To me it was a labor of love. Both of my wifes grandparents were very special to my wife, myself and to my son. His great grandmother (granny) was in her 80’s and would go out into the yard and she literally would play with my son. She would get into his sandbox that I built for him. They would both play with his Tonka metal construction toys. My wife and I would sit with her grandfather in our screened in porch and watch them play. It was precious to watch them connecting on such a special level. One day I caught her in my backyard teaching my son to do cartweels. A lady out in the yard in her 80’s actually doing cartwheels with her young great grandson. God we all loved those precious grandparents. My wifes grandfather was a medic on D-day in Normandy. He was a quite spoken man, very down to earth and would help anyone even though he didn’t have much to give. We would talk about the war just him and I. One of my MOS in the military was a medic. The greatest generation in the modern history of this country… Absolutely correct they were.
That bowl - something like that you cannot put a price on. Ever.
The Japanese have a belief that all the things around us - both living and not (trees, stones, buildings, mountains) each possess its own sort of “Spirit” - and those items we utilize daily can sort of “absorb” some of our own Spirit, and make us a part of it, as we absorb some of its Spirit into ourselves.
By Keeping, Restoring, or Using something like this bowl - you are Adding some of your own Spirit to it: while absorbing some of that retained Spirit of its previous owner(s).
This direct connection with the Past, is a form of Eternal Life - and Shinto is not particularly incompatible with Christianity - if Jesus had walked amongst the Japanese instead of the Israelites, I am fairly certain Shinto is the Religion he would have used to try and Connect with us all.
(Edited for Syntax)
When I restore or just buy any of my WWI & WWII stuff I do feel a connection to it. I understand where it has been and what it would say if it could tell us of were it had been used and who had used it. I often think of the DNA that is probably ground into the oil soaked parts of a darkened wood grip or handguard. The blood on the captured souvenirs of war that was brought home with the GIs returning from France in WWI and the Pacific Theater and the European Theater in WWII. I have talked at length with many Vets from family members, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the other minor conflicts that our soldiers have been in. I fully understand the things that they have seen and done. It isn’t pretty. Once you seen it you never forget.
I am a very sentimental person so I usually end up with my relatives antique furniture and possessions. My house is full of memories. I have written the history of the items of furniture and either taped them to the backs of the furniture or somewhere inside them. I have also documented the history of my families heirlooms. I also have my ancestry on both sides of my family going back generations.
Most of you guys know that I love history. It really upsets me when history is rewritten to satisfy some political BS. I understand that the accepted version of history is generally written by the victor of the major conflicts in our history. It isn’t always that way when people or cultures keep their own records of their history. I feel like a curator many times preserving parts of our history. It is something that I don’t take lightly but it is a labor of love to me. I fully understand what you are saying about the Japanese. I find the Japanese culture and history fascinating. I have done some reading on their culture. It impress me how reverent they are with about everything. Or I should say the older generations of the Japanese people. I don’t know about the younger generations they tend to act and do crazy stuff.
I have watched their tea ceremony and how intricate and nuanced it is. Something we take so lightly they take very seriously. I know that you have seen it. Another thing that is fascinating to me was how the Samurai would pass down their weapons and armor from generation to generation. I love studying that many of the officers would have their family generational Samurai swords shortened to Army regulations. The old traditional sword fastenings such as the Tsuba, Fuchi, Sepoa and the Habaki would be removed and the military regulation Shin-gunto fitings would be installed. Also the family Saya would be replaced with a military regulation length Saya. The officers that came from well established families could have their own higher quality and more intricate Shin-gunto fittings made and installed on their family sword. I have a 15th century family blade signed by the master craftsman that made it has higher quality Shin-gunto fittings and Saya. It has a Colonel’s tassle on it. It was a sign of status for the officers to have their family blades and higher quality Shin- gunto fittings. Many officers would commit Harakiri or Seppuku in disgrace if they were defeated. That was the only way to keep from disgracing their family. It was seen as an honorable death. The Japanese soldiers were no joke. They were fighting little SOB’s. Any GI that underestimated their tenacity only made that mistake once. I would love to go to Japan and spend a few months studying their arms and armor.
I know this is an old thread but I’m in the process of restoring an older Remington 11-48 (barrel date code puts it at 1953). I found a gunsmith shop that sells rebuild kits for some of the springs. They specialize in Brownings but also make products for the Remington Model 11 (11, 11-48, Sportsman 48 which use the same parts). I just ordered two kits (1) Remington 11-48, (2) Sportsman 48.
David, I am definitely keeping an eye on your progress. Don’t forget to post a few of the 11-48. I love these old shotguns.
Some great skills demonstrated here.
I just finished refinishing my companion Remington Sportsman 58 in 16ga. I got it to go with my 12ga that I did in this thread. I also have another Sportsmans 58 that I am just going to clean up and leave it alone since it is in good shape. I am most probably going to give it to my nephew so that he will also have one.
I added in my Remington 1100 that I inherited from my uncle when he passed away. Both of the Sportsman 58 that I refinished have beautiful wood with burl grain in many places on the stock and forearm. I am pretty happy with all of them.
A funny story that my uncle told me about the 1100 is that on their first anniversary he had been eyeing the 1100 in the gun store for awhile. So he got the bright idea of buying it and giving it to his wife for their first anniversary. His excuse was that he wanted her to have something that she could defend herself with if someone broke in. Her response without missing a beat is that," handing a pissed off woman a shotgun is about as smart as giving her one for an anniversary present." He ended up keeping it but stayed in the doghouse until he brought another gift for her home. I do have to say that was pretty stupid idea. I would have just bought it and been done with it.
Gun Porn!
Love that burl…
I finally got back my Belgium Browning A5 Light Twelve parts from plating. I was able to get it all put back together with the upgraded wood that I bought awhile back. This shotgun was my Grandfather’s then my dad’s then passed on to me. I will never sell it. It is now looks like a high grade III or IV would have been produced at the factory.
I love the fact that the buttplate is made out of buffalo horn. Browning quit using buffalo horn and went to using plastic in 1965. I have been able to collect several FN / Browning buffalo horn buttplates over the years. The pic of two of my spare buttplates the plastic one is on the left and the buffalo horn one is on the right. One way to tell the difference between the plastic and horn is the G in the horn one is rounded and the font is different than the newer plastic ones. I added one more pic of a few more spare buttplates and you should be able to distinguish between plastic and horn. One thing to be very careful of if you have a horn buttplate is to keep it covered in a gun sock, shotgun case or safe. Bugs will start to eat the horn buttplate for the protein in the horn. I have seen horn buttplates almost totally consumed because the shotgun was just placed on the floor in a closet.
