Gun stock war club question

J

Jay Mulcahy

Joined
Jun 13, 2004
Messages
164
I've been thinking of making a gun stock war club, thought it might be a cool project for the winter. I've seen some pictures on the net, but never saw one in person. Does anyone know the rough dimensions of one, and or what size plank I need to get to make one? Thanks.
 
Originals are generally in the 24-32" x around 1-1.5" thick x up to 8" wide - the one in the Last of the Mohicans movie was made deliberately oversize (about 33%), although there are some pictured by G Catlin approaching that size

Some examples:
two by me - both maple stocks.............
cr19-004.jpg

cr19-003.jpg

same one all gussied up western style........
cr19-006.jpg


another westernized one...........
cr56-0059.jpg



some originals........
The one that inspired those above - it's 27" long - you can scale from there...
gswarclub-002.jpg

others...........
gswarclub-003.jpg


warclub-1.jpg

These descriptions referto those in the above image.......
warclub-2.jpg


John Baldwin has a book, "Indian Warclubs" (available from www.crazycrow.com item # 4153-004-255) - not cheap but worth it
 
Daniel Day-Lewis version of "The Last of the Mohicans" shows one in use .You can get an idea from that. From what I understand great care was taken in that movie to have very authentic weapons and clothing.
 
From what I understand great care was taken in that movie to have very authentic weapons and clothing.
Click to expand...

Well up to a point - the rifle carried by Daniel Day Lewis was built using the techniques and methods of the period, but it is not a recreation of any known style produced during the F & I War period - it's more the directors "idea" of what the hero would/should have carried. As noted above the warclub (based on an original) was built about 1/3 larger for "screen prescence".
While a highly enjoyable movie it is does have "historical correctness" problems, even though they called in world renowned historian Mark Baker (and others) to act as consultants - Hollywood won out in the long run.
 
Good stuff Chuck! I never tire of looking at the real-deal or your exquisit work either. As you say Hollywood wins out as that's where the bucks are. Still a great watch though.
I've made a couple myself, but nothing of your calibre. Thanks for sharing.
Carl Rex
 
Chuck, thanks for the information and for sharing some pictures (they're worth a thousand words right?). As usual your artistry is amazing!
 
I was actually thinking about using wrought iron, but damascus would look awaesome! Have to get together and get forging after I find a good plank for the stock.
 
Jay... I have been thinking of doing one myself. A friend in Kentucky has one hanging on his wall as well as an authentic osage bow and deerskin quiver.
I was planning on getting a stock from Track of the Wolf that would be accurate to the time frame. If you visit their website you will find many different styles meant for kit guns.

Jim Ziegler
 
Wild Rose said:
Originals are generally in the 24-32" x around 1-1.5" thick x up to 8" wide - the one in the Last of the Mohicans movie was made deliberately oversize (about 33%), although there are some pictured by G Catlin approaching that size

Some examples:
two by me - both maple stocks.............
cr19-004.jpg

cr19-003.jpg

same one all gussied up western style........
cr19-006.jpg


another westernized one...........
cr56-0059.jpg



some originals........
The one that inspired those above - it's 27" long - you can scale from there...
gswarclub-002.jpg

others...........
gswarclub-003.jpg


warclub-1.jpg

These descriptions referto those in the above image.......
warclub-2.jpg


John Baldwin has a book, "Indian Warclubs" (available from www.crazycrow.com item # 4153-004-255) - not cheap but worth it
Click to expand...

Wow those are beautiful, The maple looks great! excelent work. Ever since I saw last of the mohicians I wanted to make a gunstock war club. I have one question, Do they have to have a blade in them?
 
Jay, GrassHoppa brought over some shear steel, that would look cool too.:D I was go to offer the plank of Osage, but I just measured it and it's not thick enough.
 
Chuck, Those are some fine looking pieces! Funny for some reason I've thought about Gib a few times in the last couple weeks.....
 
Were these things thrown, or used in hand to hand? I keep thinking about an adze, that's angled down slightly due to the arc of the swing. These seem to all use straight "points", so I wonder if every now and then they got thrown. Sure doesn't look like a "one time" weapon though.
 
I was planning on getting a stock from Track of the Wolf that would be accurate to the time frame. If you visit their website you will find many different styles meant for kit guns.
Click to expand...
Jim - sorry to say but a ML gunstock would be WAY to fragile to use as a club Muzzleloading gunstocks with the cutouts for the barrel, ramrod, etc leave very thin wood, which is no way strong enough to act as a club. Lots of old guns in fact show wrist repairs. No existing originals or those pictured from the era were ever made of gunstocks for that reason.
The name came about due to the resemblance to a gunstock NOT because they were made from them.....In fact there is some evidence to at least suggest that clubs were made in this shape even before the Euros showed up on these shores.

I have one question, Do they have to have a blade in them?
Click to expand...
All of the originals I've seen have a blade.

finally thanks for the compliments - don't put food on the table but sure makes one feel good! ;) :D ;)
 
I have never posted pictures on this forum before. If this doesn't work I'll try again after I study a bit more.

Making a Gunstock War Club is a nice diversion from regular work. Karen and I don't do a lot of them, maybe 1 a year or so. Here are a couple of recent clubs we have done.

By the way the first Gunstock club (oak) that the props department made for Russell Means for "Last of the Mohicans" was to heavy for him to swing around like he wanted to so others were made from light weight pine for actual use in the film.

Daniel

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Way to COOOOOOL !!!!!

My only other question would be what size are the blades,regular trade blade size? or does it really matter?

Bruce
 
Howdy Dan - nice to see you here..........as you noted these can get heavy REAL fast.............

Bruce blades ran the gamu of sizes - some were small, 2-3" others like the Osage original above used a trade blade measuring about 8.5" long by 3.5" wide.

Later western types often used 3 blades with a very narrow wooden "stock":
gunstock-2.jpg
 
Glad to see you posting here Daniel. Beautiful stuff from everyone.

I hear you Ray. I think about Gib quite a bit. I wish I had started talking with him sooner off forum.
 
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