Traditional Craft

The Jeweler's Saw | Gun Making Tools of the 18th Century and Today | Muzzle Blasts

The Jeweler's Saw | Gun Making Tools of the 18th Century and Today | Muzzle Blasts

When I was a young man, I apprenticed under a master tool and die maker. In the first two years I worked with him I seldom saw him use a milling machine, he did it all with a file. Being young and headstrong I would often complain, but his reply was always the same: before you can use the mill, you must master the file.

Frank House on Making a Chasing Hammer

Frank House originally shared this post on the CLA facebook page

Alright Engravers,

Time to think about chasing hammers!

FHouse_ChasingHammer_1

The idea here is to use a very light hammer (mine weighs in at 2.9 oz) with a thin flexible handle as the lighter and faster taps will not only yield a finer and more consistent cut, your gravers will hold out far longer with less breakage of your tip. (More on that later)

To get started, I use machinable brass

and have posted at least one source for 1" stock (photo)

Machine the head to the dimensions provided in the drawing and bore a 3/8" (.375) eye for the handle and then, using a tapered reamer relieve the eye slightly from both the top and bottom so that the handle will "swage" itself into place with a wooden wedge.

FHouse_ChasingHammer_2
FHouse_ChasingHammer_3
FHouse_ChasingHammer_4
FHouse_ChasingHammer_5
FHouse_ChasingHammer_6
FHouse_ChasingHammer_7

The handle dimensions are 1" diameter at the butt or grip end, .300" at the neck or smallest portion and

.400" at the portion that goes through the eye with a slight taper to .375" or 3/8".

I have as well listed a chasing hammer along with the contact info (photo) from Rio Grande that will suffice.

Next up, shaping the graver and sharpening!

Upwards and onwards!

FHouse_ChasingHammer_8
FHouse_ChasingHammer_9

3 Moccassin Patterns and Tutorials

3 Moccassin Patterns and Tutorials

These patterns were shared by Wil Crouch in the “Buckskins & Muzzleloaders, The Life & Times Of The Mountain Men, 1760-1840” Facebook Group. Try making a pair and let us know how it goes!

Preserving the "Journal of Historical Armsmaking Technology" Book Series


First published in 1985, this series provides a scholarly approach to understanding the technologies which have comprised the gunmaking trade since its inception.

Unboxing a Jim Chambers Flintlock Kit with Blackpowder TV

Black Powder TV unboxes a muzzleloader kit from our friends at Jim Chambers Flintlocks LTD! Check out the video today

2020 Gunmakers Hall Incentive Rifles by Mike Miller and Malchiah Pifer

2020 Gunmakers Hall Incentive Rifles by Mike Miller and Malchiah Pifer

Just try to imagine what a gunsmith in the 1770's would look like in a Kentucky settlement. He would have lived and worked close by in his log cabin home. His shop would be close to his home. The man would live his work and he would be so dedicated to his work, he would lose all track of time.

Greg Murry overcame adversity to become the artist he is today | Excerpt

In this week's episode of the Muzzle Blasts Podcast, we sit down with Greg Murry to talk shop about his rifles, artwork and more.

How to make a sheath for your camp or belt axe | Late 18th Century

How to make a sheath for your camp or belt axe | Late 18th Century

On this week's episode of Crossman's corner from the NMLRA, we're going to show you how to make this small camp axe sheath based on an original from the 18th century.

The Liberty Cap in the Art of the U.S. Capitol

While researching this week’s episode of the Muzzle Blasts Podcast, we came across this article from the Art of the Capital Website with some great information on where the Liberty Cap is seen in art and architecture.

Bill Raby finishes his Lancaster Rifle Build Tutorial Series

Bill is building a 50 caliber Lancaster, Pennsylvania style flintlock rifle based on one made by Isaac Haines around 1770.

This is a good example of one used around the time of the Revolutionary War.

We’d like to thank Bill for sharing the NMLRA during his videos! builders like Bill are a major part of what we all love to do here at the NMLRA.

➽ ➽ Support this content - nmlra.org/store/membership ➽ ➽

"It's Important that somebody remembers" | The Story of the Liberty Cap | Muzzle Blasts Archives

"It's Important that somebody remembers" | The Story of the Liberty Cap | Muzzle Blasts Archives

Of all of the interesting headgear associated with the American Revolution, one of the simplest forms, so simple in fact that no regular Continental units ever adopted it as an official hat, was the "Liberty Cap." During the Revolution this was generally a wool or cotton cap with the word Liberty or Liberty or Death em­broidered across its front in an opposing color. A few battalion infantry and numerous light in­fantry units wore miters with this legend emblazoned across their fronts (Congress being an­other legend), light infantry mi­ters sometimes saying Liberty or with a skull and cross bones re­placing Death, the words requir­ing more room than the shorter light infantry miter could af­ford, the skull and crossbones being more easily squeezed into the space.