I am thinking about sending a very plain stock (from a very nice German hammer gun) out to be given a new suit of clothes.I haven't heard back from Mark Larson; first, I am wondering about the level of enthusiasm here on the board either for Mark's work or for another such artist. Secondly, is Mark still plying his trade? Thanks! Gil

Hello Gil, Mark is out on a hunting trip and supposed to be back today. Anyway, I just sent him my Bernadelli Italia stock for his enhancement. Mark has done 3 other enhancements for me and all have held up very well, no problems with the finish cracking, peeling or whatever you can think of. The process he uses does not even come close to something like Xtra Wood or any type of dip. His looks like the real McCoy.

I'm very happy with his work and will continue to use him and recommend him. He's also a great guy to deal with, top notch and a straight shooter.

If there is a certain type of grain you like, just send him a picture of it and he'll do his best to give you that look.

Best of luck to you!

Greg

Does great work and super guy!

faux is faux.

Hey Steve, about every girl on the bikini contest circuit has faux taters, but I still oggle a bit. How about you?

Is taters across the road from hOOters ?

Maybe hOOters should start selling sxs and call themselves shOOters . . . . sorry, OT but I couldn't resist

Faux is faux. Art is art. Embellishment is embellishment. Hand engraving is more highly regarded than laser etching, hand checkering more so than machine and, given the talent required and the uniqueness of each piece, hand painting wood figure trumps film dipping.

But what makes scratching the surface of a plain metal action or rasping the wood with geometric grooves a loftier endeavor than grain embellishment?

Mark Larson is a very nice person and quite talented at his 'gun art'. I am going to have him do his magic on a sidelock I own to which I have added an extension. The reason is really two-fold. For $400 Mark can blend this extension to the original stock which fits me well. Right now I am too CHEAP to spend $7500 for a proper replacement which may or may not fit me as the original. It's all about economics. Mark is providing a GREAT service for us IMO.

Mike,
I guess that the feeling among some people regarding faux grain enhancement is that it is used to show something that isn't really there. Making a plain piece of wood look like a $1500 piece of wood by painting in grain and mineral streaks that arent really there, that would and could make some people uncomfortable. For instance, an expensive gun, with an average piece of wood, the owner wants to sell it but knows there is more money to be made selling a gun that has a fantastic piece of wood, so the seller has the grain "enhanced" and Voila', the gun is all the sudden worth more money because of the "premium" wood. You being the buyer of that gun believed you were paying a extra premium because of the wood quality, only to find out later that it isnt what it seemed to be. Not saying that anyone here would sell a gun that has been enhanced without first disclosing that information to the potential buyer right up front, just saying it could happen and make for a nasty surprise for the buyer later on down the road.
And from what I've seen, Marks work is so well done it would almost be impossible to tell unless told, that can make people, aka potential buyers nervous about the process, granted....some people probably wouldn't care one way or another, but some would.

Comparing what Mark does to metal or wood embellishment like engraving or stock carving (think high grade Fox, or even high grade muzzleloaders) isn't fair in my opinion. What is being done there is out in the open and it something that has been traditionally done for hundreds of years..you can see it, feel it and know its there.

I dont think what Mark does is comparable to X-tra wood or any garbage like that, I think what he does for sure has its place in the gun world. Not everyone can do what he does, he shows considerable talent and skill and his work is useful.

Dustin

I would only use enhancement on a poorly done added wood spacer

Anything else is like wearing a fake Rolex. Making a piece of wood something its not is not an art form collectors will pay money for.

Clif: I couldn't agree more in terms of honesty. In my situation some midget cut the stock on this fine gun. So, I had to put an extension simply to use it this season....it takes a lot of time to have a stock made and it is EXPENSIVE!! I like the fit but the extension is sort of hideous to me. So...enhancement for $400. I probably will never sell this gun, BUT if I did I would have to tell the buyer about the enhanced extension. Most people would agree that would have to be done because it is right and just to do so.

Why not buy a gun blank that you choose yourself, and have it custom fit to your dimensions? You can do that for about $1000; it take more time, and maybe $600 more dollars, but you will have a piece of wood that you chose, fit to your dimensions.
Check out Old Tree Gun Blanks in Utah. Gordon Smith has a lot of blanks on REALLY good sale right now.
http://www.oldtreegunblanks.com
You can get some good wood for $400, then get measured and have a stock fitter make the stock. Wait till hunting season is over and it will likely be ready by next season.
Just another option.

