Liquid Alox

For anyone out there that is new to reloading, or at least new to casting bullets:

Liquid Alox is an awesome cast bullet lube. I use about a half tablespoon per 200 bullets, and it's overkill, truthfully. You could get by with less.

Plop some in a sandwich bag with about 200 bullets, seal the bag, and knead the bag for 3 or 4 minutes. Pour the bullets out onto a clean surface that you can throw away (I use whatever is handy: wax paper, aluminum foil,  paper plates) and let dry for 24 hours.

It covers everything in a nice coating that STAYS PUT, especially once dry. Even before it dries, the natural lubricity repels water, and it sticks so well that it took 4 washings to get it all off my hands, even using Dawn dish soap.

So, just saying, if you are looking for a good cast bullet lube, don't overlook liquid Alox. It's sold by several companies for reasonable prices, and it works like nothing else for cast lead bullets.

Actually finished

I've been on vacation for the past week at the Happiest Place On Earth. The Star Wars section of Hollywood Studios was pretty amazing. The family had a great time, and I managed to walk 34 miles in 3 days. I'm slap worn out, but I had a blast.

Anyway, I hit back home yesterday, and I got around to finishing my dad's fast-draw rig. I think it turned out great!

Practically Finished

I say practically, because I need to burnish the edges of the knife sheath and the roping cuffs. And I need to emboss the family brand in the cuffs and sheath. And I need to add snaps to the wrists of the roping cuffs.

But the hard work is done.

The knife is one I forged from a lawnmower blade in 2009. It's a "boucheron", which is French for "butcher knife". They were very popular amongst the French in the 1700s, but the design is one that looks as if it could have been crafted by any Louisiana boy who knew his way around a forge from the 1700s up to today. Probably because it was! Lol. Actually I can't take all the credit for the forging. My blacksmithing Mentor, a French-Canadian named Marquito walked me through the whole process, and actually did most of the rough forging.

I branded the handle of the knife with a bent paperclip back in 2009, and it's holding up well.

I hope this setup will serve my Pawpaw well.

Slim Jim Progress

Pawpaw's Slim Jim rig is coming right along. I finished up the sewing, and installed a toe-plug.

It looks pretty nice, and all the edges are burnished.

I'm also working on a matching set of roping cuffs and a knife sheath for the rig. Hell, I figure if your son is a Leatherworker, you should have a matching leather setup for your single-action, amirite?

Also, all of the leather is actually the same color. Lighting and moisture really make a difference in how things look.

Slim Jim

Working on a Slim Jim rig for PawPaw. First, there's tooling.

Then there's dyeing.

This is right after dyeing. It's going to lighten up considerably. After it does, I will apply anot her stain that will darken it back to about this color, and will highlight the tooling.

There's still a lot of work to do, but I'm liking the results.

Rifle musings

So I've been thinking about my gun situation, and this year I want to get more deliberate about my gun acquisition process. One of the things I've been really wanting is a good multi-purpose bolt rifle. Now, the scout rifle concept is really where I think the crossroads of functionality come together for a all-around rifle.

My total wants are:
-medium to heavy barrel profile
-easily acquired sighting through a scope
-back up iron sights
-threaded barrel
-.308 chambering
-detachable box magazine
-short barrel

Now, I have a .308 bolt gun, but it is definitely a bench gun. It weighs in North of 9 pounds, if I had to guess offhand. It's not practical for stalking game. Nor is it practical for patrolling. But it will shoot tiny groups, which is what I wanted when I got it.

But truthfully, it's not really what I want now.

So I could buy a scout rifle, like the Savage Scout, or the Ruger Gunsite, in left hand....

And I would spend a mint.

I've been thinking of taking the target stock off my Savage 110. Taking it to a competent gunsmith, and getting the barrel cut to 18 inches and threaded. Putting a XS Clifton scout scope mount on it. Having the Smith install a weaver peep and a front sight blade on it. Attaching a long-eye relief scope on quick-detach mounts...

