Here is an update on one of my favorite throwers. It was created one morning from a scrap of Osage Orange wood from the bow-making pile. The finger loops are rawhide. The style is a generalized Basketmaker/Great Basin but is probably a bit heavier than some of the originals as I throw darts that are probably heavier too. It works for me. It has no weight attached yet in the above photo but had one added later just for the “tradition”. It throws well; even with my heavy Paleo darts.
This small but efficient hook style has never let me down.I really enjoy seeing how much the Osage orange wood has darkened over time to a beautiful depp color.The weight is attached with pitch glue (that has somehow never failed yet) and lashed tight with sinew and hide glue.The natural curve of this piece is perfect for me.I wasn’t really sure if I was going to succeed with these loops but they have held up remarkably well.The weight is a chunk of argillite from central Arizona.
This piece has made me think of longevity of simple tools. Since I made my first thrower in 1987 I have learned much from examination and experimentation. If I used it everyday, I’m certain it would be battered and possibly broken by now. When a spear thrower isn’t being used for its intended purpose, I suspect it would be a club, digging stick, reach pole, or any other purpose that a stick is used for.
I think of this type of bag as a forager bag, mainly because it is the type I carried in the late 80s while working on a High Adventure summer program teaching outdoor skills. It’s really just a classic shooting bag; the type that could be found just about anywhere in North America or Europe for the past three hundred years in similar form.
7 ounce Hermann Oak leather is thick but supple. Antler toggle closure keeps contents secure.
Double needle saddle stitching for flap and pocket.
Interior pocket to separate small items.
Heavy, harness brass buckle and pure brass rivets complete the bag.
Sometimes it’s nice to have the security of a bag strapped closely to the body and not swinging around your neck and shoulders. This little 9 x 5 x 2 inch design has done quite well over the past year and has been a popular seller in the shop.
Made from 7 oz. veg-tanned leather it will last through a lifetime of hard use.Solid brass hardware will never rust and patinate beautifully over time.If you like this kind of work, please consider clicking the “like ” button and follow my shop on Etsy.I worked to give this pouch a distressed look for a little extra character right out of the box.Double needle saddle stitching will provide security and strength for many years.
The shop has been a little slow with outside projects and day work taking over my hours. However, I do get a few things done along the way and some projects are coming to a completion. I have a load of FLINT & STEEL fire kits on the way for late winter purchase and have put the first up in the shop today (https://www.etsy.com/shop/LostWorldCrafts). There are a surprising number of steps to getting even a simple composite toolkit like these together from the metalwork, leather cutting, dying, sewing, adding the findings and closures, and finally photographing to get them posted in the shop.
Fire Steels from Eric Bartch of Colonial Iron.
I had already designed the pouch style early in the summer and a few sold quickly so my next step was to get some high quality fire steels from within my Maker Family. I put in the order with my old friend Eric and he produced these extremely beautiful strikers for the project.
Simple pouch design that I feel is perfect for my fire kit.
I decided to sew up this round without measuring or marking the stitch line to give them a rustic look. I have mixed feelings about this so I may go back to the more uniform looking stitch marker for the upcoming bags. Each bag will be a little different, with variations on the closures and any added features as whimsy strikes me along the way.
Recycled tinderboxes are an affordable and sturdy option.
If you aren’t familiar with flint & steel fire-making the tinderbox serves a two-fold purpose; to provide a chamber to make charred tinder and to hold and protect the tinder from moisture over time.
The striker doesn’t have to be this beautiful to be functional but to have both form and function makes for a loved tool.
To up the ante, so to speak, on this kit I included a flint from Knife River North Dakota. Some real primo stuff. Needless to say, the high carbon steel strikes very well and produces great sparks. A kit like this will become an heirloom and will only improve with age.
Form and function.
As always, my designs are informed by 18th Century style and are designed for hard use in the wild. If you are interested, wander over to the shop or follow the blog to find out when the next round will be in the market.
Here are some throwback photos from Ghillie shoe making classes from 2009 and 2011. The first pair is from a small class at the Bois d’Arc Rendezvous in southwest Missouri (note the lush green of late summer). Maybe not as sexy as the arrow-making class but it is a very real and useful skill. I have been honing the teaching method since I was taught how to fit and make these back in 1986.
One of the appeals this design has for many people is that they require very little sewing. If you don’t work with leather regularly, stitching can be intimidating. Some careful cutting and you can make some stylish shoes in a short time.
An hour of work and you’re ready to walk the world. More importantly, with the knowledge in your head you can always make more and keep right on walking.
These ratty old moccasins have spent a lot of time in the woods. These have been my winter moccasins for over two decades. I can’t remember exactly when I made them but it was a quick and dirty sewing job. They have been re-soled at least twice and need it again. The uppers are an oil-tanned leather I bought from a saddle and boot maker supply house I found while driving through north Texas. As can be seen, the tops can be worn up or down. They aren’t beauties but they are definitely ME.
Does this mean we should neglect our intellect? Absolutely not.
In fact, the opposite. We should strive to cultivate both mind and body to become the most perfect specimen we can become, daily.
I came across this passage while reading a bit this morning from Amateur Joinery in the Home (1916) by George and Berthold Audsley and thought it would be worthwhile to share.
There is a lot of good advice here but the above sentences stuck with me while taking the morning walk. “One never knows when life or limb may depend on the expert use of the hand and ordinary tools.” This could be applied to so many facets of an interesting life and is the basis of human survival that has put us where we are for a million years.
I have been using the down time afforded us by the events of 2020 to catch up on an ever-growing list of books and articles I have been amassing for decades. When I was working in archaeology full-time, the hundreds of pages of reading most weeks necessary just to keep current pushed many other interests into side avenues. I hope you all are using your time in a way that works well for you. In the mean time, this book is available for anyone with an interest in tools and working with their hands. It may even inspire new projects.
Well this is exciting. I got interviewed at winter count near Florence, Arizona back in February.
It’s heavily edited from a much longer discussion but I don’t think I sound too stupid here talking about the Vardo. The interview is very close-up and tight but you can get a feel for the interior layout. There is a lot of good stuff on the Cheap RV Living website and I’ve been a reader for a very long time. Check it out.
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 