In the spring of 2015 I sent Kody Kearcher a Wm Sumners and an R2 Ideal Manufrance for some restoration work. Kody and his uncle Keith (now retired) are frequently mentioned on this site by board members as reputable restoration gunsmiths to send work to. I talked to Kody explained what needed to be done and he assured me he could do the work. Prior to sending the guns to him the wood on each gun had been stripped and soaked in acetone for 8 weeks. The work on each was to include:

Sumners
- Relay top rib and refinish to a brown finish
- Rechecker and refinish stock
- Make and install new firing pins
- Build up/repair right striker/cocking indicator
- Blue all screws except those on receiver, trigger guard, triggers and top tang
- Hone out pits in barrels


R2 Ideal
- Make and install wood extension to butt stock to measure 14 inches LOP and install provided retractable sling
- Make new butt plate and install
- Rechecker and refinish stock

I received the restored guns in November 2015. From the following pictures you will see what I got back.

Wm Sumners:

The top rib was relayed, seems solid and the barrels have a nice chime to them. However the bottom rib is now warped. If you run a finger along it is easy to feel and the flux from the soldering has somehow spread onto the underside of the barrel and shows up through the refinish. ( No picture of this.)

This is an English gun and brown to me means ‘English brown’. I have shown two pictures one with the ‘PURPLE’ Sumners barrels that Kody refinished and newly browned barrels from a WC Scott & Son and another picture of the Sumners and newly blackened barrels from a Remington 1894. I discussed the Sumners barrels with the gentleman who refinished my Remington and he immediately identified them has having been done by Kearcher. It seems the Kearchers’ have come up with a cheaper and quicker attempt to brown barrels with some type of dye mixture that is a bastardized american definition of ‘brown’. In hand they are purple. (No offense to any American reading this.) The etching process to bring the pattern back out on damascus barrels does not begin to compare with what the other tow barrels recently refinished show. Kody’s response was..”oh that is what you wanted. Most of my customers like it this way but send the barrels back and I will redo them”.

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I mentioned the manufacturer’s engraving on the top rib has been somewhat polished off. Kody said he never touched the engraving . However see the pic from before and after.
Prior to refinish

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After refinish

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After the return of the guns, Kody told me he doesn’t hone barrels but instead he ‘polished’ them and charged USD$200. I honestly cannot tell any difference from before and after and in any event the barrels needed honing to take the pits out, not polishing. I think that is a discussion he should have initiated with me and made arrangements to sent them out to someone who could do the work. There is enough wall thickness to take out up to 10 thousands if needed. I don’t that is unreasonable as that is what other gunsmiths have done with me in the past.

Refinish of stock: There was no attempt to buffer out dings or scratches, no sealer or method to seal was used, no filling of cracks, escutcheon was left as sent and very difficult to photograph properly but the finish on both the Sumners and Ideal has blemishes, is not smooth, has bubbles and I’m not exactly sure what other language to describe it.

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You need to look at the recheckering to understand a true ‘hack job’. As mentioned this is an old English gun made between 1870 and 1880 with original flat top checkering although quite worn down. What I got back was pointed checkering, with uneven lines, over lapping lines, over runs, gouges and different depths of the cut. Not in one place but all over the checkering pattern on the butt stock and forearm! This I think is impossible to repair properly.


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Bad Checkering

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When I purchased the gun there were no firing pins in it and the right side striker/cocking indicator was broke and needed to be built back up or replaced.
What I have now is two every uneven firing pins. The left side protrudes to approximately the right length but the right pin barely protrudes (it is just enough to fire a shell). From the front pictures you can see the pins are not finished the same way. The right pin is blunt and flat, the left seems to have proper contours. The pictures from behind the pins show the right pin is not finished flat and looking at the built up striker shows an indent from the pin. Why isn’t the pin finished flat and why is the metal of the built up striker so soft? (I have fired about one box of BP shells out of the right chamber) Even the rear of the pin on the left has a chip in it. I don’ understand why both pins are not identical.


