doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Question on tiger striped fiddleback

Please explain how the wood in a stock like this is cut relative to the growth of the tree and what causes the tiger striped fiddleback perpindicular to the grain.

Yes, I know it is not a double gun.

That stock is quarter grain. Fiddleback occurs naturally, without regard to stock layout. A fiddleback tree is a fiddleback tree. You can usually even see the ripple on the bark before you cut it. Often it goes all the way out the limbs. I have cut trees side by side where one had it and one barely did, or not at all. There is also ripple when the stump wood cut includes the curve from root (horizontal) to trunk (vertical) That curve seems to compress some fiddleback into the wood, even if it disappears as the grain staightens out. Hope I am picturing this helpfully. I will say this--I think it strengthens the wood itself. Steve

"That stock is quarter grain."

I found this:

Quartersawn web page

I think it means that the log is cut in quarters lengthwise and then cut perpindicular to the grain

Quartersawn explanation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter_sawing

I like stallones explanatory photos better--more like what actually occurs at most saw mills. And the rifle pictured might more likely be termed "mostly quartered." Quarter sawing does not creat fiddleback--I was just commenting on the stock as a whole.

Thanks for the info

Bushmaster..... I own several pre-64 Model 70 Featherweights. None has a factory stock as nice as yours.... I'm envious!!
Grant.

As purchased:





After using my grandfather's trick of rubbing scratched furniture with the meat of a walnut:



If I may quote Walt: "This one has earned its stripes"

YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY, IT'S JUST HARD TO REMEMBER IT. JEFF

Steve:
The wood on my other Model 70, from 1949, is very different.
What would you call this?