The Bland is done. I’m really pleased with it. It’s a gun from around 1920 and it’s finely made but simpy decorated. It’s actually really nice to handle and I’m going to do some (ahem) walked up shooting this weekend with it. In the restored case with original label it looks just fine. It’s...
I’ve been refinishing the stocks for both of these sidelocks. Coming along nicely. I’m trying a new format of 6-7 coats of London gunstock finish, first slurried, then finishing with 10 coats of very fine french polish…the last phase will be to dull them down for a fab satin finish.
Sounds brutal doesn’t it? Well actually the use of glass bead blasting is quite new to me. But the results are truly brilliant. The thing about glass beads is that they are very mild in what they do, rather than sand that will strip anything quickly, in that it’s a perfect media for taking...
It’s time for the Bland to get the case colour hardening treatment. I’m trying something new here after talking to Doug and Chris about some of the things to try. I’ve encased the whole action with attached sideplates in some very expensive (rip off Britain) stainless steel foil. I’ve then made sure that none...
I’d forgotten that there was an ugly “filler” based fix on the bottom of the stock of this gun. I just had to go about doing this properly with a couple of walnut fillets. I decided to do this in two pieces to make it stronger. Here’s the first piece glued in and sanded...
It’s always a scary prospect heating metal to 820 degree for an hour then letting it cool slowly. Anyway, Thomas Bland came out fine and it’s soft and ready for the clean up before the Colour Case Hardening can begin. Here are some photos taken early this morning before breakfast of the parts just...
Thomas Bland sidelock from around 1920. I say “around” because the serial numbers are ganular to about a year. So, it’s at the start of the “heyday” of shotgun making in England. Thomas Bland was quite respected and made some pretty good guns, London too. I’ve known about this gun for a few months...