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I asked Kody why the cocking indicators/strikers had not been painted yellow as they should be and as the left one was when sent to him. He insisted he never touched either the right or left cocking indicator/strikers!

Pic of yellow cocking indicator before refinish.

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And after refinish

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Kody was to reblue the top lever, triggers, trigger guard and all scews except those on the face of the side plates. He totally missed the screws holding on the butt plate on both the Sumners and Ideal. And the screw holding the top lever has new ‘bugger’ on it.


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R1 Ideal Manufrance


An extension on the butt stock was made and installed with the retractable sling installed. I asked for a 14 inch LOP and 15 inches from front trigger to bottom of heel. I got these measurements from another of my guns that fit well but I didn’t realize there would be a significant difference in the DAC and DAH between the guns. My amateurish mistake. The result is a dramatic pitch that I have never seen on any other shotgun and makes the Ideal unshootable. I talked to Kody and he said he thought it was wrong and said he should have called me to discuss but didn’t. He is the ‘expert’. He just made it as asked. The man clearly does not understand pitch on a shotgun stock!


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The finish on the stock is the same as the Sumners. Not sealed, no attempt to buffer out dings and scratches, bubbled, rough finish. As well the butt plate to stock fit is very poor and the extension seam to the butt stock is not filled, and shows quite vividly.


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Above is a picture of the back of the ‘new’ butt plate in the condition that I received it from Kody.

The checkering is as ‘professional’ of a job as that as was done on the Sumners….uneven lines, overlapping lines, gouges and uneven cuts, over laps, you name it!

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And last there is a missing piece and screw that sits just behind the lunette triggers. Kody said he never received them. I have had this discussion with gunsmiths in the past about lost parts. Now I take a picture of everything I send to a gunsmith so I have some proof in the event something goes missing. This Ideal with lunette triggers is not common and it is almost impossible to source an original part, but I do have some helpful board members looking for me. Kody said he would make a new one. However, he has to match the metal and color, fit it properly and have it engraved to the same engraving that was on the original or as done on a R2 Ideal with lunette triggers. Judging from the work he has done I doubt he has the skills to do the job. I’m not sure what the cost of replacement in the US would be but I have a quote from a Canadian gunsmith/engraver and it is in the $400 - $500 range.

With the part

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Without the part

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Kody has said he stands behind his work and in a phone call and through email says he had done a good job and doesn’t understand what I am complaining about. He said to send the parts back and he would fix them. I live in Canada and the technicalities and logistics of taking guns to the US to be repaired is a lot of work, time and expense. I do not believe Kody has the expertise to do a proper job and I would not in any circumstance send him any gun in any shape to do anything with ever again. I asked for USD$1500 return of the USD$2760 that I paid him to do the work. He told me to bugger off!

I’m really am not sure what to do. If I was in the US I would sue him for the replacement value of both guns as I don’t see how some of the damage can be repaired back to a value the guns should be at. And Kody has washed his hands. So my only option is to post this message on all the popular shotgunning boards on the net so all can be aware of the type of work that Kody does and his enduring customer service.

Heads up to all!

Wow! Sorry to hear and see your misfortune, what a shame. If he told you to F-off, guess there may not much you can do other than small claims court. But with you being in Canada, I don't know how that would work, if at all.

I used to send all my Smithing work to Keith, never had a bad job, always exceptional work. I recommended him to a friend and also his buddy, they sent their guns in to Keith and the work that was done was not up to snuff for Keith's normal work. One of the guys had a choke opened and the muzzle was all buggered up. Sent it back, was fixed up some, but you could still see the damage. This was just before Keith retired. I'll bet Keith didn't do the work, perhaps......someone else?

Again, sorry about your guns, what a shame and let down. Thanks for posting.

Best!

Greg

Holy crap! I knew that Oregon legalized medical and recreational marijuana use. I didn't know that they also legalized crack.

Wow; that's enough to make a guy sick.

