Doings

So naturally, as soon as I get the forge here and all sorted out.....tropical rains set in for the duration. They show no sign of ending for at least another week. Grrrrrr

As a result, I have turned to more indoor pursuits, tropical conditions being anathema to this northern gal. Among other things, working on various bits of Colonial Ranger kit, learning the Manual of Arms for the Bess (courtesy of Baron von Steuben), and generally trying to endure this damned weather.

I do hike in it; conditioning is important of course, but I see no good reason to torture myself with it beyond that and I won't. Too, having had heat exhaustion three times during my time in my beloved Corps, I am far more susceptible to it now...and since I am nearing sixty years of age, and am carrying rather more blubber than I ought, caution is warranted. As my condition improves so too will my tolerance for harsher conditions and therefore, the length of time I spend in them. For now though, I shall err on the side of caution.

One of my all time favorite holidays approaches; Independence Day. On that day I read the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and excerpts from the writings of Tom Paine and the Federalist Papers. If you are sworn to uphold, protect, and defend something, it behooves you to know what that something is and what makes up its parts. More, it is vital to understand it. After all, you may have to lay down your life for it. To do that, you have to believe. To do that, you have to understand.

So I am going to make a new powder measure, 75 grains, from elk antler. I also plan to use elk and deer antler to flake flint and related rock; I aim to make plenty of spare flints for my firelock. I already know how to make my own gunpowder..have known since I was thirteen. If push ever came to shove I could provide the nourishment my firelocks need.

I aim to sort out some gaiters in addition to my leggings. I also plan to make some leggings from brain tan hide. If I can, I want to procure some brain tan moose hide for making hard wearing moccasins. I already have a nice breechclout and once shirt...a couple of other hunting shirts would be nice to sort out, and a blaze orange weskit or french capote would be wise for hunting. Since I may choose to hike the AT in Colonial kit rather than fantasy, having everything working as it ought is important. Of course, doing the AT in Colonial kit would mean hauling along my firelock...rather heavier than what most others would carry. LOL

I need to sort out a cork for my Bess; attach a green piece of rag or ribbon and stuff it in the end of the barrel to signify safe status. Loaded but not charged can be signified with a feather stuck into the touchhole. Not a condition I want to cart it around in anyway.

Eledhwen

Ranger Doings

The fifty pound bag of coke for the forge arrived yesterday. Along with the charcoal I have, I should be able to do at least some work for a bit, once it is all sorted out.

Today is archery day at the Range so I am likely to go over there for a time.

I am quite excited at the prospect of getting the forge up and running. Encouraging was the very swift and sure way I made fire for the Solstice yesterday, using char, tow, and flint & steel. Indeed, flint & steel will be the traditional way for my forge to be lit, and everyone I teach will learn to light it that way as well.

I have asphaltum, I have muriatic acid. Etching experimentation will begin soon. I have no desire to muck up my knife so I will be practicing on various bits of brass, aluminum, and steel until I am certain of my techniques. Then, and only then, will I etch the blade of the knife. If that works, I may take Glamdring and etch the center of that blade with the Tengwar...lightly though, very lightly. Well, if I do it will have the swords' actual name on it, not the one it was made to be a replica of. Del Tin made, to my mind, the very best renditions of Glamdring and Orcrist ever...movies and peoples' obsession with hand and half swords notwithstanding. They were made by the elves of Gondolin for the goblin wars of that time...and I reason that the form of them was probably a fairly common one so having one with a different name is no stretch. So, my own blade has a name and it will formally receive it in a ritual that will involve etching the blade some too. ;) Down the fuller.

I want to perfect some 'Elven' arrowheads too..and etch them. Probably not replicas of the ones on the movies...rather, versions that can be used to legally hunt with.

I am also looking at etching my Ranger stars. They are bronze, although some steel ones are in the offing down the line, and a little etching might be nice.

Between the etching of my knives and swords (and axes!) and the woodburning of bows, arrows, and spear shafts, I look to tie my kit together with common decorative themes..or at least, related. Even my leather kit is to be tooled in this way. Generally the decorative elements will be pretty subtle but definitely there.

It pleases me to do this. If we ever have a Ranger Moot here in the Northeast, or I somehow manage to make on in the central states region, I want my kit to be unique and a statement of myself, if that makes sense.

I am aiming to hike the entire Appalachian Trail..and I want to do it in minimal kit, with any necessary safeguards naturally...an I would use post drops and carry some funds along for necessary purchases in any villages along the way. I think doing the entire 2,184 mile journey as a Ranger would be an awesome thing. Truly awesome. If I can manage it. ;)

Eledhwen

Rangers and the Madness that goes with them

Yeah. So I began revamping, repairing, and reworking a number of things in my Ranger kit. Among other things, I am about to make new arrows with a shorter draw length, shorter flights, and all of them self nocked. For another, the two hickory bows I have been tinkering with in a somewhat frightened manner have come up for some woodburning decoration....and in one a cut down and the addition of some siyahs, sort of, to give it a more Numenorean - Elvish look..and still remain totally functional. An advanced technique but I will try anyway...most likely making a hash of it all.

Of course, I can't just burn simple designs or nice English words, no, I have to use the Tengwar and do the words in either Quenya or Sindarin. Because I like complicating my life.

This came about because I have removed the cherry grip on my Elven hunting knife so I can work on the blade some and fashion a guard plate and ferrule for it. Then came the idea of inlaying metal into the grip..fine, I can do that. But it didn't stop there. No, I had to realize I have asphaltum and therefore I could in fact etch the blade of the knife....which led to Tengwar and the Elven languages.

Worse, the followup on that was the realization that I can also etch scales for armor. Not to mention helm, pauldrons, and the like. Not like I don't have enough to do, but of course, complicating my life is what I do.

Since the forge will be in use again very soon, I can add that to the list of things I am attempting to do. Yay.

Whatever is wrong with me? And of course, I want to make arrowheads using the forge..and now it hits me that I can also etch arrowheads...GAH! Save me from myself.

Yes, there will be photos...everyone and their uncle wants a photographic record of my madness it seems.

Oh well.

Eledhwen