Author Topic: Another batch of primers started,.....some finished pics*  (Read 1965 times)

Online aaronc

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Another batch of primers started,.....some finished pics*
« on: July 27, 2018, 09:44:09 PM »
Got started scratchin  on another batch of primers a few days ago...did some more work today on 2 of them. On horn #1 I have the "Goddess of Liberty head" finished,...may add some more touches to that side but she is complete. There is a great write up in this book on it's origins etc,...

Other image on horn #2 is a sketched out Rupp eagle. I'm always looking for federal eagles that appeal to me and trying different ones. To my eye this one has an aged stylistic look which is what I liked about it. Will begin applying ink to it next session.

     Both of these images were actually not originally scrim obviously but off of rifles. I just went with it and scrimmed accordingly using them for reference. Neither are meant to be what you guys call bench copies but simply hand to eye reference. Hopefully will post all 4 finished horns sometime next weekend or early next week. I work weekends so no scratchin for a few days for me.

Down the road gentleman...-Aaron C








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« Last Edit: August 06, 2018, 08:50:40 PM by aaronc »
- Aaron C
At the work bench.

Offline blackdave

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2018, 12:22:04 AM »
Nice work! I like 'em! ;D
" If a man wants to carry a cat home by the tail, I say let him! He's going to be getting several times as much information as the man who hasn't tried it. And it isn't likely to ever become dim or doubtful, either! It isn't always easy to be eccentric, you know."   Mark Twain

Offline stubshaft

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2018, 09:05:00 AM »
I'd be proud to carry it.  Good work.
I'd rather die standing, than live on my knees...

Online aaronc

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....Some finished pics*
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2018, 08:44:26 PM »
Got some ink on these 4 smallies,...just different things for subject matter. The horse is part of the Pennsylvania coat of arms also found on Rupp rifle that the eagle was on.
























- Aaron C
At the work bench.

Offline rich pierce

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2018, 08:50:27 PM »
Great style!
Andover, Vermont

Offline Martin S.

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....some finished pics*
« Reply #5 on: August 06, 2018, 10:48:30 PM »
Nice work, are these for sale?

Online aaronc

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....some finished pics*
« Reply #6 on: August 06, 2018, 11:06:09 PM »
As far as I know but I am just the scratch man on these. They belong to William "Bill" Smith of Elizabethtown, KY.  He's a bag and hornmaker. He's a good friend of mine and I hang out in his shop and work with him when I get a chance. He is not on ALR but is known to several on here,...he donates a bag to the CLA auction every year etc,..I'm dropping the 4 of these of at his shop tomorrow. He can be contacted at  270-307-5696. I think Heinz posted this email as
 wsmithblackpowder@windstream.net     for his contact info on the haversack thread.

He also sets up at the CLA show in Lexington coming up soon. Anything his has finished is usually there with him I think.

Thanks for the comment -Aaron
- Aaron C
At the work bench.

Offline Greg Pennell

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....some finished pics*
« Reply #7 on: August 07, 2018, 02:30:14 AM »
Beautiful work, Aaron!  I’ll have to look Bill up at the show and see if he has one left!

Greg
“Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks” Thomas Jefferson

Online aaronc

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....some finished pics*
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2018, 03:25:58 AM »
I was up there in 2014. May or may not be able to make a day trip out of it this year. If I remember right he is in the grand ball room. When you walk in the big doors he was more toward the other end,..but its been 4 years now so my memory could be rusty. Not sure if you've been there or not but the CLA show is sprawling....it takes up about 4 huge areas. My eyeballs were on sensory overload.....tons of handcrafted items at it's finest.  It is indeed impressive.
- Aaron C
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Offline elkhorne

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....some finished pics*
« Reply #9 on: August 07, 2018, 03:39:24 AM »
Aaron,
Beautiful work. I have purchased thread from Mr. Smith before and he is a pleasure to deal with. I have been trying to do some scratch work on turkey calls I make and have several horn projects sitting in the wing. I have used a sharpened nail in a dowel that Cory Joe Stewart sent me one time but seems to really drag. What type of tool do you use for your scratch work and you would recommend to someone just starting out? Also, I have tried to use the India ink from Hobby Lobby on wingbone turkey calls but it seems to smear too much. Looking for other ideas for coloring. Sure would like to do such nice work as you someday. Thanks and good luck.
elkhorne

