1760’s Hunting Rig by Jack Weeks, Rick Lorenzen and John Leach
Jack Weeks and Rick Lorenzen have partnered once again and the result is a bold bag and horn set. They are both artists and craftsmen who continuously research early American history and the evolution of hunting accoutrements. This is the fourth year the guys have been collaborating using 18th century materials and techniques. They want this handsome rig to be loved and used by a contemporary hunter who will pass it down as a family heirloom.
Jack has selected a roomy, square bag that provides plenty of space for all your hunting and shooting equipment for a day in the field. Drawing on his 25 years of hand-making period-correct bags and accoutrements, he’s selected a vegetable-tanned cowhide piece, with a hair-on, white tailed deer flap. This bag is entirely hand-dyed and hand-stitched with linen thread. The hide strap reflects the attention to detail a harness maker would have employed in the mid-1700’s. Even the brass hardware has been aged. All the leather has been hand-finished with homemade Michigan bear oil and buffed with beeswax. And just to be sure you’ve got it all, Jack added his handmade leather musket ball case and a funnel made from leather and a goose quill to fill Rick’s horn. A pan brush and hand-braided cordage provided by Brandenburg Storehouse top off this fine hunting rig.
Rick’s 1760’s-era polychrome scrimshaw horn depicts all the important French and Indian War forts and towns along the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. Schenectady, Albany and New York cities are there along with a sailing vessel, churches, flags and a windmill. The red roof details are stunning. A blue-crowned three-inch-tall lion and unicorn grace either side of the Royal coat of arms of Great Britain on the inside curve. This is a beautiful left hand carry that snugs right up to your side. Rick has developed his art over 34 years as an accomplished horner and it shows in this one-of-a-kind piece of art. And just as an added touch, Rick included a handmade horn 80 grain powder measure and a wire vent pick.
John Leach has added a very well made patch knife of 1095 steel hafted with a box elder handle and paired with a vegetable tanned, center-seam leather sheath.
For more information, contact the artists directly:
For many early American history enthusiasts, living with a tangible connection to the past can be a way of life. This year’s CLF fundraising auction will feature a delightful set of cooking utensils that will be equally at home around a campfire or in a 21st century kitchen.
Blacksmith and CLA member Greg Bray has crafted a full set of hand-forged cooking implements based on original 18th century examples. The set includes a ladle, a serving or cooking fork, a key hole spatula, and a skimmer. All the tools were forged from mild steel and the skimmer has a brass bowl attached with rivets. The hanging bar for the set is adorned with ram’s horn finials. True to the example of most 18th century blacksmiths, Bray left these pieces unsigned.
The artist’s experience at the forge is evident in this fine set, which is attractive as well as utilitarian. Bray has been blacksmithing for nearly three decades, and now serves as the executive director of Prickett’s Fort, a West Virginia living history museum that recreates life on the early frontier.
“The CLA,” says Bray, “is vital in perpetuating the history and the importance of the early craftsmen in the building of our nation. The CLA allows todays modern-era craftsmen and women to be able to have a venue to show their talents and to carry on the traditions of the early craftsmen.”
For more information on the work of Greg Bray, contact the artist directly at: director@prickettsfort.org
Faithful CLA supporter and skilled craftsman Gary Tingler has created another outstanding hunting bag for this year’s CLF fundraising auction. This piece is a gracefully proportioned possibles bag entirely hand-crafted from hard-wearing buffalo leather, with edges bound in deerskin. The bag, graced with a rich brown patina, has a handy inner pocket, and comes complete with a pewter-capped pick and brush set handmade by Tingler. The bag, which is entirely handstitched in waxed linen thread, is paired with an appropriately matched hand-woven strap by noted artisan Kris Polizzi. The strap, fitted with a forged iron buckle and oil-tanned leather tongue, is fully adjustable.
Born and raised in the mountains of West Virginia, Tingler has had a love for history and muzzleloading rifles since childhood. A leather worker with thirty years of experience, Tingler notes that “the love of the hobby has never lost interest” and he continues to hone his skills in the craft. “It’s not only a hobby,” he points out, “but a love of labor in creating these items of our heritage from long ago.”
For more information, contact artist Gary Tingler directly at: treeingwalkers@hotmail.com
Modern outdoorsmen are in perpetual need of a reliable knife, and collectors can do no better than a blade by prominent knifemaker Glen Mock. A renowned bladesmith and faithful supporter of the CLF fundraising auction, Mock donated a classic frontiersman’s knife to this year’s event.
Mock’s blade was painstakingly hand forged from 1084 steel and fitted to a traditional antler handle. The handle is decorated with a hand-cast pewter bolster and a German silver end cap. The knife comes complete with a custom, hand-dyed leather sheath.
For more information on the work of the artist, contact Glen Mock at: mock@grm.net
Polled Tomahawk and Sheath by Simeon England, Kyle Willyard, and Shelly Gier
A collaborative effort by Simeon England, Kyle Willyard, and Shelly Gier, this tomahawk is heavily based on England’s research into early belt axes, referred to as “polled tomahawks” in the period, carried by backcountry frontiersmen. Though a bit more refined than what would commonly be seen on the frontier, the engraving and level of finish are similar to many existing examples of pipe tomahawks made by colonial gunsmiths.
England and Willyard worked together in forging the tomahawk, which has a punched eye and hammer welded bit of high carbon steel. They finished the head with a light polish and decorative file work. The head is hafted to a long, slender, and slightly curved hickory handle. The entire tomahawk has been given a light, aged finish. Willyard engraved the tomahawk with a moon, floral designs, and a sunburst that reflect the same theme Shelly Gier used for the leather carrier.
Gier crafted the sheath with a rising or setting sun, depending on the wearer’s perspective. It features three colors with delicate red scallops as a welt and strap contrast. The sheath is formed to the axe. On the strap is a signed brass buckle.
For more information on the work of the artists, contact them directly:
“The hunting pouch,” explains Kentucky artist Bill Smith, “is an icon of the American frontier used in the 18th and 19th centuries.” But the modern frontiersman remains in need of a reliable bag for the woods or the range, and for this year’s CLF fundraising auction Smith has once again donated one of his renowned hunting bags.
