Building & Finishing

Staining, finishing, browning, filing, fitting, and the rest of the bench work. 611 entries from across the knowledge base.

Are small pits in cast brass parts a defect I should worry about?
Are the lock bolts already drilled and tapped?
Are the ramrod thimbles pre-drilled on the Colonial and mountain rifle kits?
Are the trigger plate, tang, and lock holes already drilled and tapped?
Are the underlugs drilled at the factory?
Can high-solvent finishes smear bone black?
Can I add a brass patchbox to a Colonial kit that shipped with a wooden one?
Can I add Dangler's orange stain to iron nitrate before blushing to achieve a reddish-orange tone on my rifle stock?
Can I replace the touch hole liner that came installed in my barrel?
Can I send my Woodsrunner rifle lock/trigger assembly to Kibler to have the trigger pull weight reduced, and what is the process?
Can I trip the lock with the frizzen open?
Can I use a lye solution to redden cherry wood?
Can I use linseed oil from the hardware store?
Can I use vinegar to create a patina on the carbon steel barrel and lock of my Kibler rifle kit?
Do I need a flint to safely dry-fire the lock?
Do I need gunsmithing experience or a shop full of tools to build one of your kits?
Do I need to neutralize iron nitrate after staining?
Do I need to stone the double-set triggers?
Do Kibler's barrels get seasoned or hardened?
Do Kibler's lock inlets remove more material than original historical rifles?
Do not brown or age the lock without disassembly
Do walnut, cherry, and ash all get stained the same way?
Do you carry Tried & True Varnish Oil?
Do you neutralize the applied acid before applying oil? Would you recommend ammonia or baking soda?
Do you offer relief carving on the Fowler?
Do you offer relief carving on the Southern Mountain Rifle?
Do you sell carving patterns for historical/colonial longrifles?
Does drawing lines across a rifle barrel with a Sharpie help when draw filing to know how much material to remove?
Does Jax Black metal finish go bad or lose its effectiveness over time, especially if used product is poured back into the bottle?
Does potassium dichromate speed up cherry wood oxidation?
Does sunlight darken cherry wood over time?
Does sunlight speed up curing of Tried & True finish?
Does the touch-hole have to be level with the top of the pan, the "sunset" position?
How can I achieve a high-gloss finish on curly maple wood projects, and what products do you recommend?
How can muzzleloader shooters trust the safety of a breech plug, and what prevents the threaded plug from failing or detaching under the pressure of firing?
How do I clean the rifle?
How do I diagnose a trigger that binds after finishing?
How do I fix loose pin tension on a slotted underlug?
How do I get a higher gloss finish on the stock?
How do I neutralize iron nitrate with baking soda and water?
How do I position the set triggers relative to the sear?
How do I reduce the ramrod diameter to fit?
How do I remove the tumbler from the cock?
How do I slot a barrel underlug by hand?
How do you recommend cleaning a flintlock muzzleloader barrel?
How do you use tannic acid and iron nitrate to finish a burled maple stock and achieve contrast in the grain?
How long does it typically take to build a kit?
How much bending force can the ramrods handle?
How should I apply bone black to get the right color?
How should I handle surface rust on my rifle barrel or underlugs?
How to apply iron nitrate?
How to finish Walnut and Cherry stocks?
If I used a slow-drying finish like Tried & True Varnish Oil (which has no drying agents) as a base coat, is it safe to apply a faster-drying top coat over it?
Iron nitrate in the barrel channel seems to be causing rust or corrosion on my barrel. How do I stop it?
Is a bowed ramrod a defect and can it be fixed?
Is cherry wood prone to breaking across the grain?
Is he applying the stain with sandpaper? Never seen that before, wonder if that helps the stain penetrate the wood more or something. Also what's the purpose of the heat gun? Does that create a deeper color?
Is it a problem if my older barrel doesn't show a touchhole liner?
Is the small hole between the lock inlet and barrel channel normal?
Is there a safety rule I should know before I work on the lock?
Lock handling and mainspring removal
Never trip the lock without a flint and a closed frizzen
Should I drill out the stock if the ramrod is too tight?
Staining with aniline dyes
The touch hole liner and underlugs are not in the kit bag.
Tool list for building a kit
What are iron nitrate and tannic acid, and why do people use them?
What are the differences between Tried & True Varnish Oil and Kibler's Gunstock Sealer & Finish?
What are the two basic steps in finishing a gunstock?
What ball diameter and patch should I use for a .32 caliber rifle?
What ball diameter and patch should I use for a .36 caliber rifle?
