Author Topic: Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!  (Read 5350 times)

La Longue Carabine

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Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!
« on: August 09, 2009, 11:28:37 PM »
A few months ago i took an old F & I war horn that i bought and basically re-did it, had my wife do the art work, engrave some designs and then i dyed it too dark. So we scrimed the engravings in white ink so we could see the engravings, but it wasn't real, not totally ours. I really didn't know my butt from a hole in the ground about working on horns. Until i started chating with Scott Morrison ..aka.."41Aeronca" and he gave me the inspiration to start out with a raw horn and just go for it. Between him and the Sibley book, here's my "First", start from scratch, "Powder Horn" I need to thank my wonderful wife for her amazing artistic abilities, in the making of this horn. That girl can draw..  ;)

These Picture's are from the beginning of the project to end...  Thank you "Scott" for all your help and encourgement. I hope to only get better from here.















« Last Edit: August 13, 2009, 07:38:05 PM by La Longue Carabine »

eseabee1

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Re: Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2009, 12:15:12 AM »
looks good

Offline Collector

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Re: Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2009, 05:32:08 AM »
Very, very nice color and proportions.  Well done... but now you've got ANOTHER incurable disease to deal with!  ;D ;D ;D ;D

Top Jaw

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Re: Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2009, 06:25:17 AM »
Danny

I am by no means any kind of authority on the subject, but here is one mans honest appraisal.  I will say I think the horn you made is a great first effort.  Much better than mine.  The build itself was well done.  I liked your final staining also.  I agree that your wife has artistic ability, and this was a good team effort.  

Now here are some thoughts for the next scratch build (yes there will be others, and it sounds like it's something you can do together).   Look over traditional examples of scrimming.  They were typicaly done with a knife or scribe.  Your scrim lines seem too bold, like they were cut with a powered engraving tool of some kind.  Second, look at traditional examples of scrim subjects.  Some of what you have is good, some looks a little like the 1970's "wanna be a mountain man" vein, that many of us used to be in.  

These are little things, but they will make your next horn look more 18th century.  Examples - there is good evidence that longhunters of the 18th century did not wear leather fringe & coonskin caps (that was Fess Parker).  Study examples in your copy of the Sibley book, and on the web.  Lean heavy toward simple "folk art" and away from "artistic", if you know what I mean.  The layout of the cabin attack is well done, but a little to portorait-like with alot of detail (stumps, etc.).  Give the basic idea, in folk art form with a minimum of detail, (such as the scalping with the cabin in the foreground only) if that makes sense.  Simple is good. I also personally stay away from brass tacks, (a later addition) and stick with hand hammered or altered steel tacks or wood pins.  Also, on 18th century names, go for the more formal version....Daniel, Christopher, William, instead of Danny, Chris, or Bill.  Or, if you have a 20th century sounding first name like mine (Brian), that might look a little funny on an 18th century horn, I put an old 18th century ancestors first name ("Ambrose") on the horn I carry.  Always good for a little family history story when I get a question about it.  

These are just one man's thoughts.  Again I think you did a VERY good first horn.  You guys are a nice team.  Keep up the good work!!

Top Jaw  

La Longue Carabine

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Re: Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2009, 05:37:56 PM »
Thank you, Top Jaw and i appreciate your honesty. I did ask for what ya'll think. I kinda knew what i wanted when i started the horn. Which was an 18th century theme, but with modern type art designs. The fact is, 98% of regular people will see this horn, as opposed to 2% of re-enactor types. So i figured what the heck, most of the regular people won't even know what a powder horn is,  ??? let alone know whether the ethcings are PC or not.. ;D

As far as the clothing on the frontiersman, i got the idea to put him on the horn from the book, "The Frontiersmen" by Allan W. Eckert. Which is based on Simon Kenton born April 3rd 1755 and died April 29th 1836 at the age of 81 and the cover of the book has him adorned in a fur cap and buckskined war shirt and leggins with fringe and a frontier cabin, with the stumps left behind from building the cabin...???... I guess i just assumed that it would be within the relm of the 18th century.  ::) Oh well, i'am learning... :D

Most importantly, you are mistaken about one thing. I can assure you the carvings and etchings were done with knives, files, rat tail files, carving blades, notching blades and engraving needles. I worked on this horn everday for 2 1/2 weeks straight & my hands have never hurt so much. If you look close, you'll see several of my slips and uneven lines and on the bold lines you mentioned, after having cut the lines, i went in behind them with the tip of a big sewing needle sized file tip and broadened them out. Slow work for sure, but it was worth it. The only thing modern that touched that horn was the electric drill i used to drill out the spout hole... ;) I hand carved the butt plug to fit and the knob that i installed just yesterday. Oooop's,  ??? my hands were hurting too bad to carve out a spout plug, so i did use a violin peg for that... :D Which made it look real good.

Thank you again, any and all advice and suggestions will always be welcomed.

Danny... :)
« Last Edit: August 10, 2009, 05:52:35 PM by La Longue Carabine »

ottawa

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Re: Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2009, 06:43:14 PM »
good looking horn your hooked sorry to hear about that. this is a long drawn out aflicktion im a fraid most dont recover from  one of the few that puts a smile on your face
Ben

Top Jaw

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Re: Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2009, 05:09:25 AM »
Hey Danny

Please take all my comments with a grain of salt.  I am giving my own "personnal opinions" and wanting to avaid a "critique" (which sounds a little too much like "critisize" to me).  I think that is hard to do in print, sometimes.  You have some real ability there.  Keep using it. 

TJ   

La Longue Carabine

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Re: Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2009, 08:33:35 PM »
Hey Danny

Please take all my comments with a grain of salt.  I am giving my own "personnal opinions" and wanting to avaid a "critique" (which sounds a little too much like "critisize" to me).  I think that is hard to do in print, sometimes.  You have some real ability there.  Keep using it. 

TJ   


I understand what you mean and i thank you. I really want your personal opinions. Since this is my first horn, i'am not opposed to learning new things that could make me a better horn builder.  :D

seesbirds

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Re: Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2009, 05:13:26 AM »
That's a nice job for your first attempt.  Keep at it.

Mark Preston
www.shinintimespowderhorns.com

La Longue Carabine

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Re: Tell Me What You Think, Fella's!!
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2009, 07:29:31 PM »
That's a nice job for your first attempt.  Keep at it.

Mark Preston
www.shinintimespowderhorns.com

@!*% Mark,  :o i mean dang Mark. After seeing the horns you've made on your site, i may just quit. You my friend have it going on, and to have you compliment anything i've done, is a real honor.... :)

Thank you,
Danny