Longthorne Gunmakers

I recall reading a long time ago that one of the tests to see if you could work at Holland and Holland was they give you a hunk of metal and a file and ask you to make a perfect one inch cube.
 
antelopedundee said:
I recall reading a long time ago that one of the tests to see if you could work at Holland and Holland was they give you a hunk of metal and a file and ask you to make a perfect one inch cube.
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I did something similar to that in gunsmithing School. One of my instructors was Ferlach trained and he explained as how they had to make a ring on a stick and then file a round ball like a ball bearing such that if you froze the ring on the stick and drop the ball on it would not go through. Then you could play catch with the ball using the ring and it would not go through. Upon warming up to room temperature or with body temperature application the ball would fall through the ring. I hand filed a lot of parts, and filed some parallels to his measurement specs, but did not ever do the ball and ring using only hand tools
 
I've been around and shot a few expensive and great ones

alinwa said:
WOW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKg3GDUuuVE

I suck at shottyguns.

I've never owned a good one.

These guns make me want to take up shotgunning! :)

Barrels/blocks/lumps/ribs machined from billet, just

Wow
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but have never owned a real good one. I owned a Parker Reproduction for a few years, 28 ga Sk1 and Sk2. Wonderful little shotgun and if I still had a bird dog and or got invited more to go upland shooting, I might spend the nursing homes money for another. This isn't in the same class as a real good shotgun however. Great shotguns are Art.
 
antelopedundee said:
I recall reading a long time ago that one of the tests to see if you could work at Holland and Holland was they give you a hunk of metal and a file and ask you to make a perfect one inch cube.
Click to expand...

Lol! That was about 6 weeks of my first machine shop class. The instructor would tell me it wasn't square when I knew it was...because I did it on a surface grinder while he was out of the classroom! Lol!! I hid it by going back over it with sandpaper on a file but he caught on after a while. Lol!
 
As an apprentice Toolmaker I had to make a pair of V-blocks that matched all with hand tools. The USMC 2112 Gunsmith school at Quantico makes you file a 1.00" cube, depending on your attitude you might get a piece of 4140PH or 12L14.
 
Connecticut Shotgun makes some VERY nice shotguns right here in the USA.

Order yours today!

I have a RBL-20 Reserve Edition Round Action Game Gun with 4X wood upgrade. Wack a few birds with it every year.

It is amazing what they do with hand tools.

My fitter (Dale Tate) is Purdey & Purdey trained. It is amazing what he can do with very few tools. He doesn't even have a drill press in his shop! He will not let me watch him bend a stock. Something like: wrap a rope around it, then a oil soaked rag and set it on fire!!! Bend and twist in his bare hands, using eyecrometer.

True art.
 
One of the details often omitted is the correct fitting of the gun to the shooter.
It can involve bending stocks to put your head (and eyes) in the correct position.

You need to be able to mount the gun to your shoulder and immediately see along
the length of the barrel with one eye for aiming.

The first adjustment is usually stock length of of pull.
 
MilGunsmith said:
As an apprentice Toolmaker I had to make a pair of V-blocks that matched all with hand tools. The USMC 2112 Gunsmith school at Quantico makes you file a 1.00" cube, depending on your attitude you might get a piece of 4140PH or 12L14.
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Tell us what the master said if you dragged the file backwards.:)
 
CharlieH said:
Tell us what the master said if you dragged the file backwards.:)
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LOL!!!

I know what MY Master, Herr Franz Achleithner, husband of renowned engraver Emma Achleithner said....

!@#$%^&!!

but it was all in German, and not directed at me so I just looked on, smiled and nodded politely as I carded my file like a gut' liddel bub'chen.....
 
File Cards

I'm not sure everyone knows what a file card is and that's ok. I still have mine from the shipyard and use it on a regular basis.

On one occasion a grandson, not having anything else was using a file and had a lot of material to remove. I told him the job would be easier and faster if he only applied a little pressure on the forward stroke. He is an engineer and has an IQ light years beyond mine but didn't know something pretty basic. He knows now, and I want to thank him for fixing my computer.

Mort
 
dmort said:
I'm not sure everyone knows what a file card is and that's ok. I still have mine from the shipyard and use it on a regular basis.

On one occasion a grandson, not having anything else was using a file and had a lot of material to remove. I told him the job would be easier and faster if he only applied a little pressure on the forward stroke. He is an engineer and has an IQ light years beyond mine but didn't know something pretty basic. He knows now, and I want to thank him for fixing my computer.

Mort
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I have dozens of them..... and chalk, and wax. One of the handiest things for carding files is a bronze toothbrush

My files don't touch each other nor are they allowed to rust

My kids don't use them without permission and they learn first day that files and reamers and saws are one-way instruments. Two of my boys have engineering degrees and they're both known for being noticed by superiors and promoted too quickly through the ranks.

IMO it all goes back to basic child rearing 101, teaching kids that you must be proficient with a shovel before we put you on the excavator :)

And you must UNDERSTAND hand tools before you get on the lathe or mill.

Now, you wanna' talk about esoteric filing techniques...... let's have a show of hand for those who've draw-filed a barrel.......
 
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