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Post by ThunderMoon on Feb 25, 2011 1:22:24 GMT -5
;D
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Post by GW on Feb 26, 2011 4:08:17 GMT -5
Fort hose interested in quillwork see this link for WIllIm Orchard's seminal work on the art/craft - it's free and in a downloadable PDF format The technique of porcupine-quill decoration among the North American Indians By William C. Orchard books.google.com/books?id=PSwTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PP5&dq=william+orchard&hl=en&ei=LcBoTc6wGoPksQPwyMGmBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=falseFor needles I prefer #9 sharps needles, the bead needles just break too often for me and fine silk thread - one source for fine silk thread are fly rod building sites. Mostly it just takes lots of practice. Anotehr option for thread is cotton wrapped poly button hole thread. IMO for me the best way to moisten the quills is place them inside a damp towel after clipping off the barbs - that way they don't get too wet - too wet and the innards squirt out and that's not good. For flattening I use a piece of antler to pre-flatten and then adter wards I use one made out of steel that can be lightly heated over a candle and then use it to flatten - a heavy steel spoon works good for this. Joanne looks good - change to a thinner thread and it will help a lot........BTW - did I see you say the handel was coming loose on your knife? If so send it back and I'll fix it - guaranteed..... FWIW - here's an example of my quillwork - a mix of pound beads and quillwork....
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Post by JoAnne2Crows on Feb 26, 2011 5:44:29 GMT -5
Hey! It's real great to see you Chuck! What a lovely knife and sheath.. Can't see the knife! Hope you post a thread for both the knife and the sheath in the knife section! hahaha.. see you're reading the knife sections as well. That James is doing some wonderful knives, isn't he! So nice to have you all posting your work. And no worries about your knife and sheath.. they're just fine. missin' a few cones and beads is all but dang it if my youngun's can't keep their paws off of everything! That's okay with me! Sorry I lost a few cones.. had it been me I might have noticed immediately.. maybe not.. but I can see myself down on all fours looking!! I'd rather my kids lost of few beads and cones than forget about a knife of yours back on some dusty shelf! No way hose'! And thanks for the link to Wm Orchards quillworking.. Nice! thanks.. Will try to get that recorded on my ipad device.. little more portable than my desktop... You know I love how the antler bumps around the handle of your knifes continue on the beadwork on the edge of your knife.. like your sheath reflects nature.. It is FINE fine work there! You're an incredible artist Chuck.. and it is a pleasure to have your company! That's so beautiful! Check this latest acquisition of mine out. How I spent my afternoon.. got out the powerwasher and it was COLD too! But it was worth it.. this was a FINE bull bison and really a great skin. I have dreams for this one just like my first! Aren't these creatures magnificent?? They sure are dirty! I can't help but smile to see the successive pics of my work this afternoon.. The wonder of it's fur stands out in the first pic and then stands out in the last! My son helped me get this very aromatic skin out of the bottom of a thawed freezer that was in the base ment of the local bison farmers father! I bought my son a monster drink for pulling it out of the freezer for me.. He was VERY reluctant about it.. but I wasn't getting it out of there without the strength of a man so I implored him to give it some muscle! I was telling the gals my age down to the store about my son's bravery here.. the gal behind the counter told me I was getting off 'cheap'! LOL>. yep.. indeed.. anyway after getting the skin into the trunk of the gas economizer car we took a jaunt over to the farm and I got out and took a couple shots of the bison.. If you take notice the Bull moves in front of the babies protectively.. He was as afraid of me as I was of him! Well anyway I have high hopes of putting this skin to some use. It was a bull and an older one so no robe stuff here.. Bad Hand calls this mocc sole material. My powerwasher really cleaned it up NICE.. It's still skin side down in the snow.. we had a dusting of snow. hopefully the back yard looks white again! Geez.. Anyway I'm hoping to keep some of that dark epidermis intact.. not sure how to go about that but I'm getting some phone numbers to those who might have a better idea tomorrow. Well tomorrow is already here! I do sleep! Sometimes rather early too. May just go back to sleep! As it's still only 20 min to 6! Think I will cut the wool off this bison too.. not sure how best to do that.. Shear it off with a knife?? Not sure if I can do that and not harm the dark brown layer.. epidermis I guess.. anyway this is all fun stuff to me! ps...thank you for the tips, Chuck.. going to look for some 9 sharps and some silk thread and or some cotton covered button wrapped poly too.. and also for the tips on moistening and flattening too.. I have just the spoons and antlers..too.. AND.. I sometimes use a piece of leather for those barbs..don't want to loose those tips in my house.. I'm a barefooter ALL the time! pss.. I love the knife and sheath I got from you.. it's very fine. Even more so because of the history;). I should use it to cut this bison into sections while it's soft. It's very thick and it might outperform all my knives! bring me good luck too! Be like having you there to help me divide this work into something a bit easier to handle! Sometimes nice tools make a job.. easier. Good steel you put into that knife.. most of my knifes are not from THE STATES! Most wouldn't use the knife but to me.. there's some MTN MAN in it! Damned good thing to have and hold, FWIW.. lol.
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