it can be repaired with wooden dowels and clear epoxy mixed with fine sawdust, either from the stock or another piece of the same wood the stock is made from. Jerry Harper is an engraver that was a colt restorer before he ever started to engrave 40 years ago (he showed me how to do this). He can show you where the repair is and you can't see it even with an optivisor. Have you thought of carving the stock also? All these suggestions (along with restoring a firearm) are a whole other set of skills, as I'm sure you know. Jerry also told me he doesn't touch any origanal factory markings when restoring a firearm. If you don't already know how to do the above I would seek someone more experienced than me for advice or instruction, I have done minor repair on walnut single action pistol grips I have made for my own guns, but nothing like Jerry has done. I hope I have helped you, as you have helped me here already. The best of luck on your new project.
Christopher Malouf
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Hi Charlie. It's a common rifle but will be one in a million when it is done.
As I said ... I could've put it through the wood chipper and it would have saved me ton of money. Better yet, I could have parted the thing out and made a nice profit but that's not much fun.
Monk ... are you changing the subject? :big grin: One can really do a professional looking CD using light scribe ....
Michael, I don't do repairs. Wish I knew how. Factory, straight grain wood isn't worth saving anyway unless it is in excellent condition and the entire rifle has some collector value to it. This is a 100% custom job and it is sporting a $1000 piece of American walnut. I see little point to putting in a couple of ounces of gold and hundreds of hours of engraving if the wood is not of excellent quality with perfect fit. Something I've learned the hard way is that many times, when making this long journey, we fail to value our work (or our time) enough to put it on something of value. Taking something of value and adding value to it is what engraving is all about.
Doug Turnbull replaces barrels and remarks just about every mark if it is necessary. Sometimes if it can't be saved, it is necessary.
Photos coming soon .... off to Blade now ....
Take care,
Chris
As I said ... I could've put it through the wood chipper and it would have saved me ton of money. Better yet, I could have parted the thing out and made a nice profit but that's not much fun.
Monk ... are you changing the subject? :big grin: One can really do a professional looking CD using light scribe ....
Michael, I don't do repairs. Wish I knew how. Factory, straight grain wood isn't worth saving anyway unless it is in excellent condition and the entire rifle has some collector value to it. This is a 100% custom job and it is sporting a $1000 piece of American walnut. I see little point to putting in a couple of ounces of gold and hundreds of hours of engraving if the wood is not of excellent quality with perfect fit. Something I've learned the hard way is that many times, when making this long journey, we fail to value our work (or our time) enough to put it on something of value. Taking something of value and adding value to it is what engraving is all about.
Doug Turnbull replaces barrels and remarks just about every mark if it is necessary. Sometimes if it can't be saved, it is necessary.
Photos coming soon .... off to Blade now ....
Take care,
Chris
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