Hershel House featured on old TV segment?

[RobertS]

I have had this nagging doubt for some time that I recall seeing Hershel House on a 15 or 20 minute segment of a television show in the early 1980's.  It seems like I recall him doing forgework on the show, and showed his Model A truck and his old shop.  It seems like it may have been  on public television, but I could be wrong about all of this.  I wonder if this could have been my imagination, and if not, if anyone knows the name of the program and whether there are any links where that segement could be viewed over the web.  Thanks, if anyone knows, it will be one of you!  You all are the best!

[G-Man]

I think there was a segment on "Kentucky Life" (airs on Kentucky Public Television) a long time back.  They have a website so you might be able to find it.

Guy

[RobertS]

I found it at http://www.ket.org/cgi-bin/cheetah/watch_video.pl?name=kkyli_000107_house though I don't think it is the one that I had in mind.  I am thinking the one I had in mind was in the early 1980's and this show was produced in 1995.  It is worth watching, and that's why I thought I'd put the link here for others to see.  Thanks again, Guy!

[Sam Everly]

I remember one with the truck and his old white frame house. I have no idea when it was though . I think it may have been the 90's .

[PINYONE]

what a great Video- like to see the rifle on there posted on here if anyone has it- Herschel is down to Earth the real deal- PInYONE

[Brian]

What a treat to watch!  Thank you so much for posting that link.  I'd like to see some pictures of "Old Betsy".

[RobertS]

You are very welcome, and thanks again to Guy for pointing me in the right direction.  I have been hanging around here and soaking up the knowledge, but this is the first time I think I have been able to contribute something of interest to benefit the rest of you.  I still think that is not the video I was looking for, but if I ever find it, I'll post it here, as well. 

[ValleyBlacksmith]

Hello! First post, glad I found this site.
I too recall seeing the Herschel House feature many years ago. It was on PBS and I remember it showing him riding around in a model A pickup with his dog in the cab with him.
Also shown was Mr. House doing some forging at his anvil, a flint cock and some hot filing.
He then did some shooting outside his shop with a newly made flinter and demonstrated the importance of reading the fired patch.
This was after I got out of the service so it had to be '89 or a bit later.
Also I happened to find him in one of the Foxfire books, a much younger Mr. House.
Recently I saw another very similar segment featuring Mr. House again which was a much newer production showing his new shop which replaced the original lost to fire. It was very similar to the first one from many years before.
One of these days I'll get off my duff and order his DVD's on blacksmithing. I hear they are very good. Daniel.

[msmith]

Thanks for putting that clip on,pretty interesting.I seen one of the House boys on History channel awhile back,Daniel Boone & David Crockett. Maybe I will get to meet them when I win that rifle they built,In Lexington Kentucky this August.

[G-Man]

That was Frank on the History Channel special.  As most people know he worked on "The Patriot" and "Master and Commander" films as well.

You guys might like to know there is yet another great Hershel gun posted on Art Riser's Contemporary Makers Blog Spot yesterday - one of his neatest variations on the captured lid and double lid patchbox designs all rolled into one.

I seem to recall an older feature on him as well on PBS and it might have been another really early episode of Kentucky Life - not sure how long that has been on the air. 

Their work is always fun to see.  There was a really nice display of Hershel and Frank's work at the Lake Cumberland show and even Hershel's guns from over 30 years ago still hold up as just really superb pieces.  I was lucky enough to meet him and see some of his work when I was a kid back then and it really got me hooked.

Guy

[longrifle]

Very interesting video thanks for posting it. 

[ottawa]

  not long enough  of a clip now that was good sort of like only a half scoop of icecream left and the store is closed. now he has a vidio of blacksmithing out ? where would i find it?and is it on just blacksmithing or the methoudes he uses in building his tools and rifle parts?

[RobertS]

You can buy his blacksmithing videos at http://www.americanpioneervideo.com/bsmith.html or you can rent them at http://smartflix.com/  .  I've been wondering whether I'd prefer to buy or rent first and see if I like it.  Trouble is, it is about $10 to rent, and about $30 to buy, which I think for me makes it kind of a tossup.