Thanks, Steven Dodd Hughes-

I'm grateful for not only the signed copy of your book, but also the information you've shared.

I'm sorry I missed you at Reno.

Anyway, as a photographer I've long been criticised for my "artsy" photographs.

Chiaschuro.

I've shined it on, but I can now see the need for even, controlled lighting.

On detail shots.

Because I'm working on a couple of traditional Mauser stock patterns, and am grateful for the well-lit illustrations in your book.

I spoke with a couple of exhibitors at Reno, and noticed the knife-edge of the comb nose on their stocks.

I want to emulate this.

I also noticed the shape of their pancake cheekpieces, and the almost non-existent shadow lines.

On my previous projects, I've used sandpaper on a radiused hard felt pad to shape the indent of the cheekpiece.

I believe this may work to shape the bottom shadow line, but the top shadow line looks like it was made with a checkering tool.

It's that narrow.

How is this done?

I also noticed that with a pancake cheekpiece, no flute on the cheekpiece side.

And probably no sharp flute on the thumb side, as seems so popular now, but rather a generous amorphous inletting to make room for the thumb.

(I believe I spoke with Lee Helgeland about this, but memory fails. I should have been making notes.)

Right now I'd give my left testicle for some detail shots of Mauser schnabels.

Idared and GrandView were kind enough to refer me to a Fajen European Special pattern, but the one I ended up with was kind of rough.

Thanks,

flaco

As luck would have it, I passed on a pile of great books Dietrich Apel had at the show.

How silly was that?

I always think, well, this book would be half of a Dakota safety, or one and a half Gentry barrel band swivels, or something along those lines.

Funny thinking, huh, for an author?

In terms of practicality, I should have got the Speed Mauser book, and in terms of fun, the Argentine Mauser book, which also comes highly recommended.

flaco