This is the kind of thread that makes this bulletin board so valuable. The detailed photos fully make the OP's argument...Geo

In the early 2000s I sent a Pair of Parkers to Keith for some minor restoration work. I say "minor" because nothing was broken or cracked, the guns worked fine, but the finishes were very, very tired. One was a a VH with Infallible Trigger, and the other was a GH Damascus with fishtail top lever. When the VH came back, the gun looked good at 20 feet, but there were a lot of flaws. Lots of very minor pits in the bluing that should have been filed or sanded out, but that could be all be fixed with a proper reblue. The biggest problem on that gun was that the side of the buttstock had been sanded so much that it was noticeably dished, and that can't be fixed. I had some knowledgeable gun guys look at it and they agreed that it had been botched. The boys at Ivory Beads looked at it and agreed. My comment to Jim at IB was that the stock work looked like it had been done by a twelve-year-old. Jim said that Keith had a kid working with him and may have had the kid prep the stock. Kody? I dunno. I shot the gun once, put it away and have not looked at it since. I called Keith and had him send the GH back to me with no work done.

On the subject of Damascus refinishing, Keith used to offer browning and what he called "black and white." I saw some barrels at IB that he had refinished, and they looked OK, but the B&W was really pretty brown and not appropriate for most American classics. Jim at IB told me that he thought Keith was shortcutting some of the process to save time, and that was why the B&W came out brown. Finish was fine, but the color was wrong, so I never sent anything else for work.


Pretty much where I came down on the VH. Not to justify sloppy quality, but I had another nationally known double gun guy do some work on a couple of mid-grade guns. One is so botched that I have never even bothered to shoot it, and the other came back with chunks of walnut missing after a stock bending exercise. That one is still in pieces, gathering dust. If this clown had saved the chunk of walnut that blew out during the bend, it would be a fairly straightforward repair, but no such luck. Same guy did some work on another of my Parkers, and the result was so bad that it had to go to a different smith for a do-over. The second guy got it right, but it added hundreds of dollars to the cost of the job. Bottom line is that the truly good smiths seem to be few and far between.

Please note that it was Kody who did he work, not Keith. My understanding is that Keith is retired and no longer works on guns.

If so called Fine Gunsmiths send back crappy work, & you can prove it by before n after picks,or other means... I think it a best to mention names, as the OP did here.Others have posted similar stories,but names were not mentioned , or at least it was like pulling teeth to get them to tell.
Speak up, those who have been screwed over, we should know about it, don't you think?
franc

All my work goes to Brad Bachelder and he does fine work. Whenever there was a question, he just redoes to what you want - no questions or BS. Sorry to hear of your problems. He does great wood work, Damascus barrels, and color case hardening.

Wow Tamid, that is too bad. I have had a few guns restored now and have had the work done within Canada. The first double I had restored was a damascus barrel Charles Smith boxlock.It required a lot of work from stock refinishing, checkering recut, barrels refinished, screws recolored/engraved, safety repaired, case coloring redone and it needed new firing pins made which were integral to the hammers. The gun turned out beautifully and at a cost far less than what would have been charged stateside. The woodwork was done by a forum member and before checkering he called to discuss the type of checkering this gun would have had and wanted to make sure that is what I wanted to go with. No guess work. Subsequent stocks I have sent to him have always involved a discussion once he had them in hand. Any issues encountered always end up with him contacting me before proceeding any further. Same with the fellow who does the metal work. To me this is the way it should be done to avoid possible disappointment with the end result.

Sounds like the splendid consultation, work and reasonable prices that a Canadian forum member has provided me, as well. We're such a picky bunch I can't see how business could be done another way.

What about CJO? He's in Canada he'll be able to make it right.

Reminds me of the restock misery I suffered at the hands of Doug Mann who still owes me money....I guess his kid is still in college after all these years cuz he said he was tight on account of that. I sure hope his kid learned a trade other than gun stocking...

The pictures speak to the quality of workmanship. Pitiful, absolutely Pitiful.