Online aaronc

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....some finished pics*
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2018, 04:32:46 AM »
Aaron,
Beautiful work. I have purchased thread from Mr. Smith before and he is a pleasure to deal with. I have been trying to do some scratch work on turkey calls I make and have several horn projects sitting in the wing. I have used a sharpened nail in a dowel that Cory Joe Stewart sent me one time but seems to really drag. What type of tool do you use for your scratch work and you would recommend to someone just starting out? Also, I have tried to use the India ink from Hobby Lobby on wingbone turkey calls but it seems to smear too much. Looking for other ideas for coloring. Sure would like to do such nice work as you someday. Thanks and good luck.
elkhorne

elkhorne,
               I'm not sure I'm the most qualified to answer all that ,.matter of fact I know I'm not but I will answer you to the best of my ability.

Tools,...I've been asked this before and here is a pic with contact info. I got mine through fleabay shop. In my opinion they are top notch. Don't know the guy and have no affiliation with him,..but love his tools. The tool that works best for you is the one to use. Try different things,..everybody has their favorite. Folks modify all types of things from dental tools to exacto knives to scratch with. My try at something homemade didn't go well. I actually didn't try again for a few years. A guy named Mark Preston posted these tools in a thread once and I ordered one,...never looked back. I have 2 and plan to order more.










Ink- don't remember where I got it but this is what I have used. Nothing special. I am wanting to do some polychrome soon and have ordered some Windsor Newton colored ink that should be here in a few days. But this is the black that I have used

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Daler-Rowney-Simply-Black-India-Ink-1-oz/22960693?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=709&adid=22222222227018266124&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=156489867358&wl4=pla-268427016435&wl5=9014850&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=22960693&wl13=709&veh=sem


I sketch my stuff out directly on my horn or whatever with a soft pencil. A # 6B as of late. Hard pencils wont show up on some of the horn surfaces,..so I would just get a cheap pack of varying pencils and use what works. Others have a whole process of putting an image on a surface with special carbon paper and I don't know what all,....I cant or wont do that,..just seems harder to me. I either pull it outa my noggin or many times use reference from my ever expanding library or the net and sketch it on. I might as well make use of all these books I have. ...........but again,..do what works for you.


Surface prep - this is key to any scrim. All the horns I've shown are sanded to 220 and buffed with some steel wool. May see a little scratch here and there but the process of making the horn has put it basically ready to scrim. So I don't do anything extra. "Powderhorn Bill"  as I call him gives everything a once over with Johnson paste wax I think when a horn is complete...I'm sure that helps.


So,..surface prepped,..sketch image,...scratch image with chosen tool,..I apply ink with q-tip,..let dry  a minute,...wipe off with a small piece of paper towel and rubbing alcohol. Go over again as needed. I buff occassionaly and for sure when done with steel wool to get the snags out and keep my grooves clean.

When all is said I done I go over everything I do with Renaisaance Wax. Don't ask me what the stuff does exactly but I like it. Tons of info on the net about it.

 
Like I said I'm no master engraver  or scrimshander but if somebody ask I'll tell ya. Powderhorn Bill tells me everytime im up there " I aint got no secrets".  So I don't either. Any more questions feel free to post or PM. If it helps I'll add pics on next project.

Best -Aaron


« Last Edit: August 08, 2018, 11:44:37 PM by aaronc »
- Aaron C
At the work bench.

JB

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....some finished pics*
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2018, 10:35:20 PM »
Those are sweet.  Nice Job!

Offline dogcatcher

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Re: Another batch of primers started,.....some finished pics*
« Reply #12 on: August 08, 2018, 11:25:47 PM »
Those are really nice looking.  You may not claim to be an expert, but you really do know what you are doing.  I have only played with horn scrimshaw, but you described a quick how to that can lead anyone down that path.  The source of the tooling on eBay is Coulter Precision.  They sell other stuff, but here is the scrimshaw inventory.   https://www.ebay.com/str/coulterprecision/Printmaking-Scimshaw-Etching/_i.html?_storecat=235192219