I received a JC Higgins Belgium Mauser .270 back today from Jim Kobe after he installed one of his Model 70-type safeties on the rifle for me. I needed the rifle quickly so I could begin some load development work for it in time for an upcoming African hunt. First of all, he did the work & returned the rifle back to me in less than two weeks. Secondly, his version of the Model 70-type Mauser safety is easily the best version of that safety that I've seen or used. It is extremely smooth, and very easy & positive to work. I've got lots of Mausers with all the various types of safeties on them, and Jim's wins hands down as the best. Thanks, Jim for your help, and for such a good product.

Where is Mr Kobe located ?
...tj3006

Emails work best for me;

Jkob60@msn.com

Thanks Frank, it was my pleasure.

Jim is a good guy and has helped me out immensely, he's very good teaching folks like myself who are interested in learning the trade

I agree completely with the endoresments of Jim...and...Jim: Your safety is appaently a well kept secret...Can you post photo? Thanks Duane

absolutely fine gentleman - send him your bennelli for repair

I believe Don Markey, who posts here, has the best two position conversion around. He goes the extra step and adds a nice filler plug to the rear to help cover the ugly hole and give it a more streamlined or finished look. Let's be clear, these are nothing more than PME or Chapman safeties added to the original shroud. And Don's work is second to none.

quote:

Originally posted by rem721:
Let's be clear, these are nothing more than PME or Chapman safeties added to the original shroud.

Let's be clear, Mr. Kobe's work is excellent & Done ON TIME & the price is exactly what you were Quoted !!

I don't know either of the two gentlemen which seems to be irrelevant . How ever the person having the work done was more than happy with the workmanship as well as the turn rate .
That seems to be in SHORT SUPPLY in that line of business . Judging from all the Negative post I read about 1to a zillion years for projects to be completed !.

So My Hats off the Jim if for no other reason than HIS SERVICE !.

Posting what someone else does or doesn't do seems out of balance in this particular case !.

Regardless of their skills or not .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

The only problem with Kobe is his website, but that is MY FAULT as I was supposed to rebuilt and rehost it last year. I am in short supply of time, sorry Jim.

Mr Weibe

Hope these are OK

Jim has done excellent work for me. We have had other business dealings and he pays very promptly. Rem721 every post you make is jumping on somebody. What is your deal?
Butch

hey fellas make room on the same branch for me to will ya!

I contacted Jim by phone and email for work on a VZ and to install one of his safeties-nice piece of work it is! Among the other requested work all was done in great time and short order.

I would not hesitate either to send him work or another safety.

Good job Jim!

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Jim has done excellent work for me. We have had other business dealings and he pays very promptly. Rem721 every post you make is jumping on somebody. What is your deal?
Butch

Please show me where I jumped on Kobe? I merely stated that Don's safeties were the nicest conversions I've seen. That doesn't mean that you fellas can't be happy with Jims.

So, please point out where I jumped on Kobe.

Look at some of your other posts on different subjects, I have. You are not doing Don a favor by hijacking this thread about Jim. I am not judging Don's product, I just don't believe you handled this right.
Take my advice for whatever you want.
Butch

I have not had any work done by Jim, but have bought and also sold him a few items and he is a first class fellow. Oh ya! he doesn't charge for advice, which I have asked for several times. jimmyd

Having done business with Mr. Kobe on a pre-64 model 70 action, I agree that he is a fine, upstanding gentleman!

Jim Kobe: Nice conversion..I see you go to the trouble of plugging the "hole"...ever figured out a way to make this a 3 position?

Kobe is a grumpy old fart who will drink all your beer given half a chance. You have to hide ALL the women and any god looking canines.

AHH...nothing like an endorsement from a pervert to set the record straight!!!

Duane, I do not plug the hole; I probably should but it would raise the price a bunch. I imagine a three position one could work on the original shroud but it would take a different lever. By the way, I used to use the Chapman levers. they are much inferior to the PM ones. They are not hardened, PM's are color case hardened and the levers are checkered, and the cam area is done so the lever actually "locks" in position when to the rear. For about the same money, the PM lever is far superior.

Duane, Chic and Jim.

What a interesting thread. It is nice to know that people in all walks can appreciate good work.

I think you guys would like the story about this shape of safety lever.

I had been over and spent some time with Herman Waldron in the mid 80"s. Hermans shape of the lever was the best I had ever seen, so I got his permission to somewhat copy it. About this time Al Bieson, called me up and put a bug in my ear, since I was going to make the lever like Hermans. So after about 4 months of drawing, machining some sample parts. Then shipping them off to both Herman and Al to look over and try. I would get them back with some notes and would redo the shape agian. This is the final shape that what come about.

The cam on the lever is such that I have cycled one of these levers 200 times with out any heat treating, just to see how much wear would happen on the surface vs the cocking piece shoulder.

The thanks for the lever shape really needs to go to Al Bieson and Herman Waldron who helped me so much, years ago.

The methods of making the lever has changed greatly since then. Now we machine them three at a time on the CNC mill, then only have the deburring, one small cut and the grooves, tumble and heat treatment.

FYI. Jim Kobe buys about 25% less the amount of levers from me than Brownells does on a yearly average. I know I would get tired of those Mauser sleeves if I had to do that many each year.

Jim Wisner
Custom Metalsmith

quote:

Posted 22 February 2008 10:41 Hide Post
Kobe is a grumpy old fart who will drink all your beer given half a chance. You have to hide ALL the women and any god looking canines. moon