Here at the museum where I work I get to rub shoulders with some interesting folks. Among them is Tim Richardson. Tim is a long time member of the "living history" people. He's in the Arkansas group. He has re lived the Hunter/Dunbar Expedition who were contemporaries of Lewis and Clark but explored another river system and given their mission from Thomas Jefferson. Tim helped build and crew the keel boat used in that expedition. There is a documentary about the trip.
Tim has been spending a day a week with me in the blacksmith shop learning things about forging and discussing old tools and ways. Early 19th century surveying is one area he is especially interested in and we are making survey tools for an upcoming living history event this year.
That gives you an idea of the mind set that led up to this knife. Tim showed me a drawing of another maker's rendition of some historic knives, all of which are true to the period and most which employ the use of poured pewter (modern alloy of course).
I will be showing you some pictures of the progress and the mix of old along with new techniques. We used modern tools to save ourselves time but they are built using the same steps.
Topic: Interesting way to make bolsters (Read 1068 times)
