Students practiced carving on some extra stocks before they begin cutting on their Kibler Longrifles stocks early Monday morning. These students aren’t opting for a fully carved gun and are looking to add some simple accent carving around the forearm, locks, and breech area of their rifles to give them a personal touch.

With two of the southern mountain rifle kits ready to stain, Mike Brooks took some time to engrave the names of each builder into the top of the barrel, as is traditionally done with longrifles. 

These students are now experimenting with metal finish as they use two different browning techniques while their stocks soak up more tung oil. One is using Track of the Wolf’s “Tride and True”, and the other is using “Laurel Mountain Forge’s” Barrel brown and degreaser, available at Brownell’s. Each recquire a different method of finish, with “Tride and true” requiring a few more coats. As of writing the coloring is coming together, but most of the magic will happen overnight.

Students building the Colonial Kit are adding a finish to their brass hardware and penciling out the carving for their stocks. One student has opted to age his brass a bit with brass black to give it a muted, antique finish.  

One student, assembling the colonial kit, is focusing more on the finishing and carving of his stock. This is the 3rd or 4th rifle he's built but hasn't been happy with carving before. After practicing yesterday and this morning, he's moved onto his final stock and it's coming along nicely! 

We're at the halfway point of the class and Wayne brought out some of his favorite cookies to boost morale as we head into the 2nd half.