Craftsman

At the 2014 CLA show, Pete Hutton’s table was right in front of you as you walked down the hallway to the first room.  Pete’s table was loaded with screw tip horns. I was impressed with the quality.  One of the prettiest was a Bucks county screw tip.  I ended up buying it to carry with Allen Martin’s schimmel. I talked with Pete about a web article featuring his horns. We decided ... Read More »

I consider Frank Willis one of our premier bag and horn makers.  I first met him at the 2013 CLA Show.  We were discussing southeastern PA bullet bags.  Frank had some great work on his table and helped me to understand a little more how I should select the type of bag I wanted. In emails this August, Frank mentioned that he might have a bag I might be interested in.  He ... Read More »

Gary Brumfield has been a friend, mentor, encourager, and teacher to me as well as many others.  He was the push behind the lock-timing experiments, helping me to develop methodology we used to time locks. Much of his help came while we were at the Seminar at Bowling Green back in the ’80s. On the first day of the early Seminars, we would meet behind Terry Leeper’s house and have a little ... Read More »

Friendship will be very special this spring.  Allen Martin will be bringing my new Schimmel to the spring shoot.  Allen and I have talked about this project numerous times at CLA.  I remember handling an incredible Martin gun and heard Allen say, It’s all in the architecture.” I was worried about my own shoulder issues and voiced this concern to Allen.  “Don’t worry,” he said.  “I’ll make you a long, slim, light ... Read More »

Conner Prairie seems to get better each year. Classes range from evening classe to full 5 day classes. Five day classes include engraving, kit assembly, stock carving. Two and one half day classes include leather pouches, two horn classes, two knife making classes, quill work, and traditional barrel making. Additional classes are offered on weekends. The list of instructors is impressive. Below I will try to give you an idea of what ... Read More »

November 2010 – vol.6, Larry Pletcher, editor Art DeCamp is one of our premier horn makers. To say only this would be unfair. Art has spent much time and energy in the study of colonial horns. One only needs to spend a bit of time with him to realize what a resource he is to those of us interested in powder horns. I have had the pleasure of attending two of Art’s ... Read More »

October 2010 – vol.5, Larry Pletcher, editor I first met Ken Scott at the Conner Prairie Gun Show in 2001. I bought at journal from him. Since then I have seen and admired his work at many muzzleloading events. His bags are, in my opinion, the benchmark by which other bags are compared. Ken’s bags caught my eye at the CLA show this August. His bag “No King by Jesus” is a ... Read More »

October 2010 – vol.4, Larry Pletcher, editor I think I first met Mark at Dixon’s a few years ago and was impressed with his work. Since then I have admired his rifles at the CLA shows in Lexington. Mark’s gun making started as a hobby, but now is a full time occupation. He won a “Best of Show” at Dixons in 2005. I remember a conversation with Mark a few years ago ... Read More »

October 2010 – vol.3, Larry Pletcher, editor Charles Wallingford is an old-school knife maker from Union Kentucky. His blades are hand forged with traditional handle materials. Most I have handles have been antler. He also makes a fine long rifle, but I suspect his passion is his blades. A man can’t have too many knives; I have a fair number. My favorite knife was made by Charlie. You can see Charlie and ... Read More »

September 2010 – vol.2, Larry Pletcher, editor One cannot think of flint rifle makers without including Homer Dangler. A maker of muzzleloaders for decades, Homer is widely respected for his work. Home Dangler has been a part of Friendship for many years. Although Homer is in his 80’s, he is still active whether it’s making fine guns, building airplanes, or flying them. Homer has a new web site located at the link ... Read More »

September 2010 – vol.1, Larry Pletcher, editor Jeff Bibb is a maker of fine powder horns and shooting bags. He specializes in southern muzzleloading accessories. His banded horns and screw tips are my favorites. I enjoyed working beside Jeff at Conner Prairie. Jeff attends a number of Blackpowder events, among them are: Dixon’s Gunmakers Fair, CLA (Contemporary Longrifle Association, Lexington), Southern Long Rifle Show, Williamsburg, VA., 18th. Century Artisan’s Show, Lewisburg, PA, ... Read More »

Hershel House and his Woodbury School By Mel Hankla Photography by Ric Lambert, Jan Riser, Mel Hankla and H. David Wright Reprinted with permission from Muzzleloader magazine, July/August 2009. For more information on this and other black powder topics visit the web site atwww.muzzleloadermag.com Hershel Carmen House was born July 4, 1941 and needs no introduction to these pages. His work has been nationally known for the better part of four decades. Hershel and ... Read More »

A NEW KID ON THE BLOCK By Paul R. Jones Reprinted by permission of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association/ Muzzle Blasts magazine, November 2008. For information on the NMLRA and other black powder topics please visit the website at www.nmlra.org I like tomahawks! I always have, even when I was collecting Colts or Scottish swords, but I just never could afford them. Then, when I discovered that contemporary craftsmen were making them ... Read More »

IAN PRATT’S IRON-MOUNTED MAIDENS By Sharon Cunningham Photographs by John Pratt and H. David Wright Reprinted with permission from Muzzleloader magazine, May/June 2008. For more information on this and other black powder topics visit the web site at www.muzzleloadermag.com To give the reader the added advantage of color and extra space on the website, we are adding photographs to the story. We realize you would like to see more of the artist’s work and therefore ... Read More »

PRESERVING AMERICAN TRADITION: Hershel, Frank and John House carry on the magic passed down by the old masters. . . By Mel Hankla Photography by Ric Lambert, Steve Auvenshine, and H. David Wright Reprinted with permission from Muzzleloader magazine, January/February 2009. For more information on this and other black powder topics visit the web site atwww.muzzleloadermag.com There has never been a time since its invention that the American muzzleloading rifle has not been produced; yet ... Read More »

Frank & Lally House Artistry in Unison . . . By Mel Hankla Photography by Ric Lambert, Gordon Barlow, and H. David Wright Reprinted by permission of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association/ Muzzle Blasts magazine, April, 2009. For information on the NMLRA and other black powder topics please visit the website at www.nmlra.org Frank and Lally House are well known in today’s contemporary longrifle culture. Each an artisan in their own right, their ... Read More »

Meet John House, Builder of Fine Knives and Longrifles . . . By Mark Sage Photography by Ric Lambert, Jan Riser, and H. David Wright Reprinted by permission of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association/ Muzzle Blasts magazine, March 2009. For information on the NMLRA and other black powder topics please visit the website at www.nmlra.org In Woodbury, Kentucky, near the Green River, is a very neat and efficient shop, reconstructed from an old ... Read More »

SHAWN WEBSTER: Artist and Author . . . By Paul Jones Photography by Ric Lambert Reprinted by permission of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association/ Muzzle Blasts magazine, February 2008. For information on the NMLRA and other black powder topics please visit the website at www.nmlra.org Much has been written in the past about Shawn Webster, but in recent years there have been some changes although much remains the same in the life of ... Read More »

Jack T. Haugh — Fit & Finish to the Highest Degree . . . By Mel Hankla Photography by Ric Lambert, Mel Hankla, and David Wright Reprinted by permission of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association/ Muzzle Blasts magazine, July, 2008. For information on the NMLRA and other black powder topics please visit the website at www.nmlra.org Jack Theodore Haugh was born February 1931 in Lincoln Park, Michigan during The Great Depression. He came ... Read More »

SMILIN’ JOE SEABOLT CONTEMPORARY KNIFE AND RIFLE MAKER by Sharon Cunningham©2008 Photographs by H. David Wright and Jan Riser Reprinted with permission from Muzzleloader magazine, November-December 2008. For more information on this and other black powder topics visit the web site atwww.muzzleloadermag.com Joseph Edman Seabolt, native Cincinnatian, is a journeyman electrician by trade, and a blacksmith courtesy of Steve Marshall of Goodlettsville, Tennessee. His knife making is the product of the teachings of both ... Read More »