quote="B.L. Hall"]
EDIT to add....
Please do not try this unless you are 100% sure you can do it.
Not 99% but a 100% or you will probably screw up a good gun.
Noted and perfectly understandable. But how about a brief tutorial on how you do it. I'd practice before I ever got near a gun, and even so I don't think I would ever try anything so elaborate. just some little scallops around the gripframe would be very cool... could you give some guidance to those of us who might want to try?
thanks!
Bruce [/quote]
OK ya all, this is how I started. It took me years to get this point.
First get you some good files, I started with a chain saw file. Now days there are a lot of good files made. I will not say what I use now, why? Because this is were you will need to start, by practicing. And that will give you a chance to figure out what works for you. When I started filing, I started on old pocket knives. The kind you would find at a garage sale for $5 - $10 dollars. I would get them file them up all the way and sale them for $50 each. Than buy some more and do it again. When you can cut them up perfectly every time. You can start on a gun. I also started to make knives back in these days, and was doing file work on them. All fixed blade knives at that time.
OK - So when I started to do the guns, I just did the bottom of the grip first. Than I progressed on up the handle, and this was over a period of time. Was still doing knives a lot. Than finally I got the nerve to do the barrel, and my first one I only went around it half way. ( First pistol pictured) I was not real sure even than I could do it, didn't know how to start it and keep every thing even? But I gave it a try, taking my time. Well you can see the results above.
When you do get to guns in your filing adventure, note they will have to be taken apart. One day a few years back, a friend was in my shop when I was starting on a new pistol. Yes brand new out of the box, never shot once. Well I'm breaking it down, and get to the barrel. I put it in my vice, to break it loose. Nothing around it for protection and it starts to slip in the vice. Scarring up the barrel and leaving burs on it. We both just laughed at this, knowing what was to come of it. Normally this would have ruined the gun.
As I mentioned in the post, that I had the rifle apart a year and a half to do it. You had better be sure you can put it back together. A guy that found out about the Puma I did, had one that he had took apart. He could not get it back together. Calls me an ask if I would help him out? I said OK bring it to me. He brings me the rifle and I put it back together for him. It worked fine and he was just tickled pink about it, couldn't thank me enough.
If you have problems with the file work - can't do it, finish it. DO NOT CALL ME!
If you take a gun apart and can NOT put it back together. DO NOT CALL ME!
Not trying to be rude, I just do not need everyones problems.
So remember you have been warned. DO NOT CALL ME!
One last thing - good luck too all of you that try it.
File work is very hard to do. Your finger will be very sore.
If you get to the guns, you will have a dent in the end of your finger from pushing the file.
And be ready to put in a lot of time to do it. Practice - Practice - Practice
Take care.
Todd Davison