Smith’s bags are widely regarded for their robust functionality, and this piece exceeds expectations. The body of the bag, which is made from hard wearing cowhide and lined with deerskin, is entirely hand sewn with waxed linen thread.
In addition to two roomy compartments inside the bag, there is a pocket on the front and a large interior pocket for additional storage. The heavy leather shoulder strap, about two inches wide, is fully adjustable by means of a hand forged iron buckle.
With three decades of experience, Smith is a longtime auction contributor to the nation’s premier organization for the preservation of traditional frontier arts. “The CLA,” says Smith, “is a great organization dedicated to artists.”
1760’s Great Lakes Knife and Sheath Set by Ben HoffmanFor this year’s CLF fundraising auction, Ohio artisan Ben Hoffman chose to reproduce an original piece made in the Great Lakes region that dates from the 1760’s. True to artist’s exacting standards, both the knife and sheath was entirely hand-crafted.
Hoffman salvaged the steel for the knife blade from an antique buggy spring, which was then hand-forged using a vintage hand-crank-powered coal forge. The basic shape of the blade was crafted using a hammer, tongs and anvil. Most of the final shaping was done by hand filing.
The handle was entirely hand-carved in maple and given a rich finish of period-correct milk paint and linseed oil-based varnish. The sheath, which was made from oak-tanned cow hide and treated with a period-correct black leather dye, was hand cut and sewn using linen thread. All the tooling was done by hand.
The sheath is adorned with white trade beads and tin cones, which were present on the original, and the decorative deer hair tassles were dyed with madder root, an authentic 18th century material. This stunning knife and sheath set would be a great display piece for the 18th century collector, but would also serve well in the field. “As with all the knives I make,” says Hoffman, “it has been triple tempered and sharpened to a razor edge. It was made to use.”
For more information, contact the artist directly at: hoffmanreproductions@yahoo.com
One of the keystone offerings of this year’s CLF fundraising auction is the collective creation of eight CLA member artists. Christened the Saga of the Longknife by its creators, this piece constitutes a stunning, mixed media sculptural set composed of superbly executed, functional art.
The entire set is created around a folk-art carving by artist Matt Fennewald, who used a mix of woods – including pecan, walnut, and cherry – to assemble the body of the sculpture, which is scaled to the size of a young frontiersman. Affectionately nicknamed “Wilbur” by his creator, the carving was given a hand-rubbed finish of wax, tar, and shellac.
The rifle which accompanies the Saga of the Longknife set was created by gunsmith Josh Wrightsman. Although this rifle is loosely based on original Virginia guns, Wrightsman imparted the finished piece with his own artistic sensibilities. Built around a .40 caliber, 34″ Rice B-weight barrel, this rifle is stocked in walnut and fitted with a Chambers Queen Anne lock. The iron furniture was entirely hand-forged, and beautifully contrasts the richly-finished walnut stock. For a gun builder, Wrightsman was tasked with a difficult balancing act. “The most difficult part about this gun,” he explains, “was that it needed to be a certain size”: small enough to fit a 6-year-old, but simultaneously suitable for a grown man. “I wanted a gun,” says Wrightsman, “that the new owner would want to use every time they went shooting.”
Todd Daggett created the Saga knife, hand forging the blade from an antique buckboard seat spring. The antler handle sports a cast pewter bolster. For optimum strength, the tang is peened over an iron washer as well as pinned. The knife is accompanied with a sturdy sheath crafted from buff hide scraps, hand-stitched with whitetail sinew, and the tip is decorated with antique brass tacks.
Simeon England hand forged the hammer-polled tomahawk based on original eighteenth century examples. “It displays whiting and polishing of a gunsmith or whitesmith,” explains England, and carries file work and facets reflective of original colonial examples. The head of the tomahawk was hand forged out of mild steel, and features a forge-welded, high-carbon steel bit. The handle is made from beautifully patterned curly ash, stained with nitric acid.
Eric Ewing assembled an exceptional shot pouch using a wide array of materials. The bag and strap is made from a mix of skins including bark-tanned groundhog, alum-tanned groundhog, brain-tanned deer, and vegetable-tanned cowhide. Ewing utilized his own homemade concoctions to give this piece a well-aged patina.
“Wilbur’s” powder horn was created by Tad Frei, who describes the piece as a “fancy common man’s horn.” Crafted from a small cow horn, Frei’s piece features charming folk art scrimshaw that “reflects a bit more aesthetic concern than we typically see on utilitarian accoutrements” Fitted with a pine base plug and a tapered spout, Frei’s diminutive horn is appropriately scaled to the Saga set but remains fully functional.
The carving is dressed in period-appropriate garb also crafted by Matt Fennewald. “Wilbur” is dressed in a wool blanket coat, rawhide leggings, and brain-tanned garters. His footwear consists of a set of pucker toe moccasins made by Alec Fourman, who utilized brain-tanned, smoked, and aged deerskin.
The entire Saga set is topped off by a quintessential broad-brimmed frontiersman’s hat by Michael Agee. The hat is round blocked fur felt. Hagee custom made the lathe-turned block, which, he explains, “was done to nearly all hats prior to 1820.” Agee added splash of color with a hat band, which was made from red wool stroud. The hat’s inner lining is made of hand stitched linen, which was then stamped with a period style maker’s mark.
For more information on the work of the artists, contact them directly at:
One of the most vital pieces of equipment for blackpowder shooters is a rig consisting of a watertight horn and a dependable possibles bag, and this year’s CLA auction will afford bidders the opportunity to own a truly exemplary set by artist Doug Warren.
