Jewler, there are many ways to accomplish your goal. Several of them have been suggested. Using heat to remove the buttplate is a good idea. I have used a butcher knife with a single beveled edge after heating the pad to help separate wood from plate. The beveled side is away from the stock and I GENTLY apply pressure in different spots to not break the plate.
Using the pad supplied by Mark Beasland is another. I have used those pads for leather covered pads and they are great. One may make a widow's peak to add to another pad to fill in a spot left vacant by another owner and then leather cover the entire thing. There are others who do leather covered pads (members of the ACGG for example) for less than the $460 you mentioned. As an example: Dennis Potter who posts on this board.
Last edited by DES/TSD; 05/06/14 10:44 AM.
