Spanish Firearms

rickystl · 28th December 2015, 06:45 PM

Hello all. Merry Christmas.
I'm mostly a novice when it comes to wood and wood types. So I thought I would ask this question to any of the Forum members who might happen to know while doing other research. My question:

Does anyone know what the most common type of wood would have been used to make Spanish/Portuguese firearms during the 18th and 19th Centuries ?

Thanks for any help.

Rick.

fernando · 28th December 2015, 09:09 PM

Hi Rick,
Basically walnut; nogueira in portuguese and nogal in spanish (castillian).
This appears to have been the favored wood since early times up to the present; the local stock maker, a known expert, still uses it.
In a work dated from 1718, called "Espingarda Perfeyta", in which the 'secrets' of gun making are revealed, something unprecedented for those days, the authors advice that (quoting) the wood to be elected for stocks is walnut, for being the best, given the circumstances that make it better for its working, as for its safety, this being what makes it more durable; and is light for handling, good looking by nature and lastly because it keeps straight, a singular disposition for our intent; for all those reasons prevailing over cherry wood, to which they give it new colors as, those being artificial, it looses its grace when loosing them, as it gets stained; over maple wood since for being white it doesn't fit; over woods from Brazil, which heavy weight turns then unfit. Thus in these terms only walnut should be the choice, and this from the heart of the timber, where the above described excelences are found.

rickystl · 28th December 2015, 09:59 PM

Hi Fernando!
Well, what a wonderful, "historic" response to my question.

Thanks!

So I'm thinking it would be European walnut. I believe European and English walnut are the same/similar (?) but French walnut is different (?)

Thanks again for your response.

Rick.

Pukka Bundook · 29th December 2015, 01:25 AM

Rick,

As Fernando says.
Even Ottoman arms were often stocked in Circassian walnut.
The English Walnut is a bit confusing, as most didn't grow in England. (some did, however!)...........bit like English longbows were made primarily from Spanish yew. (!?)
French walnut could come from France, but also from surrounding areas, but a lot of Circassian walnut gets called French,

I gather nowadays "English" walnut is grown in California, but has a more open grain.
The best figured wood for gunstocks comes from the bowl of the tree, where the roots meet the trunk. This means a walnut tree can't be felled in the usual manner, but has to be grubbed up.
I don't suppose that helps with your question though!

rickystl · 29th December 2015, 04:11 PM

Hi Richard.
No, actually, Fernando's response was pretty much what I was looking for. The term "European" walnut can be a bit confusing/misleading due to the many sub-headings under this catagory.
The reason I asked is I'm having an early 18th Century Spanish "style" rifle built for shooting and wanted to use an appropriate wood for the stock. I was pretty sure it would be walnut. But didn't want to use something like American Black walnut, which is a bit different.
So the European/English walnut would seem to work in this case. Thanks for your input.
Rick.

28th December 2015, 06:45 PM	#1
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,621	Spanish Firearms Hello all. Merry Christmas. I'm mostly a novice when it comes to wood and wood types. So I thought I would ask this question to any of the Forum members who might happen to know while doing other research. My question: Does anyone know what the most common type of wood would have been used to make Spanish/Portuguese firearms during the 18th and 19th Centuries ? Thanks for any help. Rick.

28th December 2015, 09:09 PM	#2
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,638	Hi Rick, Basically walnut; nogueira in portuguese and nogal in spanish (castillian). This appears to have been the favored wood since early times up to the present; the local stock maker, a known expert, still uses it. In a work dated from 1718, called "Espingarda Perfeyta", in which the 'secrets' of gun making are revealed, something unprecedented for those days, the authors advice that (quoting) the wood to be elected for stocks is walnut, for being the best, given the circumstances that make it better for its working, as for its safety, this being what makes it more durable; and is light for handling, good looking by nature and lastly because it keeps straight, a singular disposition for our intent; for all those reasons prevailing over cherry wood, to which they give it new colors as, those being artificial, it looses its grace when loosing them, as it gets stained; over maple wood since for being white it doesn't fit; over woods from Brazil, which heavy weight turns then unfit. Thus in these terms only walnut should be the choice, and this from the heart of the timber, where the above described excelences are found.

28th December 2015, 09:59 PM	#3
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,621	Hi Fernando! Well, what a wonderful, "historic" response to my question. Thanks! So I'm thinking it would be European walnut. I believe European and English walnut are the same/similar (?) but French walnut is different (?) Thanks again for your response. Rick.

29th December 2015, 01:25 AM	#4
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Rick, As Fernando says. Even Ottoman arms were often stocked in Circassian walnut. The English Walnut is a bit confusing, as most didn't grow in England. (some did, however!)...........bit like English longbows were made primarily from Spanish yew. (!?) French walnut could come from France, but also from surrounding areas, but a lot of Circassian walnut gets called French, I gather nowadays "English" walnut is grown in California, but has a more open grain. The best figured wood for gunstocks comes from the bowl of the tree, where the roots meet the trunk. This means a walnut tree can't be felled in the usual manner, but has to be grubbed up. I don't suppose that helps with your question though!

29th December 2015, 04:11 PM	#5
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,621	Hi Richard. No, actually, Fernando's response was pretty much what I was looking for. The term "European" walnut can be a bit confusing/misleading due to the many sub-headings under this catagory. The reason I asked is I'm having an early 18th Century Spanish "style" rifle built for shooting and wanted to use an appropriate wood for the stock. I was pretty sure it would be walnut. But didn't want to use something like American Black walnut, which is a bit different. So the European/English walnut would seem to work in this case. Thanks for your input. Rick.