Conner Prairie Traditional Arts & Arms Making Workshop 2016

Traditional Arts & Arms Making Workshop

CLASS SCHEDULE

OCTOBER 1-7, 2016

Conner Prairie’s hands-on classes provide a rare opportunity to work closely with some of the nation’s best craftsmen. Small class sizes in well-equipped facilities allow you to develop skills from a basic level to advanced. Register today as classes fill quickly. All materials are included in class price. Tools provided, unless otherwise noted.

All classes take place at Conner Prairie, 13400 Allisonville Rd., Fishers, IN  46038.

For more details on any class, click the links or contact Historic Trades Manager Nathan Allen at allen@connerprairie.org.

Hearth Cooking

What: Learn to prepare a traditional meal over an open fire. Enjoy the smell of wood smoke as hearth cooking expert Sarah Withrow shares her knowledge. Learn to blend traditional techniques with historic and contemporary recipes that are perfect for home entertaining, historic re-enacting or camping.

When: Saturday, October 1 · 8 am-3 pm

Pennsylvania German Design

What: Create instant family heirlooms with Ken Scott while exploring the 18^th-century folk art of Pennsylvania. Ken will introduce traditional styles and design as you learn the art of calligraphy and drawing used in early fraktur, such as marriage and birth certificates. 

When: Saturday, October 1 · 8 am-5 pm

Basic Blacksmithing

What: Join Nathan Allen as you learn the basics of blacksmithing like using a forge, drawing, punching, hardening and tempering steel, and forge welding. Items such as chain links, s-hooks, a fireplace poker and a fork will be made.

When: Saturday-Sunday, October 1-2 · 8 am-5 pm

NEW! Silver Wire Inlay

What: Discover the process of decorative silver wire inlay with instructor John Schippers. Inlay can be applied to rifles, furniture, or knife or tomahawk handles. Learn proper design, tool construction and execution of silver wireWhen: Saturday-Sunday, October 1-2 · 8 am-5 pm

NEW! Advanced Hornworking: Tansel Style Horn

What: Under the expert guidance of master hornsmith Art DeCamp, you’ll be introduced to the history and design of Tansel horns, the proper architecture and engraving motifs, and tips and techniques for reproducing period-correct powder horns. Learn to prepare, heat, shape and lathe turn horns and their parts, and see period techniques for the coloring of powder horns.  

When: Saturday-Tuesday, October 1-4 · 8 am-5 pm
            Wednesday, October 5 · 8 am-noon

Boot Bag

What: Well-known pouch maker Ken Scott teaches you how to make a hunting pouch from a pair of old boots. Instruction includes historical research, pattern development, applying the pattern to the leather, assembly and dying.

When: Sunday, October 2 · 8 am-5 pm

NEW! Forging Damascus Steel

What: Discover the fundamentals of making pattern welded steel including steel selection, the proper use of the coal forge and welding from blacksmith Nathan Allen. Utilize both hand- and power-hammer forging techniques to forge a billet of Damascus steel and at least one forged knife blank. If you are interested in completing a knife, sign up for the knifesmithing class, too.

When: Monday-Tuesday, October 3-4 · 8 am-5 pm
            Wednesday, October 5 · 8 am-noon

Leatherworking

What: Join Ken Scott as he teaches you his unique style of making hunting bags and pouches. Pattern development and basic leatherworking techniques will be covered as well as Ken’s antiquing methods.  

When: Monday-Tuesday, October 3-4 · 8 am–5 pm
            Wednesday, October 5 · 8 am-noon

NEW! Carving: Longrifle

What: Learn how to carve a longrifle of the Golden Age under the instruction of master gunsmith Marvin Kemper. By studying historic examples, you’ll understand the various styles of carving, how to properly set up a workspace, sharpen tools, design and transfer patterns. Also, you’ll learn to execute stock moldings, and relief and incised carvings. Practice stocks will be provided, but you can work on your own rifle providing it’s properly shaped, finished and ready to carve.

When: Monday-Friday, October 3-7 · 8 am-5 pm

Engraving
What: Master engraver and author of Engraving Historic Firearms, John Schippers, shows you the art of metal engraving. Using practice pieces, you’ll learn basic design, tool selection and sharpening techniques.