You might pay $1000.00 for a great piece of wood by itself. You will have a whole lot more than that by the time a stock maker makes one. There is a recent thread on the cost of restocking a gun. Check it out and you will see the typical price is from $4000.00 to $6000.00.

Certainly, to each his own when judging whether a modification is justified. But I think denigrating the art of grain enhancement as "fake" is wrong. What would be wrong would be to intentionally misrepresent it as original. And in that context I think my analogies are perfectly valid.

"Faux is faux" strikes me as insufferably arrogant; more so considering the source.

deleted

No judgement of Mark and no need to personalize anything. My simple statement hold true.

I have a faux ivory grips on one revolver.... so what?

This is the stock I am working on right now. Which would you prefer, faux or?

SDH: I love that stock and love your work!! I'm sorry this thread got 'turned around'. I'm sure that was no one's intention. This particular gun I am referring to in this thread is a 20 bore Holland Royal. It has very, very plain grained French walnut as original. I have a blank of Turkish walnut I intend to use for stocking this gun down the road when I feel a little richer but for now I intend on having Mark enhance the extension. What is a ball park figure you would charge for stocking this sidelock?

Gentlemen,

Having just returned from my hunting trip, I thought I should chime in. Thank you for all the very kind comments, and as Steven said, there's no need to personalize anything (and by the way Steven, that is a gorgeous stock that anyone would rightfully drool over).

As a classically trained artist and passionate double gun nut and wingshooter however, it is only natural that my interests fused together. The service I provide doesn't suit all purposes; nothing can. It is however, an economical alternative that has its niche in the gun community. As an example, I've also been recently asked to paint a pigeon on the forend of a Perazzi pigeon gun, and a shield on a policeman's service weapon. I'm thrilled to be able to contribute my unique skills to the greater cause.

Hammers Back everyone!

Mark

Faux is faux? Even when they do the faux trot in dancing with the stars. I prefer myself better the German word- for a substitute- ersatz- BUT--one thing I have always kept in mind- when someone asks my opinion on a welding job- I am super critical for the work I do- in controlled conditions- TIG on the bench or clean fab steel in the shop for trailers, etc- But 90% of the welding I find myself doing nowadays is for the many farmers who allow me to hunt and shoot on their lands- To a farmer- time is money- and you have to allow for other less than perfect conditions- and the main critieria for them- will it hold up out in the field?

So there may well be an element of practicality afoot here, as well as both cost and also the time the gun is away- lotsa subjective factors- could we perhaps see fotos of the stock in its present state??

Damn- that's about the best one I've heard yet on this website- Make my first order for a matched set of .44 magnums--perfect balance of course, comfy rounded grips, double action of course and with nice sweet pulls in either mode-

Mark: A very nice Hammer Gun!

With kind regards,
Jani

In innumerable churches, abbeys and chapels in Bavaria and Austria, there are incredibly beautiful Rococco interiors that appear to be made of marble. Walls, pillars, fonts in a riot of balck veined colors. The closest look will "fool the eye" and only with a touch with one's hand will the warmth of wood betray the fact that this "marble" is exquisitely painted wood. It is, indeed" faux. Nevertheless, one has to admire the large scale application of the skill of these 18th Century craftsman. Are the aisles and altars of the wonderful abbey church at Roggenburg less beautiful because of it? I think not...

Faux is faux but do not blame the talented craftsman for plying his trade. If people want to pay him for gilding their plainish walnut lilies, I'd question their judgement but not his nor his skill...

@gunsaholic, you are correct, a GREAT piece of wood will cost $1000. But here is a "nice" piece for $350...
http://www.oldtreegunblanks.com/pics.php?id=1457

And there is probably a stock maker out there that would craft it for $700 or so. Functionality, not English "Best."
I had a 1953 Superposed Grade IV restocked; took 12 mos and $2250, but I went for "Best" with factory exact specs, 22 LPI checkering and a 50's era horn buttplate. The blank was $750.

