[Perry L. Goss]

Long time running. I have been at this for years, finally got it done. Pictures were the hang up!

Reading clockwise, starting at the top.

The powder horn is a flat horn, based off of Thomas McDonald’s user album in myArmoury.com. An almost exact reproduction. Many thanks to Thomas for his work there. I did not make the horn, it was crafted by a well known horner. Right before he sent it, he called and requested on pain of “no more horns”, that I never divulge his identity! It is the best handling horn I have ever had and a true work of art. The fact that it is flat is the key. Besides the craftsmanship.

The pocket knife is based off a late 1700’s knife in the collection papers of Jim Webb of VA. The only thing I changed was the use of 60 year old + deer antler instead of original black cow horn. The tempering and crafting of the spring was a hassle. I made this knife three times, before I was satisfied.

The larger “seax” style blade hunter is a bit over 10” in length out of ¼” 1075, differentially tempered and it is aged. Black walnut handle, burned, drilled, filed and has epoxy as well. Leather wrapped. I like the leather cord wrapping as the hold is fantastic. The hilt was a mess to do as far as tolerances. Hot forged on, I do not like to solder. The ¼” thick blade has a filed spine. The different levels of hardness are apparent in the right light as they wave down the blade. ¼” bolster hilt.

The little “seax” type blade is a skinner. Blade is 5/32 x 5 1/8. Same composition as its larger mate.

My wife has managed to latch onto my dirk and sgain that are more period, but these blades...are work horses.

The little sgain is take from an old Angus Trim Irish ring hilt sword blade. [One of the best swords I ever had.] “Something” happened to it, and I have had this piece around for years and finally found a fitting use for it. Perfect fit in the hand. English walnut from a Dunlap scrap for a smoothbore pistol is the wood used here. Can’t really tell from the picture though.

The buckskin sporran is the fourth try on that. Finally got everything to work! Brain tanned deer skin for the pouch and turned brass for the knobs and pouch holders. I need to get it engraved, but that will not happen till October.


https://picasaweb.google.com/109038900053676273427/20110819001?authkey=Gv1sRgCPi5lZyg58q98gE#5643478003619323522

[Lin Robinson]

Very nice work. Could we see close ups of the sporran and the horn?

[Perry L. Goss]

Lin:

For sure. Got to go to work right now. Get back late, will be tomorrow AM before I can.

Thank you

[Perry L. Goss]

[Lin Robinson]

Perry...

I cannot view your photos. Get the same message that the page cannot be found. You can actually browse and dowload photos from your files in your computer to place in a post if you want to. You just have to watch the size of the files. Fortunately the site will keep you from downloading anything huge.

Keep trying because I would really like to view the things you made.

[Perry L. Goss]

Lin:

Nathan had a problem with that link at first too. Then I reposted. I will try tomorrow morning to see what I can do. Who knows?

I will keep at it, till you get the photos somehow.

Sorry!

[Henrik Bjoern Boegh]

That horn is absolutely amazing!
I really like the sporran and would love to have a closer look as well, though, like Lin, I can't see the photos either.
I've been wanting to have a go at making a cantle myself, I just haven't figured out how it actuallty works...

I like the look of the rest of it. Rather utilitarian and I like it. The gimping on the small dirk is wonderful.

Cheers,
Henrik

[Perry L. Goss]

Henrik:

I am going to have the son take a look at the links? Previewed them and worked. ???

The cantel was easy. I tried to hammer it, got the back just fine, but trying to do in one piece is - for my limited skills impossible. I then used thin sheet brass and soldered with paper binder clips to hold in place, heating with a small torch. Front piece, then back piece. Hinges are the key, kind of almost like a gun lock to get just right. Turning the brass for the knobs at top and to hold the pouch was a piece of cake. Place brass rod in the drill as if it were a bit and grabbed my files and went to work. Took bare minutes to do each. Drilled out a hole for a brass rod shaft of 1/8", solder it in and there you go!

I used 16ga. brass to hammer, given you have to sand and buff the hammer marks. That part worked except the hinges were off. The cantels amazingly enough fit, slightly too small though. I then used the same 16ga brass to cut, grind and solder. That attempt was to my mind, way too heavy. That is when I used...20ga or was it 18ga brass sheet and soldered after cutting to templates. That, worked. Got no clue as to overall weight, but not bad.

Clean up is the worst part, what with the solder. I still have that to do and some buffing, you can see that in the pictures. I still have not figured out how I want to attach it. Flap, straps...I have seen both.

I have no clue as to how the old guys did it. But, looking at Tom McD's pictures I do not think that each cantel was one hammered piece, maybe the outside plate and flanges, but not the hinges too. Couldn't be. Then again, look at the brass stocked pistols! Who knows without almost taking one apart in person.

I..."modified" the file work based on the pictures someone here posted on a Victorian sgain a while back. I had actually made both a ballock and a dudgeon/dirk same method - all out of English gun stock wood. I just do not like grip on those!

The spine on the larger blade is a strong 1/4". Those large backed dirks with file work are really great. It was Nathan or Lin that had one from Vince E. lately and with multi-colored wood grip. Very nice.

Well, within less than an hour I will look at the links. We originally tried to just drop the pics straight into the Message text bos, but...photos too large. Will see, work in progress.

[Perry L. Goss]

The cantel I made as a face plate [vertical component] then with the flat, if you will [horizontal] piece soldered on. All out of the thinner brass so it could bend without kinking. A nice smooth even flow of form.

That way I could get that nice little lip that shows up in Tom's albums. That, was for me impossible to do. I am not Patrick Thaden or Craig Johnson, so ain't got the skills nor equipment to hammer that nice.

Thought I would drop that in.

[Perry L. Goss]

Now I did not have any appropriate calf skin, or suede. I used my brain tanned deer skin to make the sporran. That can be aged very simply. Take egg yolk, some soot [pine is the best and finest ash I have found] and I also use old, old brick dust.

Paint the hide with a light mixture of the above, don't get too much "pigment" in it though!
Allow to dry, then wash off with warm water and a toothbrush, let dry. Ages it about 50 years.

Brain tanned buckskin though ain't cheap by any means, unless you have your own source.

Age the brass is a different story. Chemicals for that.

Thank you

[Henrik Bjoern Boegh]

There you go!