Warren’s bag is a fine collector’s piece that will be perfectly at home in a display case or in the field. The artist utilized period-appropriate materials for the entire bag. Crafted from 3 ½ oz. deerskin dyed in walnut, the bag has a roomy interior and features the classic styling of a beaver tail flap. Entirely hand-sewn with pure flax linen thread, this well-made bag also sports an additional exterior pocket, situated just under the flap. Fitted with a heavy cowhide shoulder strap and iron buckle, this fully adjustable piece is ready for the woods or the firing line. The bag comes complete with an equally impressive powder horn, which is fitted with a red cedar base plug and a turned maple stopper,
Artist and CLA member Doug Warren is an experienced craftsman who’s been building bags and horns for nearly three decades. His experience as a maker is on full display in this exceptional piece: fine craftsmanship, paired with a subtly distressed patina to the leather, qualifies Warren’s stunning bag and horn set as a museum-quality replica.
For more information on the work of Doug Warren, contact the artist directly at: dougwarren1969@gmail.com
During the 18th and 19th centuries, no self-respecting gentleman – or scoundrel, for that matter – would consider venturing into public without a hat. For the modern-day frontiersman headed for the range, the rendezvous, or the woods, that hasn’t changed. For those hoping to set their headgear apart from the crowd, CLA artist Djuana Tucker has donated a unique quill wrapped rawhide hatband to this year’s fund-raising auction. Typical of Tucker’s work, the piece is constructed with historically appropriate materials. The artist relied on authentic natural dyes to achieve the color palette: madder root for red and osage orange sawdust, indigo, and madder root to achieve black. The hatband is ¼” wide and 22” long, with a braintanned leather lace on each end, ensuring that the piece will fit any size hat.
One of the premiere quill workers in the nation, Tucker is a regular donor to the CLA auction. Though the artist is firmly grounded in a knowledge of original quillwork, Tucker is a skilled designer in her own right. “I refer to catalogs of museum collections and photographs of original pieces for reference,” she explains, “but I am also inspired by the world around me.” Such an approach affords the artist a good measure of creative freedom. “I tend to focus on design aesthetic and composition rather than perfection in the quillwork pieces I create.”
For further information on the work of the artist, contact:
Chris Crosby’s fine contribution to this year’s CLF auction represents, he explains, “a piece that would have been carried by a man of middling means, to service his smooth rifle or fowler.” The body of the bag is made from vegetable tanned calfskin and the bindings on the flap and at the throat of the bellows panel are bark tanned sheepskin. The bag’s rich coloring was achieved with the artist’s own resourceful mix of crushed willow and oak charcoal, bear oil, clay, water-based dye, pine tar, and beeswax. “I try to achieve colors that are historically accurate,” says Crosby, “with a nice warm, aged patina.”
The bag’s hair-on the flap is calfskin, and the flap lining is a reproduction coverlet remnant, which Crosby explains is intended to represent a “remnant bed covering that would have been hand loomed here in the colonies, and repurposed after many years of good service.” The bag’s strap is robust vegetable tanned cowhide and carries a simple hand tooled motif. The brass half D buckle, Crosby says, “was in common use mid to late 18th century and could easily have been repurposed from prior military service.”
“The CLA,” says the artist, “is a dream come true for me. All my life I have had a passionate interest in the history, the material cultural of the day-to-day lives of our ancestors, and the preservation of the heritage of this great country. The CLA for me is a great way to contribute to the preservation of the culture and history of the greatest nation on earth.”
For more information on the work of Chris Crosby, contact the artist directly at: ccrosby1969@live.com
Frontier Georgia bag and horn set by Ron Hess and Marc Hamel
CLA members are very often inspired by history in the creation of their art. A 2018 exhibition at the Georgia Museum of Art, which focused on the state’s early gunsmiths, prompted Georgia artist Ron Hess to create this fine bag and horn set for this year’s CLF fundraising auction. The oldest firearm at the exhibition was an 1815 rifle attributed to frontier gunsmith Richard Allen; the Allen rifle is accompanied by an original bag and horn which was duplicated by Ron Hess and Marc Hamel.
Hess tackled the difficult process of creating the horn, skillfully reproducing the intricate southern-styled piece with integrally carved bands and a beehive base plug crafted from dogwood. He completed this collection with a nice set of antler rifle tools and powder measure. Hamel reproduced the bag, which has two interior compartments. Strap adjustment, faithful to the original, is by means of a horn button. Hamel finished the bag with a russet dye and an oil and wax sealer.
For more information on the work of Ron Hess and Marc Hamel, contact the artists directly at:
Neck knife and quilled sheath by Virgil Henle and Christie Suchora
During the Seven Year’s War, French military engineer Pierre Pouchot was intrigued by Native American warriors who habitually wore remarkably decorated knife sheaths as a badge of status. The Indians “always have one suspended round their neck,” explained Pouchot. “Their knife is hung from the neck,” he wrote, “and falls upon the breast…they regard this property as sacred as their children.”
Attendees at this year’s CLF fundraising auction will have the opportunity to acquire a truly outstanding neck knife and sheath by artists Virgil Henle and Christie Suchora. Henle’s knife is a quintessential frontier standard. Hand forged from 1084 steel, the blade is fixed in the leg bone of a young whitetail. The handle is embellished with a decorative ring and end cap of hand-cast pewter, and the artist imparted the bone with an appealing aged patina. Henle handily succeeded in crafting a pleasing but resilient knife that’s ready for work.
The knife is paired with an exceptional quilled neck knife sheath by artist Christie Suchora. The body of the sheath was constructed from brain-tanned deerskin. Suchora’s husband John prepared the hide with a traditional dry scrape method, then heavily smoked the leather to a rich burnt umber hue. The sheath features an inner protective lining of Minnesota birchbark.
Adorning the face of the sheath is Suchora’s quillwork, which can be described as nothing short of a masterpiece of traditional tribal art. Based on an original 18th century example in the collection of London’s British Museum, the sheath’s breathtaking loomed panel features quills colored with period-appropriate dyes, including madder root, sumac, osage orange, and indigo.
The artistic duo of Henle and Suchora has teamed up to produce a stunning work of art that’s destined to become a multi-generational heirloom. “The CLA is amazing,” says Henle, “the annual show is a great place to see old friends and buy handmade items and see original pieces.” But more importantly, the organization is crucial to preserving traditional skills “that might otherwise be lost.”