There is a reason the real good ones are backed up for a long long time. Everyone can make a mistake now and then, but a true craftsman won't send it out until its right. The good ones also know whats right and whats wrong.

The checkering and stock finish is so bad I have to wonder if he sent it out to be done or used an apprentice. Could this be possible?

Looks like he left no screw unboogered. Really a shame!

I can't get over the checkering... Nearly brought tears to my eyes

That is sad to hear. Keith did a good job of browning the barrels of a Scott gun for me some 12 or so years ago. A moron in Birmingham colored them what I can only describe as mustard. Not a pretty sight.

DDA

Yes, the checkering was simply awful. I wondered if Tamid threw up when he saw it. I've seen a few amateur jobs that looked like they were scratched into a stock with a sharp nail, but they didn't cost what these abominations cost. Some of the lines in the grip of the Manufrance R1 look like they have gone at least 7 lines off course. Little Stevie Wonder could do a better job.

How could even a CJO or a Dewey Vicknair repair something like that? Even men with their talents can't put back wood that has been filed away. So they would have to sand the stocks down below surrounding metal in order to start over.

Terrible job for sure....I talked with the guy several years ago and he assured me he could repair ribs without talking them off the the gun.

I wasn't looking for a back yard gun butcher so I looked else where.

Good point Keith. I would as least call them to see if anything can be done.

I've had Mark Larson "create" wood where a small chunk was missing in a shattered stock repair and match up checkering.

I had a sinking feeling while reading the text. When I got to the pictures nausea set in. So sorry for your misfortune!

Thanks for sharing your very sad experience. It is enough to make a feller sick. Your warning has probably saved more than a few guns from the hands of a hack.

Who are the "goto" gunsmiths in the US for browning damascus barrels in the correct English finish for English double rifles or shotguns? Thanks!

I know that Kirk Merrington does browning of english damascus barrels, though I have never used him for that. I have used Kirk for other work and I could not be more pleased. Kirk once inspected a gun for me and let me know that it needed restocking and was off face to boot. Had the seller disclosed those issues I never would have considered the gun. In fact the pictures were taken very carefully to conceal the need of restocking. I saw the dealer at the Southern some months later and during the conversation the issue of the need for restocking on that particular gun came up - his reply "well don't they all" in regard to restocking.

So sorry about the original posters issues with the "restoration job." It does look pitiful. So bad in fact it makes me wonder if who supposedly did the work and sent the gun back to the OP was playing with a full deck.

Its boondoggles like this that keep a lot of folks like myself on the sidelines in regard to wanting to fool with project guns.

I would think it would be possible to fill the checkering with epoxy and wood dust and re-checker some areas.

Thank you for all your replies. I think there may be enough to sand down the Ideal and rechecked but I'm not sure on the Sumners.

Did I puke when I saw these guns, no but every time I start looking at them and thinking about all the aspects that were done wrong smoke comes out of my ears!

The real point is that these guns only have so much economic value (no sentimental value) and I have spent that budget. These guns may sit a long time before I send them out again.

Tamid,

What about trying Nick Makinson in Ontario? Looks like he does full restorations.

http://www.nickmakinson.com/index.html

While I have talked to Nick about various projects I haven't used him. Mostly as I understand it may take up to 2 years to get your gun back. Such are the demands on the limited number of top gunsmiths in Canada.

I have to wonder, and this is just a thought and nothing more. Could the checkering be filled with appropriately stained epoxy or some similar filler compound then sanded smooth and recut?

Steve

Wow, this is a pair of projects which really went wrong!

I've had Kody do several metal finishing jobs for me, and all came out very well. He has refused to do checkering as he told me he knew his skill level was not up to the level the project required. (Lefever Optimus). He will be browning the barrels in a few weeks (the gun is out for engraving touch up right now).

My sympathy. Just horrible.
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As to the wood finish, bubbles and roughness. That approximates what's called "orange peel", which you get when trying to French polish and slap too many coats on too quickly. In other words, he was trying to work too quickly and screwed that up.

