I once made a mannlicher stock for a small rifle and wanted it truly slim. I had a blank rough turned by one of the major suppliers I used a lot. I received it and was surprised at how nice it looked. I jumped in, inlet it and started shaping the outside. I had weighed the stock when I received it and after I got close to what I thought was after. I then pulled out an original Mannlicher I owned in 0.5x57. I was shocked when compared to the new stock side by side. The new stock still looked like a club when compared to an original classic stock. I started again on trying to achieve a really trim stock. By the time I was done I had finally achieved a stock that measured up to a true classic design. I weighed the final and found I had removed 1/2 of the turned blank by weight.
Stocking is like every other artistic skill. Excellent work and design is generally performed right at the edge of disaster.