For more information, contact the artists directly at:
Artisan Tom Greco is well known as a maker of distinctive, top-quality frontier art. Not surprisingly, he’s contributed a standout bag and horn set for this year’s CLF fundraising auction. The body of Greco’s unique possibles bag is crafted from goat hide, which is richly colored with a brown leather dye and a sealing coat of grease. The warm color of the bag contrasts nicely with the outer flap, as well as the flap of a smaller pocket, which are made from alligator skin.
Greco stained the matching powder horn with multiple coats of chromic acid. The set comes complete with a hickory ball starter as well as a buffalo horn vent pick and horse hair pan brush, both of which are accented with wooden beads.
For more information on the work of Tom Greco, contact the artist directly at: flintlock52@yahoo.com
(More photos may be available when CLF’s auction page is done.)
The annual CLF fundraising auction routinely offers the finest in contemporary frontier art, but Brian Barker’s striking contribution to this year’s auction has the looks of a centuries-old original.
Barker crafted the hunting bag from bark tanned deer hide, warmly aged and hand sewn with linen thread. The interior of the bag is lined with linen fabric, and appears to have been “repaired” with a swatch of pillow tick. The strap for the bag is made from heavy duty vegetable tanned cowhide, and is fully adjustable by means of an aged brass buckle.
The exceptional southern style horn which accompanies this piece is has an applied collar and a turned maple base plug, and the entire horn exhibits a richly aged patina. Although not a direct copy, the antler powder measure for this set is modeled after an original piece dating to 1810, and exhibits whimsical scrimshaw engravings of a flintlock rifle, anchor, and fish. Taken as a whole, Barker’s attractive bag and horn set exhibits the appealing character found in museum-quality replicas.
“The CLA,” says Barker, “has been a great organization for me to meet other artists that I probably would not have met otherwise. There have been many artists and collectors that have inspired and challenged me to become more skilled in my art.”
For more information on the work of Brian Barker, contact the artist directly at: squirehawk1774@hotmail.com (More photos may be available when CLF’s auction page is done.)
Neck knife and quilled sheath by Charles Wallingford and Bill Wright
Few pieces of tribal artistry are as visually captivating as the iconic neck knife of the eastern woodlands. For this year’s CLF fundraising auction, two of the nation’s top artists have teamed up to produce a truly outstanding example that’s destined to become a treasured heirloom.
Master cutler and CLA charter member Charles Wallingford hand-forged this knife from 1084 bar stock. Typical of the legendary Wallingford knives, the blade is razor sharp and sports a rich patina. The handle is crafted from dyed whitetail antler, beautifully accented with a hand-cast pewter bolster and an end cap of sterling silver.
Wallingford’s blade is accompanied by a stunning custom sheath by Bill Wright, one of the nation’s top quill and beadwork artisans. The body of the sheath is hand-crafted from brain-tanned deer hide, which was dyed using a period-correct walnut hull bath. Wright’s artistic talents are on full display on the face of the sheath, which is adorned with a breathtaking quillwork pattern inspired by the traditional tribal arts of the eastern woodlands.
To the artists, this fine donation is for a good cause. “The CLA,” explains Wright, “has been an excellent vehicle to promote the contemporary artists throughout our country who have demonstrated their love of our history. They have used various mediums to recreate the past relating to the 17th and 18th century and the CLA has brought forth these works of art and helped shine a light on those creations.”
For more information on the work of artists Charles Wallingford and Bill Wright, contact the artists directly:
Charles Wallingford: cwknives@aol.com
Bill Wright: wrightsgarden@hotmail.com
(More photos may be available when CLF’s auction page is done.)
Eighteenth Century folding knife by Scott Summerville
In November of 1766, the English firm of Robert Cary & Company issued an invoice for miscellaneous goods to an up-and-coming Virginia planter who was largely tethered to the mother country for the manufactured goods necessary on his plantation. For various items including silk, nails, buttons, and cheese, George Washington was billed the respectable sum of £161. Included in the shipment was one item clearly intended for a gentleman of standing: 1 fine pocket knife, “London made”, for the price of ten shillings and sixpence.
Attendees of this year’s CLF fundraising auction will have the opportunity to own a fine folding knife, fit for a gentleman of any century, by noted bladesmith Scott Summerville. An accomplished knife maker who crafts a wide variety of cutlery, Summerville specializes in the precise art of colonial era folders. The artist maintains a collection of original 18th century originals, and, as he explains, uses them as study aids in replicating knives “that look like a brand-new knife did 200 or so years ago.”
Summerville’s offering in this year’s auction is based on an original knife in the collections of Colonial Williamsburg which he was able to photograph and measure a few years ago. The artist chose 1095 steel for this fine gentleman’s knife, and the blade is entirely hand-filed. The piece is fitted with bone scales, which were left untreated, Summerville explains, “to allow the bone to develop a natural patina.”
Summerville is an experienced artist with more than two decades of experience crafting knives. “I find the CLA humbling and inspiring,” he says. “The amount of talent that is always on display at the Lexington show completely awes me. And I am grateful for the opportunity it gives me and other artists to showcase our talents and help to encourage and preserve arts that might otherwise be lost.”
For more information on the work of Scott Summerville, contact the artist directly at: summerville1757@yahoo.com
(More photos may be available when CLF’s auction page is done.)
Reprinted from February 2000 issue of MuzzleBlasts magazine by Larry Pletcher. I was assisted by Fred Stutzenberger who provided the barrel and any needed machining. The tests conducted here are of straight cylinder vents. This article is a work in progress.
In earlier articles on timing flintlocks, I expressed my belief that touch holes caused some of the slow ignition times experienced occasionally by flintlock shooters. In a pair of articles I hope to shed some light on this idea. This article will report on the testing of touch holes of varying diameters. The touch hole shape for this series of tests is a straight cylinder. These tests are planned as a baseline for future testing. A second article will explore the various touch hole liners available to the flintlock shooter. These liners will have a number of configurations, including cones inside and out, as well as different shapes used in making the cone.