What ball diameter and patch should I use for a .50 caliber rifle?
What ball diameter and powder load should I use for a .54 caliber rifle?
What ball diameter and powder load should I use for a .58 caliber rifle?
What ball diameter, patch, and powder load should I use for a .40 caliber rifle?
What ball diameter, patch, and powder load should I use for a .45 caliber rifle?
What do I do if iron nitrate gets into the barrel channel?
What do I do if the lock bolt won't fit through?
What do you use to finish metal parts?
What does "zero wood removal" actually mean?
What does the builder actually do when assembling a Kibler kit?
What finish should be applied to the lock of the rifle? Should it be finished the same way as the barrel and trigger guard?
What glue is recommended for repairing cracked walnut wood?
What grit sandpaper is typically used when sanding a stock, and does it vary based on the wood type or grade?
What is CA glue?
What is involved in finishing the stock?
What is the tap for?
What is used to stain the wood, like iron nitrate or aniline dyes?
What kind of thread compound is used on the breech plug of Kibler kits, and can the breech plug be removed to clear a stuck ball?
What should I do if a spot on my stock refuses to take stain?
What tools do I need to build / finish the Appalachian Barn Gun?
What tools do I probably already have for building a kit?
What tools might I need to buy for the build?
When should I add most of the stock's color during finishing?
When should I seal the inlets during finishing?
Where can I buy tannic acid powder and iron nitrate for finishing?
Why do I need to sand the brass?
Why does the Southern Mountain Rifle kit include two tang bolts?
Why doesn't my ramrod fit the entry pipe or stock hole?
Why is the nosecap left on the kit?
Why is the ramrod area in the stock tapered?
Why is the ramrod tapered near the stock entry?
Will Kibler's replace a brass part with a casting defect?
Any tips for installing the pins that hold the ramrod pipes in place?
Any tips for planning a carving design before cutting?
Are Kibler's stocks fully finished and ready to use straight from the machine?
Barrel key: It's loose on my Hawken, what do I do?
Barrel seasoning or hardening is not done
Barrel: It keeps creeping forward when I tighten the tang screw, what do I do?
Bluing: Should I blue the barrel on my kit?
Cabinet scraper, what to buy
Can a flat file be used on a round barrel?
Can American black walnut be made to look more like the English walnut used on original guns?
Can cold weather affect applying stock finish or browning solutions?
Can dye stains be used to adjust the color after iron nitrate?
Can I leave the barrel finish as draw filed, or do I need to polish it further?
Can I store a kit for several months before building?
Can I use a power buffer to polish the brass hardware on my kit?
Can iron nitrate stain be applied with Scotch-Brite instead of a rag?
Can leftover dark stain be intentionally kept in some areas of a stock?
Can lye stain be used to darken cherry wood on a build?
Can lye stain be used to enhance the color of cherry wood?
Can tannic acid be combined with iron nitrate stain?
Can the color of iron nitrate stain be adjusted or tailored?
Can the pores in an ash stock be darkened for a striking look?
Can you clean a flintlock's barrel while leaving the barrel pins in place?
Can you diluent iron nitrate or aqua fortis?
Can you do blanks for standard center fires?
Can you guys do a video of using tannic acid and iron nitrate together?
Can you heat a frizzen to change its color?
Carving, remove the shine with pumice or rottenstone
Case hardening: How durable is it and how do I prep for it?
Chisel: How do I sharpen it?
Chisels, what to buy
Could I use iron nitrate on my tiger maple table?
Could you use 2" planks of cured walnut?
Do both sides of a carved rifle stock need to match exactly?
Do I need a nose cap or toe plate on the SMR stock?
Do I need extra wood left on my stock to be able to carve it?
Do I need to remove the barrel every time I clean my fowler or Southern Mountain rifle?
Do I need to remove the barrel to clean my fowler?
Do I need to remove wood to assemble the Woodsrunner kit?
Do Kibler's kit parts require any fitting, or do they drop right in?
Do the ram rod pipes need fitting before installing the pins?
Do you need a drill to assemble the Woodsrunner or Fowler kit?
Do you need to fit the barrel into the stock on a Southern Mountain Rifle kit?
Do you need to soften the edges of the barrel flats after draw filing?
Do you recommend staining walnut stocks?
Does curly maple require more allowance for wood movement than straight grain wood on a rifle stock?
Does it matter if grain-raising water gets into the inlets on a stock?
Does Kibler's check the barrel fit before a stock ships?
Does putting on a second coat of iron nitrate on ash change the color much?
Does sunlight help cure an oil finish faster?
