Adventures of an Imperfect Man In Search of a Handmade Life
These have been my most popular item over the years but they are fairly time-consuming to make. They also use a lot of leather and generally a fair bit of hardware, especially if the strap is leather with a buckle. However, they are a lifetime investment and have made quite a few people very happy … Continue reading Possibles Bag
“The truly sociable man is more difficult in his relationships than others; those which consist only in false appearances cannot suit him. He prefers to live far from wicked men without thinking about them, than to see them and hate them.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Dialogues "Naturalistic Philosopher (28 June 1712 - 2 July 1778), steel … Continue reading Avoiding Hate
This will be the last one for a while as I have other projects in the hopper. Two-toned 7 oz. leather. The complete kit will get you started and, if frugal, can start several fires. The strikers are custom made by my friend Eric at Colonial Iron. A bundle of juniper bark and ample charred … Continue reading Flint and Steel
On this day before the coming Burns Night where we celebrate the Bard in virtual lockdown I invite you to pull up a chair, pour a tall drink of something potent, and enjoy a few poems from the master of Scottish vernacular. This evening, I strongly recommend you find a copy of Tam O'Shanter and … Continue reading Burns Night, a Dirge
"And, pray, what can be pleasanter to behold? Talk, indeed, of your pantomimes and gaudy shows; your processions and installations and coronations! Give me, for a beautiful sight, a neat and smart woman, heating her oven and setting in her bread! And, if the bustle does make the sign of labour glisten on her brow, … Continue reading Pleasant to Behold
I have been wanting to make a few sporrans based on the classic 18th century style. This type, often referred to as a Rob Roy style, is a fairly simple, single pocket design that can have a number of variations. The one I'm making here is from 6 oz full-grain hide and should outlive it's … Continue reading Sporran in Progress
Primitive is a loaded word for some people. To me, it means simple and lacking industrial materials. That's not to say primitive cannot be complex or fine work; in fact, it's often just the opposite. Sometimes even, it involves recycling the detritus of the modern world, such as tire rubber for shoe soles. Looking at … Continue reading Practicing Primitive Daily
Maybe it's time to institute Highlander Art Mondays for a while. From James Logan's The Clans of the Scottish Highlands, published in 1845. Great kilt, bill staff, and some fine pampooties.
"An itinerant fiddler is playing for a humble country family. David Wilkie focuses on the listeners’ different expressions. Only two people seem to respond to the music: the baby and the boy on the right, who is imitating the fiddler by playing the bellows.When this picture was exhibited at the Royal Academy some critics thought … Continue reading The Blind Fiddler
Painting by Robert Griffing.
A Highland Outpost by John Pettie.
Disbanded by John Pettie, 1877
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 