The tests done for this article were conducted on a very short smoothbore barrel in which increasingly larger touch holes were drilled. Another barrel was threaded to this section to conduct smoke away and to provide some space between the photo cells used in the timing process. I am indebted to Fred Stutzenberger for his help in providing the barrel and any machining needed to conduct the tests.
I began with a touch hole which both Fred and I considered too small. We used .040 in. as a starting point. Additional diameters were .052, .055, .0625, .070, .078, .082, .094. These holes correspond to drill numbers 55, 54, 1/16, 50, 5/64, 45, and 42, respectively.
Here you see the shield that prevented both photocells from triggering when the pan flashed. (From another test but using the same equipment.)
The barrel was held in place with a lock plate and pan attached to the barrel with screws. One photo cell was placed to “look” into the pan while the second “looked” across the muzzle of the barrel. A shield was dropped into place between them to keep the barrel photo cell from triggering on the pan flash. Both photo cells were connected to a computer by an interface.
The testing process involved loading the barrel with 15 grains of FFFG powder. This amount of powder filled the barrel to a level above the touch hole. This was verified using a cleanout hole on the other side of the barrel opposite the touch hole. The barrel was gently lowered into horizontal position so the powder in the barrel would not fall away from the touch hole. The pan was primed, taking care not to cover the touch hole. The pan was ignited using a propane torch. It was found that the propane torch would not trigger the photo cells and could be directed downward into the pan. Special care was used to separate the torch from the powder used in the tests.
The .040 hole was tested only twice because I felt that it was too small to be practical. Each other hole size was tested 20 times. These tests are located in the spread sheets at the end of the article. After each touchhole was tested, it was drilled out to the next size and testing was continued.
When I got to 1/16 inch, I permitted myself the experimenter’s prerogative of throwing in an extra variable. I have an exterior coned 1/16 inch touch hole in my rifle, so I used a center drill to produce a similar cone on the test barrel. Its results are also included.
The barrel and lock plate are attached to the fixture. (from another test using the same equipment)
During the testing, a number of trends began to develop. It was noticed that with the small touch holes, a number of pan flashes did not ignite the barrel. This decreased as the diameters increased. When .055 in. was reached, this largely disappeared. Touch holes 1/16” and larger had no misfires.
A second result was that the ignition was faster as the hole size increased. The increase was dramatic in the smaller sizes. However, a point of diminishing returns was reached, in my opinion, somewhere above 1/16 in. At some point the improved performance that a larger touch hole seemed to provide was over ridden by the disadvantages of increased vent hole blast and decreases in consistency.
The standard deviation and variation within the tests can be used to demonstrate these trends in performance. Both standard deviation and variation improve as the touch hole size increased to 1/16 in. Above 1/16 inch, elapsed time, standard deviation, and variation are all more erratic.
As I mentioned earlier, the amount of gases escaping from the touch hole increased rapidly. It the larger diameters it was difficult to keep the torch from blowing out. While this was expected, it did serve as a reminder that large touch holes require that the shooter be considerate of the person standing to the lock side of the rifle.
The results of the testing are summarized in the chart below. Complete results of each test are included at the end of this article on the next page.
While cleaning the barrel between tests, I learned something that may be important in firing flintlocks. Looking through the inspection port opposite the touch hole, I saw that the touch hole was partially clogged. A vent pick was pushed into the touch hole while watching from the inspection port. I could see the dirt being dislodged as the vent pick went through. However, as the pick was withdrawn, the dirt was deposited back in the touch hole where it was at the beginning. This was seen more than once. It made me think that running the pick through the touch hole might not do as much good as I once thought.
It might be important to have a big enough touch hole so that even when partially clogged, it still has enough opening to ignite the barrel powder. Another possible solution might be to use a pipe cleaner before loading for the next shot. (In all my flintlock rifles I now use a vent large enough to permit cleaning with a pipe cleaner. – editor)
By the end of my testing, I arrived at two conclusions that will be incorporated in any future rifles I build. One conclusion is that if no liner is used, any touch hole will need to be 1/16 in. or larger in diameter. The other is that it will have an exterior cone. I believe that an exterior cone improved the 1/16 in. touch hole enough to be included. It would, however, be good to test an exterior cone on different touch hole diameters.
As was explained earlier, this article ignored touch hole liners. It was felt that a baseline was necessary for any future comparison. The next article will be devoted to liners. I personally like the idea of having barrel powder lie as close as possible to the pan. I am probably not alone in thinking that liners will show an improvement over cylinder touch holes. However, I am willing to rely on science to demonstrate this. Human senses are not perceptive enough to detect the differences we can measure with the computer.
There are numerous liners and methods of installation that should be examined. I would like to try a sampling of those currently marketed. A liner that seems to function well has been developed by Mark Silver, Robert Harn, and Jim Chambers. It is based upon information from Lynton McKenzie. It will be interesting to compare these liners with the results of this series of tests. As in any scientific study, I hope we will be able to draw some meaningful conclusions.
I do not consider this to be a complete study of cylinder-shaped touch holes. We do have much to learn. However, I have confidence in the results collected and in the methods that Fred and I devised to do the study.
I am open to any suggestions that will further our understanding of flintlocks. Soon I hope to have a web site devoted to flintlocks. In the meantime, please feel free to write me at 4595 E. Woodland Acres, Syracuse, IN 46567 or email me (larry@blackpowdermag.com)
Summary Chart
Larry Pletcher, editor – www.blackpowdermag.com
Because this article was published 19 years ago, I am having trouble locating the photos that were used in the magazine. I added photos of more recent testing that uses the same equipment and methodology. My summary chart is also missing. It appears above, cut and pasted to fit the page. The spreadsheets below are original to the magazine article.
Rifle has a .58″ Sharon barrel, L&R flintlock, custom stock built by Steve Chapman
When I wrote “Flint Elk Rifle” in 2016, I explained the water test that Rick had done in Colorado. Back in Indiana Steve Chapman and I thought through a number of things we wanted to learn in our water test. Our main goal was to compare penetration and expansion of the ball. Our thinking was that with a ball as large as .58” more expansion wasn’t necessary and might limit the ability to penetrate far enough for large game.