Does the builder still need to do any finishing work on a Woodsrunner kit?
Does the first coat of finish need to be thinned to enhance wood figure?
Does the Fowler kit have any carving?
Does the machine carving on the Fowler kit need any hand finishing before it ships?
Does the stock need to be prepped before applying iron nitrate?
Does wood hardness affect how much tannic acid stain a stock absorbs?
Draw filing, what file to use
Engraving is a good customization for a fowling piece
Finish: What holds up in wet or harsh weather?
Finish: What should I use after iron nitrate stain?
First kit, choose an easier build over an exact style
Flint size: What do the Colonial, Woodsrunner, and Fowler kits use?
Flint size: What does the SMR (Southern Mountain Rifle) use?
Fowler sights: How do I align them?
Fowler: How thick are the barrel walls?
Hardware: What comes with the Colonial, Fowler, and Woodsrunner kits?
Hardware: What comes with the SMR and Hawken kits?
Has anyone seen or done a two tone finish on a carved stock like these, perhaps a lighter stain or color to accent the carving?
How are Kibler's stock patterns created before machining begins?
How are ramrod pipes pinned in place on the Southern Mountain Rifle?
How are the pins for the Colonial kit's nose cap typically installed?
How can I clean the breech area of a Hawken that has no cleanout screw?
How can I finish the barrel on my Kibler kit?
How can I hold a trigger guard steady while polishing it?
How can I make a walnut Fowler stock look more like English walnut?
How can I stain walnut to look more like an English gun finish?
How can you adjust pin tension if a barrel pin fits too loosely?
How can you tone down a bright flintlock finish without browning it?
How deep should relief carving be cut on a longrifle?
How do dye stains compare to iron nitrate on curly maple?
How do I add a little play to a trigger that is too tight against the sear?
How do I align the pinhole when installing the trigger pin?
How do I apply the metal browning / iron staining finish?
How do I clean up flashing on the ramrod pipes before installing them?
How do I disassemble a Hawken lock if the bridle will not budge?
How do I fit an investment cast butt plate to the stock on the Southern Mountain Rifle kit?
How do I get a tight fit between the nose cap and the barrel and wood on a Colonial kit?
How do I get scratches out of a Woodsrunner barrel before bluing it?
How do I get the provided screws to sit flush in the butt plate's counterbore?
How do I keep from rocking the file while draw filing as a beginner?
How do I know how much free play the set triggers should have against the sear?
How do I know where each key inlay (escutcheon) goes on a Hawken stock?
How do I remove Prussian blue transfer color that got onto the exterior of my stock?
How do I remove the breech plug on a barrel?
How do I remove the trigger guard from the stock?
How do I sharpen a flint that is not sparking well?
How do I size down a ramrod so it fits the stock and ramrod tip?
How do I trim and finish a pin after installing it?
How do I use the drill guide bushing to extend a pin hole?
How do the under lugs go into the barrel on a Hawken kit, and how do I know which one goes where?
How do you actually draw file a barrel?
How do you add more play to a rear trigger that feels too tight against the sear?
How do you apply bone black pigment to a stock?
How do you avoid breaking a stock when fitting the barrel tang into the barrel channel?
How do you avoid green or gray colors when using aqua fortis (iron nitrate) stain?
How do you avoid tear out when carving curly maple?
How do you bring back warm tones after using tannic acid with iron nitrate?
How do you bring out color in a cherry wood stock?
How do you close a small gap between the buttplate and the stock after installation?
How do you cut long straight lines cleanly when carving a toe molding?
How do you engrave metal parts on a longrifle?
How do you find where a lock is binding in its inlet?
How do you finish the loading end of a ramrod?
How do you finish walnut or cherry stocks to bring out their figure?
How do you fit the front and rear sights into their dovetails?
How do you fix a bowed ramrod?
How do you fix an under lug that ends up a little loose after fitting?
How do you identify a curly maple log before it's cut?
How do you install the ramrod tip during Woodsrunner assembly?
How do you keep a file from loading up with metal chips while draw filing a barrel?
How do you keep Powder Post Beetles on of your maple?
How do you know a flintlock sear screw is adjusted correctly?
How do you make sure the wood is flush with metal parts like the butt plate and tang?
How do you peen the brass screws on the Woodsrunner nose cap without damaging anything?
How do you pin the ramrod tip in place?
How do you polish and finish metal lock and mount parts?
How do you prep a cast trigger guard before installing it in the stock?
How do you prepare a pin before driving it into the stock?
How do you press the cock back onto the tumbler shaft after disassembly?