I would highly recommend you have a discussion with him on his technics for browning and what 'your' expectations of 'brown' are so you are not as disappointed as I am.

This is a similar Lefever Keith did for me several years ago. I think this is the "purplish color" you mentioned. On these guns, I think it looks fine and I hope Kody can duplicate it again.

I wouldn't be as concerned about him getting the correct color as I would about him polishing off rib engraving and other details as he apparently did to Tamid's gun.

As far as the suggestions about mixing wood dust with epoxy as a filler to build up over that nasty checkering, that is usually reserved for a very small area, or to replace a couple checkering diamonds that break off. Epoxy and wood dust as a filler typically leaves the repaired area much darker than the original wood. Even using a lighter colored wood dust such as pine or maple leaves a dark and very noticeable repair on walnut. Grain painting or figure enhancement to cover the discoloration is only on the surface, and the cost of that plus the epoxy body-work and cutting new checkering would likely be prohibitively expensive. I recall seeing a vendor at a gun show who was doing water dip transfers of exhibition walnut wood grain onto fiberglass and synthetic gunstocks, but it was very glossy and wouldn't look at all correct on a vintage double.

http://www.hydrodip.com/photo_gallery/gallery/

Right, you couldn't completely rechecker it, but some of the more blatant errors could be addressed, even if it's never flat-top checkering again.

David, I was over to see CJO late last fall. He is not taking on new work (for the time being). Not sure what his long term plans are but he's not a solution right now.

I am convinced Stelios at SCG (now in Keswick) could handle any and all of the work and leave you very impressed but he is slow. Stelios can do it all but he is especially good at metal fabricating (for the Ideal).

Chris (Newf on this board) will do excellent wood work I am sure. Have not used him yet for anything else.

I would also consider Eddie von Atzigen (think I got that right) in Peterborough. PM if you want to discuss more options in Canada or you need contact info. What Kody did is a shame. Those both should be beautiful guns. At least I hope you paid him before the dollar really tanked.

Thanks Canvasback,

I have heard of Stelios but not used him and I have used Chris. He fixed up a very poorly fitted new stock on an A&N. A botched job but there was lots of wood left and he was able to work with it and did an excellent job. He also rechecked a flat top and refinished the stock for a Scott hammer gun. Chris will definitely do a lot more work for me.

i did have Newby look at the Ideal and he can fit a new piece and I would use Frank in Calgary to do any engaging work. But again it is the economics of the guns that will prevent me from doing anything for a while.

I don't know CJO. What is his full name?

David, CJO is his name on this board. Look up some of the threads he has started of his work. He is phenomenal. But he is not full time. He has a full time real job. Gun smithing is a hobby for him. But I would say his work can stand with anyone, anywhere. I feel fortunate to live close enough and know him well enough to drop by occasionally and see what he is working on. A masters course in the finest guns ever made.

I am sympathetic to the money pit problem. What to do now as there is already too much into the guns? Wish I had a sensible answer for you but I don't.

CJO must be one of those guys that no matter what he tries he excels at it.

not quite

A the founder of Namerology, I can assure you that you would have been well advised to have never trusted those who name their kids with all the same letter. Nor should you trust ANYONE named Koby who is over the age of 3.

We have seen similar problems with other "gunsmiths" that bill themselves as capable of the "finest work." In the U. S. you can hang out your shingle without having to pass any kind of competency test and/or serve an apprentice ship.There should be some sort of vetting process for people who wish to perform restorative/manufacturing services on firearms and other high value things.

Goodness that's the truth. Many many years ago I had a nice german guild gun in 16 gauge with swivels and cheekpiece that I decided both needed to be removed and the holes in the rib and buttstock plugged. Took to a local fellow who had done some restoration work for others who seemed satisfied.

