Thank you to each and all of you for your kind words. I have several PMs to respond to and will as soon as I get home, but am away from home just now.
The most frustrating thing in making theses boxes is the lack of affordable quality hardware. There are lots of hasps, hinges and handles out there but they are either too tacky, too cheap, or too expensive. The handmade stand-up hinges by Wendy Dyson are, in my old school way of thinking, something that someone will look to as 'lost skill' pretty soon. The quality replacement, made in America is the Brusso, at $54 a pair. Frustrating!
The issue about handles may, in fact be a non-issue, because two well respected, long time gun dealers have remarked that these boxes really aren't as much for transport, as they are for displaying your favorite gun.
I haven't made one of these for any of my hammer-less guns, (yet) as it seems to me they are more period correct for hammer guns.
George, You needn't worry about me giving away that damascus oil bottle. I know have a whole mess of pewter ones.
What is the general consensus of snap caps, oil bottles and the odd screw driver in American hammer gun boxes? It was commonplace in British and Continental gun cases, but I am not sure it was something American gun makers subscribed to.
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