When: Monday-Friday, October 3-7 · 8 am-5 pm

Axe Forging

What: Explore traditional forging techniques with blacksmith Nathan Allen. Examine stylistic differences and construction techniques used on historic axes, and then forge and finish an axe of your own. 

When: Wednesday, October 5 · 1-5 pm
            Thursday-Friday, October 6-7, 8 am-5 pm

NEW! Horn Drinking Cup

What: Challenge your hornworking skills as you work alongside hornsmith Art DeCamp to construct a turned horn drinking cup. You’ll learn how to select the proper horn, make mandrels and fixtures, turn horn and install a “chimed” bottom. Instruction will also be given on period appropriate surface finishing and coloring horn.

When: Wednesday, October 5 · 1-5 pm
            Thursday-Friday, October 6-7 · 8 am-5 pm

Inkle Weaving

What: Weave straps and sashes using inkle looms as you learn about material selection, loom design, warping the loom and weaving to create beautiful works of art from master weaver Sue Payne. This class is suitable for beginners as well as those weavers wanting to develop more advanced skills. 

When: Wednesday, October 5 · 1-5 pm
            Thursday-Friday, October 6-7 · 8 am-5 pm

Knifesmithing

What: Under the guidance of Dwight Gallian, you’ll learn about the history and creation of a traditional hand-forged knife. Class will include materials selection, forging and finishing a functional knife.

When: Wednesday, October 5 · 1-5 pm
            Thursday-Friday, October 6-7 · 8 am-5 pm

More information and tickets: http://www.connerprairie.org/Things-To-Do/Events/Arts-and-Arms-Making-Workshops/Knifesmithing

Fort Ticonderoga

Photo supplied by Contemporary Makers' European Correspondent, Manfred Schmitz. 

Memorial Day 2016

Thank you to all the men and women who lost their lives in the service of our country. We also thank their families.

On February 23, 1945, Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal shot this photo of five Marines and one Navy corpsman raising a U.S. flag on Mt. Suribachi, the highest point on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima. The battle, one of the bloodiest in Marine Corps history, began on February 19, 1945, when the Americans invaded the heavily fortified island; four days later, they seized it and planted a small flag atop Mt. Suribachi. However, later that same day, the flag was ordered replaced with a much larger one that could be seen by troops across the island and on ships offshore. Rosenthal’s photo shows this second raising of the Stars and Stripes. The combat photographer subsequently was accused of staging the dramatic picture, but he denied the charge and eyewitnesses backed him up. The widely reproduced photo became a powerful patriotic symbol and went on to win a Pulitzer Prize and serve as the model for the Marine Corps War Memorial near Arlington National Cemetery.

Three of the Marines in the photo were killed in action on Iwo Jima (the battle didn’t officially end until March 26, 1945), while the three surviving flag-raisers were sent back to the U.S., where they were treated as heroes and appeared at rallies across the country to promote the sale of war bonds.

Franklin Sousley, one of the Marines that raised the flag was from my hometown. His Mother and Grandparents were our neighbors. 

There is another memorial in the cemetery in Elizaville, KY, Fleming County, that is next to Franklin's grave. We have our gravesites there  along with our deceased family members.

 

Charles Wallingford 

IN MEMORY

OF

DWIGHT H. FORD

PVT. 1ST CL MARINE CORPS

MAY 31, 1921

FEB 27, 1945

HE DIED I THE SERVICE OF 

HIS COUNTRY IN IWO JIMA

Photo and copy from History.
Tombstone photo by Jan Riser. Additional photos and copy supplied by Charlie Wallingford.

Fort Ticonderoga

Photo supplied by Contemporary Makers' European Correspondent, Manfred Schmitz. 

Fort Ticonderoga

Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century star fort built by the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in northern New York in the United States. It was constructed by Canadian-born French military engineer Michel-Alain Chartier de Lotbinière, Marquis de Lotbinière between October 1755 and 1757 during the Seven Years' War, often referred to as the French and Indian War in the US. It was of strategic importance during the 18th-century colonial conflicts between Great Britain and France, and again played an important role during the  American Revolutionary War.

Photo supplied by Contemporary Makers' European Correspondent, Manfred Schmitz. Copy from Wikipedia.