doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Ebony forend tips

If you have never done this type of work consider doing it to a surplus forend the 1st time. If you decide to go this route and don’t have something to practice on I probably have something I could send you.

Stan

There is a thread running in the Gunsmith section below on Horn (and Ebony) fore end tips. I believe the style I discuss there would be something that would work for what you want. Instead of an inlay you would cut a vee into the tip of the fore end then dowel/blind pin/glue an ebony tip in and shape. It looks from the bottom like an inlay and would look like it was rolled over the tip, especially if you shaped the front end to look like the finger pull relief of a pull off. Keep the tip short for the look you want.

You could quickly mock up a test with two pieces of wood of different color and a bandsaw. Cut the vees, glue it up then sand and experiment until you get what you are after. Should be easy to duplicate on the gun then.

I’ve done a few ebony caps, I pinned and epoxied them on like others are saying. More recently I’ve been using horn and have gone to keying the horn into the wood rather than pinning. I would also use the keying method with ebony now days.
Bob

I have decided to hire this out. I am currently speaking with a stock man about doing it. I'll update about it as things progress.

Thanks to all for the tips and advice. I've just got too many irons in the fire right now, as far as gun DIY projects go.

IF you hire this work out to one of the guys that advertise on the Parker Site, you might get it done for a Grand or so.

Dirty Harry

Possibly misunderstanding your intent in the quote, but let me toss in my $0.02.

A cabinetmaker friend does a lot of inlay work - repairs, mostly - and some marquetry. From watching him work, talking it through with him and trying a little myself in his shop, the key to getting the tightest joints and no gaps is to not cut the inlay vertically. Rather, one cuts the inlay piece with a slight slope such that the exposed side is a bit larger than the side that will be glued to the substrate. Imagine, if you will, a stopper in a bottle. When you attach the inlay to the substrate, the exposed surface should be just a touch proud. Some careful sanding will bring it even and, because it was wider than the gap, bringing it even will result in there being no gaps at all.

I kinda doubt the ebony pieces were dovetailed into the inlet to keep them from falling out. Too hard to get the cut right and avoid gaps.

Without question, Winchester ebony inlays were definitely dovetailed. Both forearm tips and grip inlays as well.

Stanton,

A few years ago, I was where you are. What I had was perfectly adequate but not what I really wanted. I had some African ebony on hand so I pulled the trigger. Definitely glad that I did. I hope you are, too.

(I will try to post a picture if I can get the new improved IMGUR to cooperate.)

Thanks, FCF. If you can't get them posted send them to me at stanhillis@gmail.com, and I'll be glad to post them for you.

Posted for FallCreeekFan: