Description
Craft and Practice vol.1: In this booklet, Kit deals with reconversions of old guns starting with the locks, and buying the parts or hand-tooling them. Kit’s craftsmanship is evident as he discusses in detail, working pans, frizzens, flint cocks and finishing touches of restoring and tuning old locks, The booklet goes on to describe fitting mainsprings and completing the lock assembly. 28 pages.
Craft and Practice vol. 2: The 2nd of the Craft and Practices manuals addresses bench techniques and is divided onto two sections. The first deals with WOOD and the second with METAL. The wood section has information on jigs, dies and other supporting devices – while the metal section deals with entry pipes, butt plates, trigger guards, nose caps and pommels made from sheet metal. 36 pages.
Kit Bits: Certainly the most fun of all Kit’s booklets on Gunsmithing, the reader will get incites into the personality and the sense of humor of one of the gun maker’s trade most talented craftsmen. Packed with personal information on the trade and “miscellania”, KIT BITS even has a humorous recipe for Gunmaker’s Chowder. This manual contains an index of all 9 of the Handbooks. 30 pages.
Metal Work vol. 1: This manual covers CLEANING & POLISHING, HARDENING & ANNEALING, AGEING AND COLORING of all the metallic and even wood portions of guns. It includes chemical treatments, blueing and even recommends specific materials and formulas. The really depicts Kit’s years of experience on the subject. Some of Kit’s handwritten notes are included. 22 pages.
Metal Work vol. 2: This Manual deals with cleaning and disassembly of old guns, including such “simple” procedures of removing old rusted screws. Kit delves into hard soldering, brazing and welding. Such is Kit’s expertise, that he mentions that his system of brazing has been used for over 200 years. This Manual also deals with castings using the lost-wax method and using castings which have been DIRECTLY copied from original parts, giving the gun an authentic look. Finally, this Manual deals with flint and percussion locks for guns. 28 pages.
Simplified V Springs: Kit outlines some procedures for forming springs by heating-and-bending (forging) and welding pieces of flat rolled medium-carbon strips. Then Kit sets out his simplified method of hardening and tempering the spring. “….this is a HEAT TREATMENT”, explains Kit, “but these words make it sound so ‘non simple’, as if you had to wear a white lab coat to accomplish the job. 18 pages.
Tubes and Tools: This manual, as the name suggests, deals with gun barrels. The instructions range from preparing the barrel to fitting the loops, lugs or staples to attaching under-ribs and fitting the gun sights. There is information about barrel straightening and lengthening. There is a discussion about bores, rifled and smooth. Finally, Kit speaks about: electric power equipment; heating, torches and forging and hand tools. The final craftsman’s manual before KIT BITS. 28 pages.
Woodwork vol. 1: The purpose of this booklet is not to teach the entire trade of woodworking but rather to pass on some simplified techniques involved in gun-stocking. It explains the essential tools and work area necessary to accomplish the task and simple machinery which is required to create a gun stock. Kit explains, “You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment and tools to build a gun and machinery is not essential. In fact, until or unless you set up in a full time business it is quite unnecessary”. 24 pages.
Woodwork vol. 2: Part 1 of the Woodwork Manual explained some of the steps in making a gunstock, setting up parts and the final shaping. In Part 2, Kit covers some aspects of the decoration of the completed gunstock and some suggestions for stains and finishes. The manual also covers repairs and restorations of stocks of guns in use and old gunstocks, including glues and gluing techniques. 28 pages
