Making them look untouched

[Tom Flanigan]

Actually, I don't know of any other artisans that have Brian's insight and skills. My hat is off to him. He is a breath of fresh air.

[Steve Hodges]

A couple of years ago I sent Brian a Parker VH 16 Gauge on a 0 Frame with a stock that was a basket case. Cracked at the wrist with a very poorly fitted replacement over sized butt plate. The finish on the stock was all but gone. When he sent the gun back to me I could not believe my eyes. He had fixed the stock, re-fashioned the butt and installed a perfectly fitting butt-plate, gently re-cut the checkering and put a nice, what i call a "hunter finish" on the stock leaving some marks that were there. The gun looked "right" in every respect.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Tom Flanigan

Actually, I don't know of any other artisans that have Brian's insight and skills. My hat is off to him. He is a breath of fresh air.

Not to detract from the nice work Brian does but you really need to examine more guns worked on by the likes of Brian Board, David Trevallion, “The Stock Doctor”, and of course one of my most favorites, Chris Dawe.

These are just the ones off the top of my mind at the moment - there are others.




.

[Tom Flanigan]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Not to detract from the nice work Brian does but you really need to examine more guns worked on by the likes of Brian Board, David Trevallion, “The Stock Doctor”, and of course one of my most favorites, Chris Dawe.

These are just the ones off the top of my mind at the moment - there are others.




.

There are great one's out there of course other than Brain. Turnbull restores guns to new and probably the others too. Although, I'm sure that they will do "untouched" if you ask them. Brian seems to have an affinity for untouched, which is what I like and admire. Turnbull does great work, but a 100 year old gun restored to new doesn't look right to me. Its a bit out of place in my perspective which is why I would never buy a fully restored gun by anyone. To each his own, but I like guns to look like they were cared for but not brand spanking new.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Tom Flanigan

There are great one's out there of course other than Brain. Turnbull restores guns to new and probably the others too. Although, I'm sure that they will do "untouched" if you ask them. Brian seems to have an affinity for untouched, which is what I like and admire. Turnbull does great work, but a 100 year old gun restored to new doesn't look right to me. Its a bit out of place in my perspective which is why I would never buy a fully restored gun by anyone. To each his own, but I like guns to look like they were cared for but not brand spanking new.

Have you seen any of the ones Dewey has done? I was shown a GH with Damascus barrels and a fishtail lever on a 1 frame that I would swear to this day was a 'used' original that had simply been 'well cared for'..... If I didn't know better. Dewey had "created" this gun from three other GH beaters - barrels from one, buttstock and frame from another and forend and butt plate from a third and I simply could not tell it was a 'put together' gun.





.

[Bill Graham]

Originally Posted by Tom Flanigan

a 100 year old gun restored to new doesn't look right to me. Its a bit out of place in my perspective which is why I would never buy a fully restored gun by anyone. To each his own, but I like guns to look like they were cared for but not brand spanking new.

AMEN

[Setter Man]

Originally Posted by Bill Graham

AMEN

Agreed. To me, the magic in these old guns is in the patina of being used and well cared for, for decades.

JDG