We decided to compare a pure lead ball with an alloy ball in our test. The alloy ball was cast from melting down “hard cast (alloy 2)” pistol bullets from earlier reloading days. The result was a ball that weighed 273.5 to 274 gains. They weigh about 7 grains less than the pure lead ball, but we felt it was not enough different to worry about. I cast enough pure and alloy balls for our test.
We set up in Steve’s back yard with a shooting bench for the shooter, a bench that held 10 one gallon milk jugs full of water, and three cameras. A GoPro camera would do a video, a Canon would take stills at about five per second, and another Canon would do an HD video.
We planned to fire the pure lead ball first and recover the ball. Then we would replace the jugs and fire the alloy ball and recover it. With all cameras ready and Eric helping run the cameras, Steve fired the pure lead ball. There were no surprises here. The ball was found in the fifth jug, having destroyed the first four. We replaced the jugs and got ready to shoot the alloy ball. Our initial thoughts were that the alloy ball would penetrate more jugs than the pure lead ball and expand less. In fact we thought that the ball might deform so little that it might be reused.
The alloy ball shot surprised us. Not only did it penetrate farther than the pure lead ball, it went through all ten jugs and ended up in the woods well beyond Steve’s yard. So, we could not recover the ball to compare expansion. We did notice that the ball destroyed the first 4 jugs and then simply holed the remaining 6 jugs. We have no idea how many jugs would be necessary to stop and recover the ball.
Below are the series of stills of the alloy shot. The action occurs in the .2 second between the first two frames. Fragments of jugs and caps are in the air, and water can be seen coming out of the tenth jug. However the water eruption increases through the next stills.
Last still before firing.#1 First still after the shot.#2 Second shot#3 Third shot#4#5#6 All later shots are covered by water and by smoke from the gun.
Conclusions: It’s safe to say that the alloy ball (#2 alloy) penetrated far better than the pure lead ball. The load of 90 gr. Swiss fffg was chronographed earlier at nearly 1700 fps. The alloy ball penetrated 5 more jugs than the pure lead ball, but we have no idea how many more jugs we would have needed to capture the alloy ball in a jug. Steve reported that the ball loaded as easily as the lead ball.
Neither Steve, Eric, or I have hunted elk, but we feel that this gun and the alloy ball load would be an ideal setup for elk. Note that we used primitive sights and think the sights should determine the effective range of the gun.
The following video is the #2 alloy ball fired at the 10 jugs. It destroyed the first 4 jugs and holed the next 10. We obviously could not recover this ball.
(The cover photo is the Lodding/Wright horn. The most recent posting, it is a spectacular item!)
Postings for the CLA Auction are complete. Thirty-one auction items are included here. An additional item can be seen during the CLA Show prior to the auction. The Show in Lexington is August 18,19. The Auction will be held at 5:00 on the 18th. Below are all the items – click on each one to read about the artist and the item itself.
Steve Lodding (patentbreech1@embarqmail.com) and H.David Wright (dw@davidwrightart.com) have teamed up to create a spectacular engraved powder horn inspired by an original in a private collection. The antique French and Indian War period New York map horn, attributed to the “Pointed Tree” carver contains a base plug that was uniquely painted with a scene of a gentleman hunting birds over his dog.
Lodding, who made and engraved the horn, used features of the “Pointed Tree” carver for this horn. Wright painted the plug.
Steve started with a raw horn; 16 inches in length was donated by noted horn maker, Tom Bowen (American Tradition, July 2011). The completed horn with a 3 inch base plug features a paneled throat and decorative raised rings. The horn surface is completely covered with engraving of a map depicting New York to Lake Ontario including military outposts, waterways, cities, and towns of the mid 1700’s. Interspersed throughout are charming folk art images such as marching soldiers, windmills, ships, pointed trees, several deer, and a dog chasing and a hunter shooting a deer. A fine rendition of British coat of arms also adorns the horn. A cartouche is included, as were on horns during the 18th century and it has been left blank for a future owner to have his or her name engraved. To create even more interest and artistic appeal, Steve polychromed the engraving with red and green colors as were some of the very best map horns of the period, and then aged it with a patina to give it a warm pleasing look of an old horn.
Multi talented gun maker, horner, and all around talented artist, Steve Lodding has been a long time member of the CLA. This is his third work of art he has created and donated to the CLF Funding Raising Auctions.
Artist H. David Wright painted the base plug. Using oil paint such as was used on the original wood plug, Wright set about to copy the art as closely as he could – and also to recreate the aged look of the old painted plug. While examining the original plug, he found, through deterioration and chipped areas of the paint, it had been underpainted with a white base coat – oil paint, or possibly a gesso medium. So, to achieve the same appearance of the painted art, he used white gesso as an underpainting medium and painted over that with oils – adding the glazes and chipped off areas of the paint to replicate the age on the plug. To find a scene painted on an antique powder horn plug is rare, indeed – let alone one of a hunting scene which is very reminiscent of English works. A plug with a painted scene of a hunter makes this powder horn an even more unique contribution to this year’s Live Auction.
David Wright is a charter member of the CLA and this is his third contribution to the CLF auctions.
The early history of the rifle in America is always fascinating and problematic. We know that rifles were in use on the frontier prior to the French and Indian War. John Fraser mentioned the loss of seven “rifled guns’ at the Battle of Fort Necessity. Even earlier, in 1743, the trader John Armstrong stole a “rifled gun” and a horse from a Delaware Indian. Armstrong’s murder when the Delaware caught up with him is recorded in the Pennsylvania Archives.
Who these early gunsmith’s were and what their rifles looked like is primarily an area of conjecture. The known dated early rifles tap out around 1760. Some rifles may be earlier but they are not dated. And early rifles are seldom signed or even initialed. There are a few gunsmiths that reliable documentation suggests were active before 1755. Jacob Dubbs is one of these gunsmiths and so is John Fraser who appears to have apprenticed to Dubbs. Dubbs worked in the Lehigh Valley and a rifle in Rifles of Colonial America is now attributed to him. This is rifle number 59, a rifle with a number of early characteristics.
