Have not been posting in the last few months, even though I check the forum daily. First, about 6 months ago, I got a bug. The black powder bug bit me hard. Second, I took on a student who wanted to learn to forge knives. To make it even more interesting, he has no knife making experience.
I live about 4 miles from the Kings Mountain National Military Park and must have made one too many visits. The bug bit me. My first purchase was a used .54cal Lyman GPR flintlock for a great price. It had a butchered butt stock and lock problems, but the barrel was perfect. I added some wood to the stock and covered the patch work with some leather. If I can find a deal on a used stock, I will replace. The lock problem took a lot more work. With the help of experts and some new parts, I had the lock working great.
Well, now that I had a working flintlock, I needed some accoutrement's. Made a powder horn, bag, vent pick, powder measure, etc. The patched Lyman shoots great. The only problem was that my wife out shot me the first time we shot it.
Well now we had to have a second rifle. Got a reproduction of a J. Dickert .54cal flintlock rifle,circa 1775, with a 42" barrel. My wife immediately claimed it as hers.
GPR
Accoutrements
J. Dickert
My student is the son of a very good friend of mine. Last January he used some of his Christmas money to purchase his first custom made knife from me. He is an avid hunter, as is his whole family. He kept saying, "I wish I could learn to forge knives". We all talked it over that day and with his Dad's permission, classes started 3 weeks ago, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 to 3. Since he had no forging experience, we had to start with the basics.
Fast forward to yesterdays session. He completed his first project, a simple S hook. He did all the work.
S hook
Gage with his first completed project. He stands 6'-5" and weighs in at 265lbs. He will turn 13 in October this year.
This young man is a natural. We spend all of our time at the forge, except for a short lunch break. No complaints about the heat from him. He has two books on forging and two on knife making to read and study for homework. I tell him which sections to read before each class.
When he completes two more forging projects, we will start on blades.
I live about 4 miles from the Kings Mountain National Military Park and must have made one too many visits. The bug bit me. My first purchase was a used .54cal Lyman GPR flintlock for a great price. It had a butchered butt stock and lock problems, but the barrel was perfect. I added some wood to the stock and covered the patch work with some leather. If I can find a deal on a used stock, I will replace. The lock problem took a lot more work. With the help of experts and some new parts, I had the lock working great.
Well, now that I had a working flintlock, I needed some accoutrement's. Made a powder horn, bag, vent pick, powder measure, etc. The patched Lyman shoots great. The only problem was that my wife out shot me the first time we shot it.
Well now we had to have a second rifle. Got a reproduction of a J. Dickert .54cal flintlock rifle,circa 1775, with a 42" barrel. My wife immediately claimed it as hers.
GPR
Accoutrements
J. Dickert
My student is the son of a very good friend of mine. Last January he used some of his Christmas money to purchase his first custom made knife from me. He is an avid hunter, as is his whole family. He kept saying, "I wish I could learn to forge knives". We all talked it over that day and with his Dad's permission, classes started 3 weeks ago, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 to 3. Since he had no forging experience, we had to start with the basics.
Fast forward to yesterdays session. He completed his first project, a simple S hook. He did all the work.
S hook
Gage with his first completed project. He stands 6'-5" and weighs in at 265lbs. He will turn 13 in October this year.
This young man is a natural. We spend all of our time at the forge, except for a short lunch break. No complaints about the heat from him. He has two books on forging and two on knife making to read and study for homework. I tell him which sections to read before each class.
When he completes two more forging projects, we will start on blades.
Your knives and leather have been taking on that sort of look for a while 