Long story short is he did a horrible job in so many areas it pains me still to think about it now. First off, he plugged the swivel holes in the bottom of the barrel rib with nails that he cut the ends off of. He then forgot he has left the barrels in the sweat box with the rust blueing solution applied and they pitted on the outside. He rust blued over the pitting. The buttstock escutcheon to plug the swivel hole in the buttstock was horribly fit as well.

I complained bitterly, but to no avail. He thought he had done a fine job overall. Said the barrel's were pitted before I gave them to him and said I hadn't told him to strike them prior to rust blueing so I had to live with the pitting. As I said, that was long long ago and I believe he is now retired.

The problem with 'vetting' is twofold:

1) In order for someone to judge or otherwise assess the quality of work, you would need to find someone who understands what good work is, and isn't. That's getting harder to find as time goes on...and even if you did find a person, or people, to be the judges - who judges the judges?

2) The other fallback would be for the government to establish a licensing process for gunsmiths. Who among us thinks that would turn into anything other than a train wreck and an excuse for the government to collect more fees and taxes?

Have the guys at the gunsmith guild, I don't recall the exact name, be the ones to set up and put in motion a way to control who gets to call themselves a stocker,engraver or repairer/modifier of firearms.If you didn't have a certificate of competency you don't get to call your self a journeyman in whatever field.I think we can all agree that someone like SDH could pass judgement on what is and what is not good work. Around here it's "plumbers" who have run amok. They lowered the standards on the test and now it's either hire one of the big names or take your chances.

Living in the same community as Keith & Kody is a blessing.

Pete ;
Are you saying you sell much more REPLACEMENT WOOD with them working on guns in your community?????

Actually, I don't sell much wood anymore. My very best sale wound up being my very worse sale. I visited Butch Sercy at his old California address and he badly needed blanks for the very fine double rifles he makes. He only had 4 left. I traded him for something like $40,000 worth of double rifles (3 of them). He told me he would get right on them since I was getting him out of a negative situation. When the last of the guns was received, it was about 3 years later. When I complained about the time it took, he told me "Well, you only traded." I have not talked to him since.

The trade took all my English and no money came in to replace it. If the guns would have been received in a reasonable period of time, it would have been a great deal. As it was, I was basically out of business for three years and lost my old customers. So my best (potential) deal wound up being a business killer.

I come across some nice wood now and then but basically supply friends who need a blank here and there.

the real question here is did they shoot to point of aim....and did the fit and finish meet your expectations??....I have had guns out for repair so long that I nearly forgot where the smith doing the work was located....3yrs doesn't sound to bad for 3 custom made doubles from a small maker.....

If you can't float $40K...you don't have much of a business in the first place.

my bet is less than 5% of the folks engaged in the gun business could float 40K very long. Look around.....most people in the trade just get by, they do not get rich. Exceptions exists but they are just that, exceptions.

Steve, I agree with you, if getting rich in any trade was what you were looking for, than I don't think most would be in it. It is more of love in what you are doing.

Amen to that....whoever coined the term “starving artist” knew exactly what he was talking about...if the work feeds your soul and brings about someone's pride of ownership it might put food on the table, but you won’t get rich from it....not in the monetary sense anyway

Well...$40K is not a lot of money, anymore, but regardless...a business owner should know enough about his projected cash flow to at least be able to stay in business.

"Gee, I'd better make sure he gets me these guns by this date or else I won't have any money to buy more wood..."

It's a sad situation but it's also one that was foreseeable and preventable.

It seems to me that foreseeing someone else's neglect to pay in a timely manner might not be so easy to anticipate or prevent...Geo

Swinging back to the topic. A price was set with Kody, I held to it. Payment was sent immediate and prior to shipment. I kept up my end of the transaction. Unfortunately I was not in a position to view the work prior to payment and I certainly don't expect gunsmiths to ship prior to payment. There must be some level of trust on both sides.

It's like I tell my kids...You get what you pay for. And sometimes you don't even get that.

From what I've seen here, not only should Tamid have not had to pay, he should have been paid for damage to his guns.

The other thread on Gun Insurance makes me wonder if any of these policies cover gunsmithing malpractice.