Sunday, June 30, 2013

Ian Pratt Knives

drop point knife with the elk antler handle 


This rifleman's knife features primitive styling and a well used overall appearance . Nicely slim with a carefully tempered, hand forged 7" long spring steel blade, a rustic poured pewter collar, and a whitetail crown end antler handle. Just under 11 1/2" over all length. 


Copy and photos supplied by Ian Pratt.

Appalachian Style Powder Horns by Jeff Bibb

Small flat Southern Appalachian horn with moon folk art. About 8″ around the slight curve. American chestnut base plug, shaped to horn base.

Small Southern Appalachian squirrel rifle horn. About 8 – 9″ around the curve. Narrow grain pine base plug. Forged nail strap attachment.

Typical Southern Appalachian mountain horn. About 12″ around the curve. Carved, tapered spout. Turned fir base plug with 3 rings. Iron pins, flattened staple.
Copy and photos supplied by Jeff Bibb.

Items in the Williamsburg Dewitt Museum










Doglock
England, ca. 1650
Iron/steel

A new form of flintlock was developed early in the seventeenth century. In this design, the steel and the pan cover were combined into one piece. Many variations in the mechanical details of these locks occurred over the next half-century in an ongoing effort to make them stronger, faster, safer, more convenient, and less expensive. While the snaphaunce form of lock continued to be favored by Spanish and Italian gunsmiths, Northern Europeans adopted this new lock type almost exclusively.

"Dog" refers to the small catch used to hold the cock in a safety position. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, locks with this mechanism generally were called "ketch (catch) locks".

Advantages:
Self-igniting
Could be made relatively weatherproof
Fast ignition
Relatively simple mechanism
Quick to cock















Photos supplied by Ken Gahagan.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

1750 to 1775 era New England Pistol by Eric Kettenburg

.54 caliber smoothbore, 8 1/4" octagon-to-round barrel, 
walnut, brass, well aged antique patina finish



Copy and photo supplied by Track of the Wolf.

Items in the Williamsburg Dewitt Museum















Photos supplied by Ken Gahagan.