Self Taught Artisans of Historical Knives/ Sheaths, Bead Work and Leather Bags
Please visit my Pinterest page to view many more items we have made, I also have a board dedicated to THE REVENANT. Order one from the folks who made them for the movie.Also check us out on Facebook: Out of the Ashes Forge or Tudy Bud Smith
http://www.pinterest.com/tudy2d/
Very proud to announce that the summer of 2014, we were selected to create and make possibles bags and knives for the new mountain man movie, THE REVENANT. Starring Leonardo Dicaprio and Tom Hardy. Most notably we made the knife and sheath that Hugh Glass (Dicaprio) fights the grizzly bear with and carries in the film.
We will be listing more photos when the movie hits the theaters. The Hugh Glass knife will be made in a limited, numbered series.
We also have made neck and side knives to be used in the upcoming season of OUTSIDERS. Second season starts January of 2017.
Get someething from the folks who made the real thing, not a copy by someone else.
Our love of history and all things handmade has lead us to specialize in creating goods for re enactors of the 18th & 19th centuries. You'll find things for Fur Trade Era, Long Hunters, French and Indian Wars, Mountain Man and an occasional Viking knife or bag. We have done a lot of research to make our items authentic looking, all sewing is by hand with appropriate period correct materials. Hand stitching in small saddle stitches, gives a strong seam that won't pull apart. Many times we add an aged look patina and others are left new looking. Leather pouches are often treated with a special beeswax mixture I make to repel water.
The leather distressing process I developed over the years, consists of animal grease and various dyes including walnut dye I make my self. I only use things that are GOOD for the leather. I want your bag to last to become an heirloom not just used for one season. Every process I work on the leather is good for it and does not leave it greasy.
One of my chores as a kid was skinning, scraping and stretching hides of animals my father trapped. He sold furs in the winter to supplement his income. This lifestyle has lead me to understand the nature of leather and hides and to be able to work well with them. It has also taught me to respect nature and not to waste, as everything on an animal can usually be used. We trade for or buy from reputable dealers and will never knowingly take anything from anyone that would kill an animal for parts alone, that goes against everything I was raised to believe. Now woods walks provide me with a great variety of supplies. We live in a very rural area, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, where getting supplies I need depends mostly on trading, reusing, recycling or foraging.
One of my long time customers, turned friend, is a real registered Mountain Man which takes a year of living wild to accomplish.
I have been sewing, crafting and knitting so long I can't remember not knowing how. Mom was good at it all and made sure our hands were not idle.
Possibles and medicine bags, wool blanket capotes, bead work and period correct sheaths for my husband's handmade knives are just a few of the things I make. We use only natural and found things, just like in the distant past. No plastics ever used on the historical knives or bead work. I love to get my hands on antique beads and will use them when available.
My husband Bud's artistic abilities came to life after an early life stroke. After a short recovery, he came to me and said he wanted to make knives. He set out to train himself and after an old family friend gave him a rusty big rig wheel to build a forge, we went to West Virginia for a pickup full of coal. Many burns, pounded/ cut fingers and mistakes later he got the hang of it. Because he learned the hard way, he is very old school, so he never uses premade knife blanks, but forges or cuts them from recycled carbon steel. When you buy one or our knives you will getting a truly handmade, one of a kind knife. They will be delivered very sharp and will hold a good edge. Knives are heat treated in house to hold a good edge, an art he learned from a job he once had. All of the knives are made from either reclaimed or found high carbon steel (plow points and such). Knives made by a hunter for hunters, field tested and meant to use.
Most items take several days to a week to complete as all pieces are done one at a time by hand. I try to have a plentiful variety of items for sale but I would rather have a few great items, than a shop full of things I hurried to make.
Been doing this sort of work way before I discovered etsy and I have selected some pictures of projects past.
Once in a while I get interested in making something new to keep from getting bored. So keep checking back, never know what you might find.
Please visit my pinterest page to view items made and sold in the past for ideas on custom requests: http://www.pinterest.com/tudy2d/