How do you raise the grain on a rifle stock?
How do you remove bone black pigment from an area where you applied too much?
How do you remove the frizzen spring from a flintlock?
How do you remove the tumbler from a flintlock?
How do you rub back a tannic acid and iron nitrate stain to bring out contrast?
How do you sharpen a card or cabinet scraper?
How do you slot barrel underlugs without specialized equipment?
How do you square up the ends of a ramrod pipe inlet on the Southern Mountain Rifle?
How do you use bone black to darken a stock?
How does a flintlock ignite the powder charge?
How does iron nitrate compare to aniline dyes for staining a rifle stock?
How does Kibler's approach mixing colors when staining a stock?
How does Kibler's Gunstock Sealer & Finish compare to the old Permalyn Sealer?
How does Kibler's machine its barrels?
How does Kibler's make parts like trigger guards and butt plates?
How does lighting help when carving a background level?
How does the hook breech system work on the Hawken rifle kit?
How does the investment casting process work for gun parts?
How does the ramrod tip attach to the ramrod?
How hard is it to build one of Kibler's rifle kits?
How is Kibler's flintlock different from locks that have traditionally been made using investment casting?
How is tannic acid mixed and applied before staining with iron nitrate?
How is the background cleaned up around relief carving?
How is the lock bolt hole drilled and tapped so it lines up correctly?
How is the nose cap attached to the Woodsrunner stock?
How is the ram rod tip attached to the ram rod?
How is the ramrod tip pinned onto the ramrod?
How is the touch hole liner installed and finished?
How long does it take to draw file a barrel flat?
How many coats of bone black does it take to get a noticeable aged look?
How many coats of finish does a rifle stock need?
How many coats of iron nitrate are typically applied?
How many hours does it take to machine each stock?
How many times can I shoot a muzzleloader before I need to clean the barrel?
How many times should I raise the grain on a stock before finishing it?
How much drilling and inletting does a customer actually have to do on a Kibler's kit?
How much trigger play should there be before pulling the trigger on a flintlock?
How should finishing oil be applied around carving on a stock?
How should I deal with screw slots that are too small for standard screwdrivers on a rifle kit?
How should I finish a barrel after sanding it to its final grit?
How should I finish a carved Woodsrunner stock?
How should I sand the area where the wrist transitions into the lock panel?
How should I stain a stock with iron nitrate?
How should I stain cherry wood and what should I use to finish it?
How should ramrod pipes be checked and prepped so the ramrod hole lines up before pinning them?
How should the nose cap screws be finished on final assembly?
How should you sand around the lock panel moldings without damaging the shape?
How tight of a fit should I expect between a buttplate and the stock before final fitting?
How tight should a ramrod fit in the stock and pipes?
How tight should the front and rear sights fit in their dovetails?
How tight should the nose cap screw be tightened?
How tight should the sight fit in the dovetail?
How tight should under lugs fit into the barrel dovetails?
How was the Hawken rifle used for product photos finished?
How would a WoodsRunner have been finished historically, in terms of barrel and lock color?
How would you add a tow plate to a Southern Mountain Rifle?
I accidentally dry-fired the lock without a flint, did I damage anything?
I accidentally over-cut the stock when fitting the trigger guard. Can it be repaired?
I have a small gap between the barrel and the lock on my Southern Mountain Rifle. How concerned should I be?
I used iron nitrate on the stock and now there's light surface rust on the metal parts. What happened?
I'm trying to figure out how to use a flintlock in the rain. Not much fair weather hunting in the PNW. Any suggestions?
If one were to sand/burnish the stock after applying the heat gun, would it affect the lighter stained areas of the stock and increase the dark/light contrast?
If you were looking for a higher gloss on the stock, would you keep applying the oil?
In what order should I build, finish, and sand a rifle kit?
In what order should the mainspring and frizzen spring be installed on a flintlock?
Inlets: When should I seal them on my stock?
Is a super high polish finish accurate for a historically styled rifle?
Is browning an historically appropriate finish for a Kibler's rifle?
Is browning or rust bluing period appropriate for a Woodsrunner barrel finish?
Is carving a skill a beginner can try?
Is carving required on a Kibler's rifle stock?
Is it a problem if bluing gets inside the bore of the barrel during charcoal bluing?
Is it a problem if the buttplate hangs over the wood slightly at the bottom of the stock?
Is it dangerous to knap a flint while it's still installed in the lock?
Is it good practice to smooth a carved background with sandpaper or files instead of a chisel?
Is it necessary to take a flintlock completely apart before fitting the lock plate into the stock?
