mini firearms and silver etc.

[nid_dabeille]

Miniatures!  I haven't posted any in ages, but I've still been collecting and making.  In today's showcase, my current pièce de resistance is a Baker rifle for a certain special sharpiefan , a late birthday and I-appreciate-all-that-you-do and you-should-really-get-into-miniatures present, which she will be receiving soon!  Also, a flintlock pistol, sextant, yet another bottle, another bone saw and forceps, a silver coffee pot and silver cutlery set.

  

These are all things that I bought.  I didn't make them from scratch!  I just adapted some of them after taking these first pictures.



Here are the rifle and pistol before I started messing with them.  You know by now that I simply can't leave things alone, but I have to adapt and shape and change and paint them.  The rifle is actually a Kentucky long rifle, so it took some adaptation to turn it into a Baker rifle.

Before:




After:




What I did to the rifle:
shortened the barrel
sanded off and flattened the butt
sanded off and changed the patch box on the butt
painted the side plate and butt plate brass
painted the stock a darker brown. 

For the pistol, I just painted the stock darker brown and painted the side plate brass.  (I hope I'm giving everything the correct name.  I don't know much about firearms at all, though I know more than I did before!)





I'm so pleased!


Tiny pistol!  And for the sextant, I just sanded and painted it a bit.


Also bought a new silver coffee pot from Warwick Miniatures.  (Pewter, not real silver.)  I love it!




And some cutlery, also from Warwick Miniatures.  It was a bit chunky though, so I got out my emery board and sandpaper and filed it down to be more delicate.  The one on the left is after I'd filed and shaped it.  The one on the right is untouched.


Another comparison.


And here's a whole set.


They are TINY.  It's hard to work on them, and hard to get the sandpaper in between those fork tines.  But I can't help being a perfectionist.  My mini Jack and Stephen will not dine with clunky cutlery.


linked at doll_houses  and little_world .

Comments

[sharpiefan.livejournal.com]

Wow. Just... wow. That is a Baker rifle. That's an incredible job you've done there. Absolutely amazing.

*speechless*

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm so so so glad you like it! *hugs you*

[latin-cat.livejournal.com]

Oh, very pretty indeed! I wonder how you have the patience to do these sorts of things (especially looking at the Baker lock).

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Well I didn't make the lock - it was already like that. I bought the Kentucky long rifle and it was already a flintlock. I can't take credit for that at all.

[latin-cat.livejournal.com]

But you were able to touch it up though, and the brass plate on the back...

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Oh, well yes I did do that. :D It wasn't difficult, just slow.

[elizabathory.livejournal.com]

Wowser girl! Go hard or go home is definitely your motto...

*unabashed awe*

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Really, I didn't do much...! *blush*

[ozfille]

My dear you are such a perfectionist. I couldn't do any of the things you have done even when my hands were not like they are now with the arthritis affecting some of the fine movements.I just wouldn't have the patience. I truly admire your dedication. Of course Jack and Stephen should dine with fine cutlery.*g*

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Aww, thank you. Yes, I am a perfectionist (about some things), but it's not really a dedication to admire. It's more like OCD, really! A compulsion I was born with! I can't take much credit for that. :D But still, thank you!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Hooray, more miniatures from you! I was just thinking the other day it'd been a while since I'd seen any. Looking at the "before" pics of the firearms I couldn't see what needed changing, but they look so much more realistic after! And filing down the silverware makes a world of difference.

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Well the firearms did already look pretty fabulous when I got them. I just didn't like the light brown color, and the rifle just wasn't a Baker rifle. I wanted to find or make a Baker rifle specifically.

[esteven]

Huzzah for your miniatures! I love the cutlery, esp the tiny fork when you were done with it.
:D

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was pleased with how they turned out. I still haven't finished the other sets. There are four place settings of cutlery, and I've only done two. Phew...! Maybe Jack and Stephen just won't invite any guests for a while.

[tootsiemuppet.livejournal.com]

Wow, that rifle absolutely blew me away. *bows before you*

Here, have an awesomecake.

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Awesomecake is my favorite!!! *eats it all*

Thank you!

[rosinarowantree.livejournal.com]

That is something special. I don't know what comes higher than awe, but you can have some of it. I love the rifle, but the work involved in improving the fork impresses me as ... Well.

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much!

[agentxpndble.livejournal.com]

Squee! So, so AWESOME! I *totally* covet the coffee pot... :::turnsgreen:::

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Thanks! You can get one at Warwick Miniatures! But it'll be too small for your people, alas. Still, 1:6 can't have ALL the fun. (I'm forever being jealous of 1:6 things I see, wishing they were my size or I was there size. "Me" being 1:12, that is, not real me being 1:1.)

Unless you want to add some children to your scene and make them have toy-sized fabulous coffee pots. In my regular dollhouse, I have a 1/2" scale (1:24) cradle which serves as a doll cradle in the girl's room.

[kindstar.livejournal.com]

Your patience and efforts in customizing is phenominal. But then, it simply seems to go with your great attention to detail, such as with your rooms. You're so good to Jack and Stephen!

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's just what I love doing, so... :D (And I love Jack and Stephen. They bring me much joy, so it's only fair I should try to return the favor.)

[elwenlj.livejournal.com]

I love the way you always take the sharpness of stuff to give it a more "used" look. And I don't envy you sanding fork tines!

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Well I don't like things looking so manufactured or new. And it's an easy thing to do, sanding! :D And having edges too sharp makes them just look... like miniatures. I want them to look like the real thing, shrunken.

[rum-inspector.livejournal.com]

Amazing!

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Thanks!