CLA artist James Frost has created a rifle, loosely based on RCA number 59 and some other early guns from Lehigh and Northampton to Berks and Lebanon. John Bivins noted in 1968 in Longrifles of North Carolina “‘The early rifle, dating before the end of the revolution, tended strongly to exemplify strongly the simplicity of the so-called Queen Anne period. . .”
This rifle captures that spirit which Blevins called “a subtlety of curve and a certain haughty simplicity.”
This gun uses simple but elegant architecture set off by the striking piece of curly maple. James has used engraved brass castings for the furniture in the manner of the engraved castings that were imported from Europe by early gunsmiths. He also used a cast chevron nose cap. These contribute a tough of flash to the clean simple architecture. This rifle has a 38″ swamped B weight Colerain barrel, in 50 caliber. It has a nice balance with the heft of an early rifle.
James Frost has been making rifles for over 30 years and the workmanship and fit on this rifle is flawless. Ray Franks of Sitting Fox Muzzleloaders graciously donated the components for this auction rifle.
The longrifle is an essential part of the longhunter’s kit. But,the longrifle without the hunting bag is a difficult thing to manage. You could put the balls in a your pocket, if you had a pocket, or in your mouth, but probably not enough for a “long hunt” So the hunting bag became a natural accessory to the longhunter’s gun. It was also a presonal piece of equipment, with a number of styles and materials available, sometimes made by a professional bag maker, sometimes by a neighborhood leather worker, and sometimes by the longhunter himself to fit the needs and style of the individual hunter.
Gary Tingler donated two hunting bags to this years auction. One is with the Wrightsman early Lancaster trifle. This one is a stand alone piece. The elk hide used on this bag is very supple with a nice comfortable feel and the long wearing aspects of elk hide. The bag has fine details. There is extensive use of edge binding, on the outside flap and on the interior pocket flap. The applied detail of the hunter’s star on the flap combines with the hand made brass buttons to set the bag off a bit. The hand forged strap buckle and the Kris Polizzi strap show the attention to detail this maker is known for.
This is a chance to own a great bag with interior pockets that will travel well on your hunting trips.
Gary Tingler’s contact information is treeingwalkers@hotmail.com
Text by H Ahlers
Photo 1 by R Lambert
Photo 2 through 5 by H Ahlers
photo 6 by K Tingler
NEW! CLA FUND RAISING T-SHIRT. Printed front and back in full color. This is a vary nice, high quality 6oz 100% cotton Tee with or without pocket. The back image is the painting titled “American Tradition” by CLA artist David Wright. Our American Tradition is what the CLA is about. Order from the CLA website <http://clfshop.longrifle.com/shop/uncategorized/american-tradition-t-shirt-by-cla-artist-david-wright/> or buy at the CLA Show and save shipping.
The linen hunting bag could be in the Appalachian Mountains, especially the Southern Mountains. This breathable fabric style bag was the precursor to the canvas web gear that served our military in two World Wars. The light weight fabric bag works very well as long as you avoid a lot of loose pointy things in the contents.
This linen bag with leather flap is nicely crafted by noted leather worker Andrew Verdon. This bag is very well made with a hand crafted copper button and a full pillow ticking lining. The leather strap has a brass buckle and a nice sized sheath for a knife is sewn on the back. As you can see in the photos the sheath had no trouble accommodating my grandson’s 5 1/2 bladed knife and rawhide liner. The knife is NOT part of this rig.
The sewing is first rate and the construction techniques and materials are historically correct. This is a chance to own a fine fabric bag in Southern style for shooting or for possibles.
Andrew Verdon is a member of the Tennessee Trail Riders and has and interesting web page.
There are few items in a hunter’s kit as crucial as a trusty possibles bag. For this year’s CLF fundraising auction, a trio of artisans – Dwight Umbel, Kris Polizzi, and Jerry Eitnier – teamed up to create a visually stunning bag and horn set that’s sure to become a family heirloom.
The bag itself is the creation of CLA artist Dwight Umbel. Umbel crafted the bag from 2-3 oz. commercially tanned deer hide. The interior of the bag is fitted with an inside pocket, and is lined with medium weight pillow tick. The entire piece was painstakingly hand-sewn with waxed linen thread. Umbel’s skills are on full display on the outside surface of the bag, which was imparted a gracefully aged patina due to the artists’ homemade mixture of leather dyes. This bag exhibits an aged amber hue that looks straight from the frontier. The bag is fitted with a hand-forged iron buckle, and Umbel likewise crafted a cane powder measure and antler-tipped vent pick that attaches to the strap by a hand-made copper link chain.
Umbel specializes in one-of-a-kind pieces. “I can’t say that my bags are period correct,” he says. “I make what I feel is a bag that the individual can wear no matter what time period he depicts. I never know what it will look like until after I dye the bag, it dries, and is treated. No two bags are alike and that’s the joy of it.”
To help complete this first-class rig, Umbel enlisted the help of artist Kris Polizzi, who provided a hand-woven strap. Exhibiting an appropriately natural color scheme, the cotton strap is woven with an eye-catching geometric pattern that tastefully complements the hunting pouch.
The horn for this set was donated by Jerry Eitnier, a consistent contributor to CLF fundraising efforts. “This is what I would call a southern mountain style horn,” he says, “it is not a horn shop type of horn but a horn that would have been made by the owner with what he had on hand.” Typical of Eitnier’s work, the horn exemplifies rugged dependability. “This horn has an acid stain and is lightly aged for a soft warm look,” explains the artist, and “the spots on the horn may be of native American influence.” Fitted with a hickory spout plug and pine base plug sealed with beeswax, this horn is ready for service.
For the artisans involved in this project, the CLA has been vital to their development as artists. “In the last 21 years,” says Eitnier, “the CLA has brought the art of the American longrifle into the mainstream of the art world.” It’s an organization that advances professionalism and camaraderie. “The CLA,” says Umbel, “defines not only friendship, but craftsmanship from artists that inspire you to look deeper into the work you do. I can’t say enough about the CLA.”