Is it necessary to use a wood filler when staining curly maple with aqua fortis?
Is it okay for the buttplate to extend slightly past the wood on a longrifle stock?
Is it okay if my ramrod has a slight bow to it?
Is it okay to dry fire a flintlock without the frizzen closed?
Is it okay to use steel wool to clean rust off the face of a frizzen?
Is it possible to add a brass patch box on my colonial kit that I ordered with a wooden patch box?
Is Kibler's finish historically accurate?
Is the finishing process for a rifle stock an exact science?
Is the Hawken kit harder to assemble than Kibler's other kits, like the Fowler or Woodsrunner?
Is the sanding process the same for Walnut stocks?
Is the square flat edge at the bottom of the stock traditional or is this left for finishing?
Is there any historical precedent for a natural, blond finish, with just the catalyzed linseed oil (or tung oil) over the maple?
Is there color added to iron nitrate?
Kibler lock inlets go beyond what originals had
Lock: Why is the hammer or cock contacting the lock plate?
May I suggest oak leaves and acorns as a carving motif?
My sear broke. Do I need to replace the tumbler too?
My stock finish oil has a solid skin on top. Is it ruined?
My trigger was fitted properly before finishing but started binding after the finish was applied. What should I check?
Nose cap screw: It won't start, the threaded hole looks misaligned, what do I do?
Older barrels without a visible liner hole are not defective
Patchbox spring: How do I adjust it?
Positioning set triggers using the sear bar cross point
Ramrod bow is normal and correctable by bending
Ramrod hole, do not enlarge it
Ramrod pipe: How do I fix a pin hole that cracked or blew out?
Ramrod tip taper matches original historical work
Ramrod: It won't reach the bottom in its channel, what do I do?
Recommended tools - full builder checklist
Recommended tools - Jim's guidance on quality and selection
Refinishing: Should I refinish a stock I'm not happy with?
Rescuing a stock that came out the wrong color after staining
Restoring an antique, Jim's position
Set trigger: It's unreliable, sometimes engages and sometimes doesn't, what do I do?
Sharpening stones, what to buy
Should a first time builder put a nose cap on the Southern Mountain Rifle?
Should a touch hole liner be filed flush by hand?
Should carved relief backgrounds be perfectly flat?
Should hardware be left on the stock while staining?
Should I apply more than one coat of iron nitrate stain?
Should I brown the lock when browning the barrel?
Should I brown, blue, or leave the barrel in the white on my Colonial kit?
Should I build and assemble the whole rifle before sanding or polishing?
Should I carve a groove or channel right along the edge of a carving design?
Should I clinch or stake the under lugs after installing them on the barrel?
Should I disassemble my lock before applying a metal darkening product like Jax's?
Should I disassemble the lock before applying browning or darkening solution?
Should I draw file the barrel on my rifle kit?
Should I draw file the part of the barrel that will be hidden inside the stock?
Should I drill out the ramrod hole in the stock if the ramrod does not fit?
Should I expect iron nitrate to produce an exact target color on my stock?
Should I fully assemble my rifle before polishing or sanding it?
Should I install the butt plate or the nose cap and standing breech first on a Hawken kit?
Should I plan on tuning up a new Kibler's flintlock after I get it?
Should I polish the buttplate before or after fitting it to the stock?
Should I polish the metal parts before or after assembling my rifle kit?
Should I sand a stock before or after the rifle is fully assembled?
Should I sand or scrape a rifle stock?
Should I trim the ramrod flush with the end of the stock or leave it sticking out?
Should I try to adjust the position of the standing breech on a Hawken build?
Should I use water or alcohol to raise the grain on a stock?
Should I use wax on the screws when installing the butt plate?
Should iron nitrate stain be applied inside metal part inlets?
Should one scrape before the carving? How do you scrape inside curves, post-carving?
Should the barrel and ramrod holes need extra fitting when I install the barrel on the Woodsrunner kit?
Should the breech plug threads be case hardened?
Should the flint's bevel face up or down in the jaws?
Should the inlets on a rifle stock be sealed with finish?
Should the lock panels on a longrifle come to a sharp point?
Should the pin slot near the muzzle end under lug be longer than the ones near the breech?
Should the sight overhang the sides of the barrel?
Should the wood behind the tang on a longrifle be flat or curved?
Should you alternate bone black coats with plain finish coats?
Should you carve a stock before or after sanding it?
Should you remove the barrel from a Woodsrunner or Southern Mountain Rifle to clean it?
Should you use oil or grease when reassembling a flintlock?
Staining: Have you tried a homemade tobacco and ammonia stain?