I'm not sure if it would save much money over just buying a deer rifle and calling it good, but I wonder if I would be happier with the result than having 2 rifles, one for "target" shooting and one for hunting. I feel like I would be happier with one rifle that was decent at both tasks.

What say you internet? I'm definitely interested in ya'lls opinion.

2 Hairy Beasts Visited

... and brought Murphy's Law! 

Seriously though it was awesome to have him stop by and hang out. We aren't exactly Neighbors, but we live about an hour apart.

He was fun, and our B.S. ranged from politics, to guns, to food, to dogs, to vet care.

By the way, Belle and Murphy were awesome house guests. My wife loved hanging out and petting those two.

Of course, when the pork came off the smoker, we were too busy eating for me to remember to get a picture, but trust me, it looked just fine!

Anyway, I had a great time last night, and I'm looking forward to doing it again soon, Murphy' Law!

Cane River Stuffed Pork

It occurs to me that I haven't done a food post in a while. Today, we learn how to make Cane River Stuffed Pork.

We start by finely chopping an onion, then mincing a head of garlic cloves. Dump these in a bowl.

Next, add garlic salt (maybe 2 tsp), black pepper (again, maybe 2 tsp), and a bunch of Worcestershire sauce (maybe a quarter cup). Mix that up.

Take a pork butt (that you hopefully found on sale)...

And cut a 1 inch grid into the fat-side. This grid catches the onion mix.

Using a sharp knife, cut a bunch of holes in that pork butt.

Stuff the holes with the mix you made.

Put the whole thing in a pan, and pour the leftover onion mix on the top. Sprinkle the top of the pork with more garlic salt and pepper.

Throw that bad-boy in your smoker, using oak, hickory, pecan, or mesquite. Let it bump of about 8 hours at around 300 degrees.

If I remember, I will post "done" pics.

Single-Six

One of the secretaries at work came to me the other day, and said she heard I did Leatherworking. I told her that I do, and she said, "here, let me call my husband". I spoke with him on the phone, and he explained what he wanted.

He has a Ruger Single-Six, that was his daddy's, before his dad passed away. It was left to him. He remembers shooting it as a kid, and always thinking of it as "daddy's cowboy gun"

"I know it's kinda silly, but I always wanted a western holster for it. One like in the old movies".

"That's not weird at all. You want to scratch a nostalgia itch, and honor your father's memory. Tell me what this rig looks like."

He wanted it dark brown, with a little bit of border stamping. Nothing too fancy. A wide belt, to wear low around the hips. And the holster needed a tie-down, to go around your leg. He was adamant about that.

I got my secretary to bring me the gun, and the measurement of her husband's hips the next day.

I have about 10 hours in this, and I think it's a fair product for the $250 we agreed upon.

He hasn't seen it yet. I still need to burnish the edges, and oil it, after I give it a day or two to let the dye dry.

But I'm betting he'll like it. I hope he catches a bit of that boy he was, walking next to daddy, every time he straps it on and heads into the woods.

Missive from the front

I have been rather remiss in my blogging lately. All I can claim is we are exceptionally busy around here.

The Boy-o went to see his Florida kin for spring break. Since he has been back, we've been working on a new batch of birdhouses. They sell like hotcakes, and he re-invested in lumber before spending his profit. I'm proud.

My leather business has taken off. Belts, man. Everybody wants a belt. I'm not complaining. They are relatively easy to make, and everyone (myself included) seems pleased with the prices. I actually have 2 orders to finish this week. And another order for a matching belt and holster that I told the purchaser I can't start on till next week.

I'm happy I am turning a little profit at this. After I get out all the stuff everyone ordered, I will have bought several tools I've been wanting to make Leatherworking easier, and I will have put back seed money to buy my next hide, for when I run out of the leather I have.

From that point forward, it's straight profit, and I can finally start socking back some cash for a rainy day!

So yeah, no news is good news! I'm just busy as hell!

Hope the blog world is getting by without me okay! Hopefully I'll have something worthwhile to post soon.