Gunsmithing Walnut stock blanks?
- Thread starter HSNARC
- Start date
It looks pretty straight grained. Would be easier to work, but not a spectacular looking stock when finished. Most interesting bit to me is the crotch wood down on the lower right. From my perspective it would come down to it's value to you as a project. The slab is probably worth as much as a nice figured blank. But if that's a piece of wood out of the back yard, or just sentimental to you as something you milled/made then it's hard to put a value on that.
I would say absolutely yes. One on the right, one on the left (buttstock up), if you have enough room. Unless you need the wood for something else. Like making yourself a piece of furniture.
That said, for yourself yes, for someone else to sell to, you might be hard pressed. But, it looks like nice walnut.
That said, for yourself yes, for someone else to sell to, you might be hard pressed. But, it looks like nice walnut.
When you see figured blanks online selling for 600-1500$ is that because their pieces of wood are dried to correct moisture content and basically have no risk of checking and cracking after you buy? Is it because of the orientation of the figure in relation to stock orientation?
I guess what I’m asking is how do the blank sellers online command such a high price? I have a small business selling live edge slabs for tables and other furniture. I end up cutting a lot of highly figured wood that would make beautiful gun wood but what steps do you have to take to get to that level?
I guess what I’m asking is how do the blank sellers online command such a high price? I have a small business selling live edge slabs for tables and other furniture. I end up cutting a lot of highly figured wood that would make beautiful gun wood but what steps do you have to take to get to that level?
Look up Watts walnut. Call Mr. Watts. He knows as much about the subject as anyone I know.
Robert is quite “direct” so don’t call if your faint of heart.
He will give you good information.
BTW, very few if any American walnut blanks bring 600.00.
Robert is quite “direct” so don’t call if your faint of heart.
He will give you good information.
BTW, very few if any American walnut blanks bring 600.00.
Yeah after I typed that I realized those may have been prices for Turkish and Claro or some type of hybrid grown in the us.
inspiration. I think you could get one exceptionally nice blank or two good ones out of that piece.
There is a big stump about 1000 yards from my house of walnut. I need to go and dig it out one of these days.
It depends on where you are and how long you wait before you get it out of the ground. We had a walnut stump pulled out of the ground out in Nevada that turned out to be rotten inside. Probably would have made some nice stocks, but all it got to do was make some grips out of what was left. The family brought out walnuts and planted them when they moved out from MN at the turn of the last century.
I dug up a stump in Minnesota with a friend that was awesome. Not very large so he didn't get much in the way of stocks. I moved away before I could get a stock from him as it had to sit and cure for a few years. No biggie, we drank a lot of beer in the meantime. There are tons of walnut trees in S. Minnesota. I don't know why, but it's said you shouldn't use MN wanut for furniture. Freezes and cracks maybe?
I'm in NE Oklahoma and the walnut trees are GONE all logged. It's a shame. 3 trees in my parents yard and they produce huge walnuts with great flavor. I've going to plant some soon.
I asked the same question when I was shopping for a stock blank. The answer I received from the company selling the blanks was that many times in the blanks will crack when tryingI asked the same question when I was shopping for a stock blank. The answer I received from the company selling the blanks was that many times in the blanks will crack when drying. The stock blanks that command high prices have already been dried and should not be subject to much change anymore through the drying process due to age and storage. Apparently it may take many blanks to get one that makes it all the way to maturity without being damaged or cracked. Full disclaimer, I am not much of a wood working guy myself but that is what the blank dealer told me.
In reference to your original post, I would definitely make a rifle blank or two with the crotch wood of that log. It looks nice.
-TH
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