doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Stock Figure Embellishment/ Marklart

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.

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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??