For more information on the work of the artists, contact:
In 1748 George Washington was on his first adventure over the Blue Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley. Lord Fairfax had taken a liking to the 16 year old and thought to introduce him to the wilds and the art of surveying. In George’s Journal of My Journey Over the Mountains began Fryday the 11th of March 1747/8 Washington comments on their dinner with Solomon Hedges, Justice of the Peace “When we came to supper there was neither a Cloth upon the table nor a Knife to eat with but as good luck would have it we had our own.” Later in an entry he notes “Everyone was his own cook. Our Spits was Forked Sticks our plates was a Large Chip as for dishes we had none.” A good knife was a necessity to travel over the Blue ridge and beyond.
Charlie Wallingford had donated this fine and useful belt knife to the auction. The 6 inch hand forged blade is mounted through a poured pewter ferrule with two pins in an antler handle. The butt has a silver cap and a bit of border engraving. Charlie includes a fine businesslike belt sheath of polished cow hide. George Washington would have been happy with this knife.
(CLA Auction is August 18 in Lexington)
Text by H Ahlers
Photo 1 by R Lambert
Photos 2, 3, and 4 by H Ahlers
The Chippewa or Ojibwe were a large indigenous nation with an agricultural history and a great engagement in trade. They traded copper, pipestone, and furs. By the late 18th century this highly civilized tribe had absorbed cultural elements and material goods from the Cree to the north, the Iroqouis to the east, and both French and English trade items.
The traditional Ojibwa smoking pipe incorporated some of these changing cultural influences. Pipe axes came into some use, trade beads and metal inlay work appeared on both stone and wooden pipe bowls. Pipe stems might be longer or shorter than 17th century styles.
Don Shaver is a full time native American interpreter at Mansker’s station. He is also a dedicated student of Ojibwe culture and presents this interpretation of an late 1700’s ceremonial pipe. The walnut burl bowl is pewter inlaid and has an almost 3 foot long oak stem. The artistic level of this pipe is high, the geometric pewter inlay blends well with the smooth planes of the pipes bowl. Don is a stickler for natural finishes and they work well on this piece. Don is particularly interested in native American and frontier pioneer woodworking techniques. He is a fine artist and a careful researcher and the Auction is proud to have one of his works to offer.
Don Shaver’s contact information is
shavertina@gmail.com
The powder horn has always been a very personal piece of equipment. Map horns that showed country the bearer already knew like the back of his hand, scrimshawed horns with the owners name, plain buffalo horns that showed that you had killed one, and spotted horns all told a story. The understated but elegant horns in keeping with the plain living, God fearing folks of the Southern frontier and the flamboyant independence celebrating horns of the Tansel family, all make statements about their makers and owners.
Glen Sutt contributed this grand Southern banded horn to this years auction. The color is very appealing with subtle variations of white. Decoration is subtle on this horn, a decorative band at the butt with Glenn’s name and date, two perfectly fitted bands, and a turned cherry plug and applied turned tip. This horn tells the story of Glen’s artisty and meticulous craftsmanship and exhibits his talent at making art out of simple natural material.
Glenn Sutt died earlier this year and will be especially missed by all his friends in the horner community. We will miss his support of the CLA auction and his friendly advice.
Text by H Ahlers
Photos by D Wright
Larry Pletcher, editor – I admired Glenn as an artist and a person. He will be greatly missed.
It’s arguably the most important tool for any outdoorsman: a good blade. But for the modern-day frontiersman who favors period black powder shooting, not just any knife will do. This year’s CLF fundraising auction is fortunately graced with an outstanding knife and sheath set by artisans Robert Park and Linda Pritchard.
Accomplished bladesmith Robert Park handcrafted the knife, which is forged from 1084 spring steel. It’s a well-proportioned piece: the handle is 4 ¼” long, while the blade itself measures 5 ¼” inches. The artist skillfully married a historical pattern with a contemporary twist. It’s “an English trade knife,” says Park, “with some of my own styling.” The handle is crafted from French box wood, with a linseed oil finish.
Park sites the CLA and its artists as a major influence in his work, having studied with noted craftsmen including Joe Seabolt, Ian Pratt, and the House brothers. The CLA, says Park, is simply a “Great organization. The other artists give me a lot of inspiration to make better knives to get to a higher level.”
This project, says Park, was the brainchild of quill artisan Linda Pritchard. Pritchard explains that the sheath which she crafted for this set “is inspired by the quillwork and moose hair embroidery from the Great Lakes region of the 18th and early 19th centuries.” The body of the sheath is constructed from brain tanned deer hide and lined with another sheath made from rawhide. “In this piece,” she says, “I used silk and linen threads and tried to stay as historically accurate in the creation of the sheath as possible while using a bit of my own artistic expression.” The completed sheath was then dyed with black walnut from the Pritchard farm.
Pritchard adorned the face of the sheath with a stunning pattern executed in porcupine quills and moose hair; the sheath is further set off with extra details including glass trade beads, brass hawk bells, and handmade tin cones filled with dyed deer hair. The artist largely crafts her own period-appropriate dyes: madder root for orange, indigo and verdigris for blue, and bloodroot for yellow.
While maintaining a respect for history, Pritchard explores her own artistic vision. “The scalloped moose hair portion along the border of the sheath,” she explains, “was common among the Huron pouches as well as other Great Lakes tribes. The center zigzag design and the quilled wrapped edging was also very common and used throughout the 18th century by the Great Lakes tribes.” Due to such historic examples, the artist observes, “I’m sometimes inspired to recreate an original, but the originals remain only as an inspiration, never as an exact copy.”
This exemplary set is simply the artists’ way of contributing to an organization that has been crucial to their own development as craftspeople. “I feel so humbled to be there among all the great artists,” says Pritchard. “I am so lucky to have the encouragement from the CLA members and fantastic artists there because I am sure without them I would have never been inspired to keep working to improve my craft.”
For more information on the work of the artists, contact:
