A few things I've made lately

[john s mosby]

Here's a few small things I've made lately. On the left is a small salt horn, next to it is a horn suger container and on the right is a ball bag. I want to try a rum horn next but gotta find a horn. Sounds like a trip to Dixon's is in order.

 

[bob1961]

nice stuff, must be nice to just hop in the car and go to dixons like i would go to the store fer food :hatsoff: :v ................bob

 

[soggy]

:thumbsup: Nice looking gear Mr. Mosby :bow:
Soggy

 

[rsblack]

very good work :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[john s mosby]

It's a bit more than running to the store for milk and bread, more like an hour and a half drive, but always worth the trip.

 

[shmrck1]

John,
Very nice!!!!
snake-eyes:hatsoff:

 

[Titus]

Great work John. :hatsoff: :bow:

 

[50cal.cliff]

:hatsoff:
Great stuff. I am really, really , really interested in how you made that ball bag. Is there an online tutorial on this subject? If not would you like to do a online tutorial on this subject? :hmm:
I posted this same question on The Craftsman forum under "I have a question". I had a lot of lookers but no one answered me on, how to! :winking:
I like those ball bags, but I also saw on Ebay a canteen and ball bag done by same fellar. The canteen is just a different version of a ball bag. Let's just say the light bulb lit up! Now I am on a mission to learn how to make one! :rotf:

 

[john s mosby]

50cal.cliff

I'm sure others here on the forum could tell you much better than me how to make a ball bag.
There may be a tutorial somewhere on this forum but I never found one.
I'll be happy to tell you how I did it though. I wanted a stiff bag so I used fairly thick leather, about like you would use for a pistol holster. I sewed it flat, then I put it in warm water in the sink, weighted it down, and left it there for 3 or 4 hours.
Then I took a 1/4 inch dowel and forced the small end open, then a bigger dowel until it was the size opening I wanted, for me it needed to be big enough for a 54 cal ball.
Then I got some dry sand and started pouring small amounts in the top and pushing it down and adding more sand and packing it down tight until the leather expanded as far as I figured it would go.
Once all the sand was in I put the dowel back in the top so it would hold it's shape and let it dry for 5 hours.
Then I dumped the sand out. I put several balls in and shook the bag to get all the sand out.
Actually, I was amazed how much the leather expanded, and how hard the leather was when it dried out.
All that's left is carving a stopper.

Hope this helps you out a bit.

 

[50cal.cliff]

Hey thanks for the info! I am amazed again just how much a fellar can learn on these forums. The stiching on your bag makes it look like it was sewn on a machine, but I suspect it was actually hand sewn. Wish I could get my stitching to look that good. :bow: :bow: Great work!

 

[john s mosby]

Thanks for the kind words.
Actually, keeping the hand stitching straight is the hardest part, at least for me it is. You have to really watch when you lay the marks out, I used an old set of dividers to make a faint line along the edge and then I set it for how far apart I wanted the stitches. Then it's just a question of being careful with your awl. It's sure not something you can just eyeball.
Take your time at this point, you'll be glad you did.

 

[jasontn]

did you buy or make the wood for your horns? im working on a set for my haversack for myself. nice work im starting to like working horns as much as old kitchen knives

 

[john s mosby]

The wood is from a regular white pine 1 by 4. I may try some other stuff made from horns. I don't need any more powder horns.

 

John all of those items look real good.
Very professional.
The stitching looks great. :hatsoff: