Hawken Rifle Nears Completion

All metal fitting and engraving is now finished. Aging and wood finish are next.

Kade Skidmore's First Powder Horn - Finished!

Kade has been working steadily to finish his first Powder Horn and the accompanying Rifle.
The Horn is now finished. This is Horn #1 for Kade. It is a beautiful and worthy horn featuring both incised carving and advanced shaping of the spout end. Other details such as the lettering is first rank.
The Rifle is also nearing completion and will be featured in its finished form in a future post.

Final Firing Training and Last Minute Repairs

Our young friend Gunner has departed from Alaska to his new home in Idaho, but before he left he spent a day with Jud, learning all the nuances of flintlock rifle care, loading shooting and cleaning form the master.
As the day progressed, the lock mechanism stopped sparking, which meant that unfortunately the "skin" of hardened steel that generated the sparks when struck by flint had worn through. This occasioned a "field repair" by Jud, on the spot, to copper solder high carbon steel from a file to the frizzen, an operation performed in the forge, with the ultimate outcome of an excellent shower of sparks from this frizzen.

Kade Continues Work on his Fine Rifle & Horn

Kade is back fro Hawaii and is hard at work finishing a project that is already sold and showcases his skill and advancing artistry. In this update he is applying oil to the stock and carving and finish shaping a finely decorated powder horn. Kade's mastery of "C" scrolls and other baroque decorative motifs is very advanced.

Progress on the Hawken Rifle Patchbox

An Outstanding Damascus Neck Knife

Jud just completed this beautiful neck knife for me. Next, it goes to Andy Ruffner for a quilled neck sheath.