Let's Build an Investarms Gemmer Hawken Kit Part 4: Rough Wood Shaping

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Special thanks to everyone for watching! We reached 1,000 views in record time. Please let me know if you have any questions!

[@james_lessick892]

After buying a Cabela's Hawken kit at the Gun show that was completed, it is evident that it is not. Now I can see from your mastery of woodworking that I need to do some work. Thank you 👌🤠👍

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

You are too kind, I am a student just like everyone. Thank you for watching!

[@ufeisen5059]

Amazing series of videos that forms a proper tutorial for me to follow for a first rifle. Thank you sir !

[@OdoyleRules24]

Jeremiah Johnson was on TV last night..might have to get myself a Hawken style rifle! Keep up the good work!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Sorry I missed it, but I think I’ll pop in the DVD this week. Thanks for watching

[@johnmuffy2848]

Love the Coon Cat. That is one fun breed. And, thanks for the video. I have done wood for some time. I learned a few things with this video. Thanks for taking the time to show how it is done! Good job.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks! He showed up at the farm one day and we took him in. Someone shot him in the foot so you may see him limping around. Doc said he’s doing great. He got on my bench some this weekend so you’ll see more of him

[@StevenMMan]

Ok so I wanted to wait till I had time to view the entire video in one sitting. I want to say that you are doing a fine job overall. So that being said I have a few ideas for you, and I intend in no way to seem critical. I want to start out by saying its interesting to see that you are using a book as reference of samples to compare. So I going to take a moment to remind you that no two rifles out of such a shop would be identical. I see every new project as a blank canvas, rather it be a kit, scratch, or customizing an existing piece. In order for me to give my example of my most recent inspiration of the Remington new model army mentioned earlier, I have to tell a short story. First of all I am a gunsmith who has a hobby of history, and put together my first kit in 1974 at 12 years old. Gunsmithing school 80/81. June of 2020 I had an unrealized stroke, diagnosed July. Stubborn pride. This effected my vision, I see 2 of everything and neither are in focus. This ruined for me my confidence so I sold off anything that if a mistake was made could be dangerous( ie handloading equipment etc). I had this brass framed Remington that I only had because the price was right. The lack of confidence lead me to another local smith. I asked him to shorten the barrel reinstall sight, ram latch, cut and remachine the ram. He had it for 10 months, and when l followed up on it he had 0 work on it, with a stating do not have tooling. Well this inspired me. Though a brass framed Remington is not historically correct my mind want to that gunsmith wasn't worth a plug nickel. Gave the vision of a civil war soldier turned river boat gambler, looking to convert a to hideaway. I am 2/3 the way through the project ram, barrel shortened. The latch reinstalled in the ram, tooled by hand not machine, with the feel of my hand and the eyes of my 14 year old daughter to help. I can feel and sorta see some defects. Remember art is not perfect even when a saw 20-20 I could find defects. Take your time and enjoy. For me I looking forward to my next project. That is Ashley walking into a gunsmith asking for a build using the knowledge of those who explored before, with knowledge of wildlife and natives. Keel boat as mode of travel. If I was Ashley my request would be cross between leman,jager, Hawkin. .62 caliber 2 barrels rifled/smooth, 26 - 30" wedge pin drop in. I think you get the idea. Half blind or not the mind does not stop. To be afraid to let you imagination lead you.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thank you for sharing Steven, I’m so happy to hear you are continuing to enjoy building kits! God bless and have a great day

[@mylife6453]

Nice job. I also recommend scrapers. they have curved and flat one in the pack and they work clean and quick.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I love scrapers

[@imjustadude]

Nice Ethan!

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks dude!

[@homemadehistory7537]

You realy need a nice smal spoke shave , 😁 and a pattern vise maybe 😉 but so far so good and that is a nice peace of walnut. to make the lines of the cheek I mostly use a round wood with rough sandpaper wraped around . The rasp could take too much material sometimes. How about a bottom line for the cheek ?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks for watching! A spokeshave is a good idea, I could certainly get one out. I think you’ll like the look of the cheek after the next video

[@calebswartz6273]

Awesome, never cheesy even if you think it is.

[@Peter-od7op]

This is why i bought a kibler kit. Not this much wood filing.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Yep, My kibler was much less work, both have been fun though!

[@howardwinter3455]

I notice you fileing against the grain ; go from the rist area back toward the butt . When you get to the front of the gun the grain will often run the other way . Don't be tempted to go against the grain you will tear the grain instead of cutting.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thanks Howard! I’ll keep that in mind

[@howardwinter3455]

I enjoy your videos , very informative. I personally prefer the type of cheakpiece style found on Pennsylvania and Kentucky Long rifles. The Monte Carlo style found on these kits simply does not reflect the old style. Check some of the early Hawkens.

[@devemch7851]

Absolutely awsome work. I need to get that book you have. Do you have and use any pattern maker rasps? Some of them look like they could be. What is nice about a pattern maker rasp is that your not necessarily bound to filing in one direction. They are curved surface shaping tools. But don’t hit metal with one! Question I have is this. Gemmed came later. So did he build flintlocks or was there a period of transition between flintlocks and percussion locks?

[@scruffysstash]

You and a few other channels recently have me set on getting a flintlock hawken! I figured it would alleviate some of the primer shortage issue for some plinking... but then ya tell me that goex isnt producing anything right now, making supplies hard to find. 😔

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

It’s a rough time, but I think we will get through it. I hope you get yourself a flintlock, you won’t regret it

[@JJ-qy8xu]

What is the lenth of pull and can this be adjusted?

[@mrdinme.4768]

Looking good, coming right on along! Some nice curl in that stock, going to stain, or do the aqua fortiss on that? When it comes time that is.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

I’m thinking about doing a faux striping on it like some of the originals had, will need to figure out how to keep the stock light so the lines show, what do you think?

[@mrdinme.4768]

@@ILoveMuzzleloading yes, I have heard that some of those actually had painted on stripes? Hmm, I might refer to a video you did on Kibler builds, it had a nice short demo on stains, shades, for stock finishing? I have only used Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil on my stocks. IF I could get a nicer “kit”, Kibler, Chambers, TVM, etc I might be tempted to try that aqua fortis?(I’d research it again). Nice carding brush, lol

[@1boortzfan]

You're doing a great job on your videos but you might want to be more specific as to what rasp or file you're using. You have a very well stocked shop and it's somewhat confusing to those of us who don't have quite as many tools as you do. I can't wait to see this Hawken up and running.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Thank you Rusty, I’ve been filming more this weekend and I tried to name every tool as I used it

[@terrysmiff8469]

Use chalk on your file, and file card.

[@BillRaby]

That filing looks tedious. Time for you to send lots of money to Liogier. Your kitty cat looks bored.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Yeah the kitty would like me to sit and pet him.