Staining: How should I stain walnut, cherry, maple, or ash?
Staining: What stains do you recommend for maple and lighter woods?
Stock finish: How do I fix damage?
Stock voids: There is a hole or void near the lock area, what should I do?
Stoning double-set triggers is not necessary
The Jax Black I received says 'for brass', did I get the wrong product?
The underlugs on the barrel don't appear to be fitted. Do I need to file them?
There is a gap or hole in the stock between the barrel channel and the lock inlet, is that a defect?
Tried & True: Can sunlight help cure it faster?
Trigger guard: How do I install it?
Trigger guard: It won't fit into the stock, what do I do?
Trigger: How do I adjust it?
Trigger: It feels stiff or sticky, what do I do?
Tumbler: What if it broke when I was disassembling the lock?
Walnut: Can I stain it with iron nitrate?
Walnut: What finish should I use?
Were flintlocks typically rusted, browned, or left bright during the 1700s?
Were original Hawken maple stocks typically finished plain or stained dark?
What abrasive stones work well for polishing small details like beads on brass hardware?
What advice do you have for first time rifle kit builders?
What are chip cuts on carved gun stocks?
What are some tips for working with cherry wood on a rifle stock?
What are the first chisels I should buy to start a longrifle build?
What are the keys to getting browning to take well on a lock or barrel?
What are the two basic types of carving used on a longrifle stock?
What backing should I use when sanding a rifle stock so I don't ruin the surface?
What barrel finish is historically correct for a Colonial-era longrifle?
What CAD software do you use in design and surface modelling?
What can I use to protect the metal-to-wood inlet surfaces and barrel channel on a rifle I plan to hunt with?
What do you do if the sights have a casting nub on the bottom?
What do you use to apply iron nitrate?
What does it mean to relieve a carving?
What does it mean when a scraper makes a different sound or leaves a whitish mark on the wood?
What finish brings out curl in maple the best?
What finish creates an aged, 1700s-style look on a maple stock?
What glossy stock finishing oils work well besides specialty products?
What grit progression does Jim Kibler recommend for sanding a buttplate after filing?
What grit progression is used when sanding a rifle stock before finishing?
What grit progression should I use when sanding a barrel after draw filing?
What happens chemically when iron nitrate is applied over tannic acid?
What happens if a stock is not heated enough or heated too much after staining with iron nitrate?
What is a common mistake beginners make when using transfer color?
What is a dowel rod used for when assembling a kit?
What is a good method for attaching the nose cap securely to the stock?
What is a good order of operations for installing the nose cap and barrel?
What is a good way to check a stock's surface for defects before staining it?
What is a good way to clean a Southern Mountain rifle?
What is a good way to hold a buttplate while polishing it?
What is a good way to remove a barrel from the stock without damaging it?
What is a good way to use a pin punch without damaging the stock?
What is a mallet used for when assembling a Kibler's kit?
What is a parrot vise and how is it modified for gun building?
What is bone black used for on a rifle stock?
What is burnishing and why is it done on a rifle stock?
What is charcoal bluing and how does it work?
What is draw filing and why is it used on a rifle barrel instead of just sanding?
What is grain raising and why is it important when finishing a stock?
What is ingrown bark and how is it repaired on a stock?
What is iron nitrate stain and why is it used on curly maple?
What is iron nitrate stain made of?
What is Kibler's working on for CNC relief carving?
What is relief carving and how does it differ from just outlining a design?
What is relief carving?
What is scraping and how does it compare to sanding a stock?
What is temper bluing?
What is the best way to bring out figure in maple stock wood?
What is the best way to knap or sharpen a flint?
What is the best way to raise the grain before finishing?
What is the best way to remove the barrel from a stock during assembly?
What is the best way to remove the standing breech if it fits tightly?
What is the correct way to remove the mainspring from a flintlock?
What is the difference between clean tool marks and torn grain when carving?
What is the easiest way to install the sear spring on a flintlock?
What is the fastest way to build up a smoke damaged rifle after a house fire?
What is the included tap used for when assembling the kit?
What is the minimum tool set needed to assemble a Kibler's kit?
What is the most period-correct way to finish a cherry stock?
What is the parting line on a cast buttplate and why does it need attention?
What is the tradeoff between using a coarse file and a fine file when polishing brass parts?
What is the trick for lining up a pin hole in the trigger with the hole in the stock?
What is transfer color and how should it be used when fitting parts?
What is your opinion of tru oil as a finishing coat?
What is your opinion on sanding versus scraping only in regards to the final appearance/finish?
What kind of bluing is historically correct for a colonial period rifle?
What kind of file does Kibler's recommend for draw filing a rifle barrel?
What kind of file should be used to fit an under lug into its dovetail?
What kind of file should I use to draw file a barrel?
What kind of file works well on the flat facets of a cone or molding on the buttplate?
What kind of lighting is best for doing detailed carving work?
What kind of punch should be used to knock the cock off the tumbler?
What kind of stock finish would have been historically used on maple rifles in the 1700s colonies?
What kind of tap should be used to thread the holes for the lock bolts?
What kind of tap works best for the lock bolt hole?
What kind of vise does Jim use for gun work, and why does it work well?
What kinds of wood work well with iron nitrate stain?
What lighting setup helps you spot defects while sanding a rifle stock?
What lubrication should be used when reassembling a flintlock?
What metal casting methods does Kibler's use for detailed parts, and why not die casting?
What metal finish is recommended for a hunting rifle?
What methods can I use to sand a ramrod down so it slides through the pipes?
What oil did you use in the Shawshank woodshop video?
What oil finish is used after staining with iron nitrate?
What power are Jim's optivisors?
What sandpaper grits are recommended for finishing a rifle stock?
What sandpaper grits should I use to sand a rifle stock?
What screwdriver do I need for the narrow screw slots on a flintlock, like the one holding the hammer to the tumbler?
What should I be careful of when filing near a screw hole on a brass part?
What should I do if a pin won't go into a ramrod pipe or similar hole?
What should I do if my ram rod arrives a little bent or breaks during fitting?
What should I do if the keys on my Hawken hook breech system become loose over time?
What should I do if the set triggers do not have enough free play against the sear?
What should I do to the ends of pins before installing them?
What should I keep in mind about the wood level around the trigger guard when finishing the stock?
What should I keep in mind when driving pins so wood doesn't pop out on the other side?
What should I look for in a good ramrod before fitting it?
What should you do if the trigger guard does not quite line up with its inlets?
What should you use to help buttplate screws go into their holes more easily?
What size file should I use when polishing brass hardware?
What size hole should I drill to pin the ramrod tip on my Woodsrunner?
What stain does Kibler's recommend for curly maple?
What stain is used to finish ash rifle stocks?
What stain works well on ash rifle stocks?
What technique should I use when filing a large flat surface like a buttplate?
What tool do you use to scrape a rifle stock, and how is it sharpened?
What tool is used to remove the mainspring from a flintlock?
What tools are needed to sand and scrape a rifle stock?
What tools are used to remove the background when relief carving a longrifle stock?
What tools are used to smooth the background of a relief carving?
What tools can be used to outline a carving?
What tools can I use to outline a carving design on a rifle stock?
What tools do I need to assemble a Hawken rifle kit?
What tools do I need to disassemble a lock, and what should I watch out for?
When fitting a buttplate, do you always need to remove wood to close a gap?
When heating the Iron Nitrate, how hot does the wood's surface need to be?
When rubbing the stock down with the Scotch Bright pad, how does that affect relief carving? Is the raised carving degraded in any way?
When should I install the barrel pins?
When should I install the pins that hold the barrel keys captive?
When should the barrel pins be trimmed to length during a build?
When should the metal hardware be polished during a build?
When should you apply bone black during the finishing process?
Where should I check first if the lock bolster on my mountain rifle won't seat against the barrel?
Where should I clamp the stock when fitting a trigger guard with thin lock panel moldings?
Where should you darken a stock with bone black?
Which end of the barrel tang should come out first when removing the barrel from the stock?
Who designed the carving pattern on the carved Woodsrunner?
Why are the lock panels on the Fowler kit made a certain way?
Why are the pin holes through the under lugs elongated into slots instead of left as round holes?
Why are the pins on parts like the side plate left long when the kit ships?
Why are the screw holes in the nose cap sometimes not perfectly aligned?
Why are the under lug pin holes sometimes slotted rather than round?
Why are you sending them partially installed already?
Why can fitting a fowler buttplate be difficult for the average builder?
Why can't I just install the trigger directly into the stock by itself?
Why did Kibler's invest in a metalworking CNC machine for parts?
Why did Kibler's move from cast nose caps and butt plates to machined ones on the Woodsrunner?
Why do investment cast trigger guards vary in length and fit?
Why do some parts, like the butt plate and trigger guard, come pre-installed on the Woodsrunner stock?
Why do the dark curl stripes in maple absorb more stain and oil than the rest of the wood?
Why do the edges of a lock plate need filing before it will fit into the mortise?
