Stephen I did not restock the gun myself because at the time I did not have the skill set to tackle one of the most difficult wood bar guns to restock even at my best I feel that I would hesitate to take it on. It is another story in its self but to cut it short it took me approximately three years to save the cash for the work, it was done in Birmingham by a Purdey out worker due to retire. I handed him all the money for the work (naivety of youth) I did get a lot of doom and gloom from work colleagues with "that is the last you will see of that my son" nine months later I returned to Birmingham this time to his home to collect the gun. Over the years I have been told many times that it is the finest restock job on a Purdey they have ever seen, so that time faith in human nature paid off.
Damascus;
That is a wonderful story of faith and confidence in a craftsman and the craftsman's goal and zeal to do what "he said he was going to do, when he said he was going to do it"---old school honesty and diligence. your photos did not show all the areas of the fit of the stock, but I could see enough to know it was beautiful work, and if said that you had stocked it, I wanted to know how you learned such skills.
Speaking of Birmingham based stockers, have you ever met the outstanding stocker in Birmingham's Price Street, Malcolm Cruxton? I first met him back in 2002 when he allowed me to come into his shop and talk about the Birmingham gun trade.
Stephen Howell
