Wow, at CLA I really appreciated how many really good knife, bag and horn makers there are. I don't know how some folks travel to shows with tables full of stuff selling at bargain prices for the amount and quality of work involved. It really is a labor of love. There is some very high quality stuff that looks comparable to the "name" makers' work, often at 1/3 the price. There are a few makers who have an unique style that probably appeals to a certain niche in the longrifle culture. For those making generic stuff (that means it was common in the day; something to be said for that) the competition must be fierce for sales. Because I don't consider myself a horner, but like making horns now and then, I'll make one now and then and sell it for comparatively little. But to have tables full of well made horns at less than $150 apiece is amazing. I sure can't complete a decent "somewhat decorated" horn (engrailing, maybe some engraving, coloring, aging, etc) in less than 10 hours, and the supplies aren't free. I like to make a knife now and then, too, but start to finish will probably be 20 hours for a fixed blade knife that is fairly plain. I don't know, maybe once one gets good they can make a half dozen knives a week. Like I said, all this seems very much a labor of love, and we are the beneficiaries.
I would say the work being done now in many types of accoutrements is overall far more historically based and authentic than was ever the case before. Probably we just know more about originals. Also there have been so many who have shared their knowledge and taught classes. This has to have made a big difference in lifting the overall quality of work.