Why do the forward ramrod pipes need to be marked before removing them?
Why do the tabs on the SMR ramrod pipes sometimes need to be filed down?
Why do the under lugs sometimes need to be trimmed down after they are installed on the barrel?
Why do you heat the wood after applying iron nitrate stain?
Why do you scribe a line around the patch box lid before finishing the stock?
Why does a rifle stock need to have its grain raised before finishing?
Why does a sharp chisel matter so much when trimming wood to fit the butt plate?
Why does a stock need to be heated after applying iron nitrate?
Why does curly ash soak up more stain and oil than plainer ash?
Why does curly maple darken unevenly when stained with tannic acid?
Why does iron nitrate stain need to be heated after it is applied?
Why does Kibler's CNC-machined lock fit so well into the Colonial rifle kit's stock inlet?
Why does Kibler's cut stock blanks small instead of using large oversized blanks?
Why does Kibler's let stock blanks sit around before using them?
Why does Kibler's machine the lock plate even though it is a difficult part to machine?
Why does Kibler's use a CNC process to machine gun stocks instead of duplicators?
Why does the metal on my rifle sometimes sit proud of the wood in winter after fitting perfectly in summer?
Why does the ramrod supplied with a kit sometimes not fit the entry pipe hole?
Why does the stock still look dull right after heating the iron nitrate stain?
Why does the trigger guard need filing before it fits into the stock?
Why does the trigger sometimes need material removed before it fits the lock?
Why does the wood sit slightly proud of the metal parts on a Hawken kit before finishing?
Why does the wood sometimes sit a little above the metal parts on a Colonial kit before finishing?
Why doesn't Kibler's offer trigger guards pre-fit with no fitting required at all?
Why doesn't Kibler's use a form or press to straighten buttplate castings instead of doing it by hand?
Why doesn't the ramrod fit right out of the box?
Why is a bark inclusion or small crack in a maple stock blank usually not a big concern?
Why is a drill bit sized just to the hole used to squeeze barrel pin holes through the stock?
Why is CNC relief carving on a rifle stock challenging?
Why is grain direction so important when carving a stock?
Why is it better to work large carving areas down together rather than finishing one section completely before moving on
Why is it important that the lock bolster contacts the barrel with no gap?
Why is it important to use a screwdriver that fits the screw slot exactly on a lock?
Why is it normal for a new ram rod to need fitting to the stock?
Why is lighting important when sanding a rifle stock?
Why is lighting so important when working on a rifle stock?
Why is quarter-sawn curly maple harder to carve than other grain orientations?
Why is relief carving difficult to program for CNC machining?
Why is scraping preferred over sandpaper for cleaning up carving backgrounds?
Why is the breech area of the barrel channel rounded when a stock first comes off the CNC machine?
Why is the entry pipe on the Colonial kit hard to inlet on other rifles but not on Kibler's kits?
Why is the finish on the foot of the tumbler so important?
Why is the nosecap left on and other parts taken off?
Why is the tapped screw hole in the nose cap offset from the hole in the stock?
Why is the wood left bare under the lock plate & barrel?
Why should chisels and other sharp tools not be left lying on the workbench?
Why should I be careful handling the stock before the butt plate is fitted?
Why should the holes for the lock bolts be drilled through the stock rather than off of it?
Why should the patch box lid fit with a slight bit of play instead of a perfectly tight fit?
Why should there be a small gap on either side of the under lugs in the barrel channel?
Why should you always file the end of a cut pin before installing it?
Why should you avoid rounding over the corners of a barrel flat while draw filing?
Why shouldn't I dry fire a percussion Hawken rifle without something on the nipple?
Why shouldn't I just drill a pin hole through the metal part freehand using the hole already in the wood?
Why shouldn't I polish the metal parts before assembling the rifle?
Why shouldn't you stain the inlets on a rifle stock?
Why shouldn't you use hardware store linseed oil as a stock finish?
Why use a brass hammer instead of a steel hammer when building a rifle kit?
Why won't the ramrod fit through the pipes on my kit right out of the box?
Why would I want to remove the barrel on my Hawken rifle?
Why would you use tannic acid along with iron nitrate on curly maple?
Will a machined Woodsrunner buttplate require fitting to the stock?
Will I still need to work on the trigger guard after Kibler's pre-fits it to my stock?
Will the barrel need fitting to drop into the stock?
Will the lock need to be fitted into the stock inlet?
Would there be any problems with a kit being stored for a bit until I get to it?
You showed how it looks with stain over the iron nitrate. Would nitrate over the stain come out any different?

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