And the finished product:


You get what you get for $1000, but it can be done, and only 600 or 700 more than painting the grain in.
Not to take away from Mark Larson's craft, I'm sure its fantastic. Restocking is just another option in the ol' double gun tool kit is all I'm saying.

That's my line of thinking...

11F, I live 500 meters from an Asam Kirche, and it does indeed look fabulous on the inside, like a Vatican room. But it's all just painted on. This church however has a ceiling mural actually painted by one of the Asam brothers; an epic battle between Crusaders in white horses and Muslims in black horses.

Thank you. It's a real joy to be able to shoot birds with an 1880's gun. I refinished it, re-checkered and embellished the grain just a bit on it, which I'll show again here, since it's pertinent to the discussion. Grain enhancement can be just that, an enhancement of what's already there:

Scotty: Your Grade IV Superposed is very nice. You are right, your custom stock is magnificent. One thing though, even a fine boxlock superposed like yours is significantly cheaper to restock than a sidelock by at least $2-4K. The Grade IV, germanic 'fox and hound' is my favorite and I believe one of the rarest. Funken engraved? Very nice gun!

Mark, Thanks for your comments, I image you are very realistic in your view of enhancements and direct your impressionism towards the canvas.
Having never felt satisfied with the wood match of the stock spacers I've done, I do understand the desire to match the grain. That said, someone in the future is likely to be less than pleased when that stock needs refinishing.


Fortunately I have earned a position to use high quality wood for the few projects I take on and my love for selecting, working with and viewing the finished product can remain true to the medium. Seldom is the cost of the wood more than 10% of the cost of the labor and it should be selected to outlast several generations and please them all.

If some one is serious about commissioning Mark's work, or my own, they can contact either of us directly.
Happy Turkey Day,
Steve

Funny; some folks think "upgrading" a gun is OK, but "upgrading" wood grain isn't. Interesting.

What about the false finish that Beretta was using on their guns?

If the maker does it, is that OK?

Pete

Pete, I think you already know the answer, NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grain painting of furniture was done on a regular basis in the middle 19th century and later to a degree. Many pieces that still exist show a high degree of skill in the finishing and can bring a whole lot of money because of the grain painters skill.

Gil,

Mark recently worked his magic on the stock extension on my EE Grade Lefever. The extension was done a couple of years ago and while it was well done mechanically it was an obvious extension. Mark made it disapear. It is truly undetectable and it was only a fraction of the cost of a new stock. His work is amazing.

Bill G.

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Interesting topic, and one that has got me thinking (always scary): would putting a fine veneer on a plain substrate be seen by some as a deceptive embellishment? More to the topic's point, what if a well-respected stocker works his magic on a broken wrist and makes the repair invisible?

Musings in the morning. Have a great Thanksgiving.

Mike

Mark's work is beautiful. I would use it (and WILL) in a heartbeat. I am waiting to get a gun back from a gunsmith, then it's off to Mark.
Almost all gorgeous women wear makeup, and that's okay by me.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I want to carry a beautiful gun because it makes me feel good. I can understand some fellows reluctance, and God Bless them, but for me, Mark's work only makes financial, and logical sense.
No, I won't sell the gun as though it were original. I'll let my kids worry about that.
Sam Ogle, Lincoln, NE

Buzz, alas, you are correct, I was not thinking along the lines of a deeply inletted and intricate sidelock. I can see where those would really raise the stockmaker's price. A simple boxlock is much cheaper. Glad I learned a new perspective today.
Yes, my Grade IV Superposed is signed by Funken on both sides, that is why I bought it, even though it was restocked with a flat knob and owner's initials in the grip cap with a rubber butt pad. Now it is returned to it's original glory. And yes, Schwing states that the American's didn't really like the Germanic influence on the "Foxes and Dogs" so it was discontinued, much like the "Pointer" grade was discontinued.

A Superposed forend is considerably more complicated than most any sidelock side by side.

you must not have tried restocking a Boss O/U forend then LOL, it'll make your head swim.

Agreed a Superposed forend is incredibly intricate. The whole mechanical works of a Superposed (esp early ones)shows the genius of a Mad Scientist (Browning). Don't know he could have construed it was an easy gun to build in the 20's