Selecting Timber
In the early days of settlement in Australia, Walnut trees were introduced,
along with many other species, and planted in areas with a European-like
climate. Some were planted in the mountainous regions as high
up as the snow line. Harsh environments produce hard and durable
timber. Some of these trees are well over a 150 years old and
the timber is keenly sought for crafting fine furniture and other
special uses such as gun stocks for custom made rifles and shotguns.
When a rifle
stock is cut from a block of timber in one piece, a number of off-cuts
remain. Mr Talbot sources his timber from areas around Bright in
the Great Dividing Range, which is in the centre of Victoria's
vast snowfields.
This pair was
cut from the same piece of Walnut except for the triggers and trigger
guards. Mr Talbot remarked that the timber was hard enough to be
able to use micrometer measurements in fabricating the components
of the pistols. Both pieces were produced at the same time and
the level of craftsmanship is so high that components are interchangeable.
In fact, each
component was stamped with a production number so the individual
arts could be identified before assembly, and also if they were
dismantled for close inspection in the future. (See Colt
Walker 1847 for details of the presentation cases.)
