The second Advanced Horn class held at the Jacobsburg Historical Society Craft Center took place on June 7^th and 8^th in Nazareth, PA. This followed the first class of last year where John DeWald and Frank Willis taught a capacity group of 10 students the art of scrimshaw and horn decoration.

 This year John and Frank offered a program to teach students how to make a flat horn with a screw-tip. Hoping to match last year’s full enrollment, they were not prepared for the response they received. 16 students signed up for the class! It was not possible to accommodate that many students for the weekend program. The 2 HCH instructors put their heads together and were able to find a second weekend and split the class in half. The first class, held in June taught 8 horners how to flatten a horn and fashion a screw tip.    

The second class is scheduled for the 6^th and 7^th of September to instruct the remaining 8 students to do the same.

John and Frank worked as a team. John handled the lathe and the turning of the screw tips and Frank oversaw the shaping of the horn, installation of the base plug and the final finish. All the students made great horns. The remaining question is – what do these 2 Horn Guild instructors have planned for next year, perhaps a horn cup with a chimed in bottom?

If you are interested in attending one of these classes taught by HCH members, contact Frank at: 908-246-8935908-246-8935 or ftwillis@ptd.net.

 

The 6^th Annual Basic Powder Horn Class at Boulton Historic Site (Nazareth, PA) was a great success.

For the 6^th year members of The Honourable Company of Horners were active in teaching the basic horn making course . This class is held at the Craft Center located on the grounds of the Bolton Gun Works, where the Henry family made firearms for over a hundred years. The site is managed by the Jacobsburg Historical Society (www.jacobsburghisory.com).

 Six students attended and each made a beautiful, early period stepped down horn. This task was completed in four Saturday afternoons in March 2014. One student was a 15 year old that already won a ribbon at Dixon’s last year in the junior category. He was invited to take the course at no charge. Every year Frank Willis, the instructor (and HCH Journeyman Horner), sponsors a youngster who gets to attend the class at no charge.

 Many of the students that take the class become Horn Guild members and they are all encouraged to enter their work at Dixon’s Gunmakers Fair in Kepton, Pennsylvania.

 A special HCH thanks to Guild members, Hoyt Masterdon, Gary Steele, and John Kochey, who assisted Frank Willis in teaching the class. Also, a big thank you to Roland Cadle and Village Restorations who donating the horns that were used in the class.

 All the fees collected are donated to the Jacobsburg Historical Society. The next class is scheduled for January 2015. For more information or to reserve a spot contact Frank Willis at (908-246-8935908-246-8935) or ftwillis@ptd.net

Build a Powder Horn and then color and decorate it with period dyes and stains!

This year’s 4-1/2 day long horn skills class at the 24th Annual Conner Prairie Arms Making Workshop in Fishers, Indiana, focused on each participant making their own replica of the Early Philadelphia style internal screw-tip powder horn.  The class started on Saturday, October 5 and concluded on Wednesday, October 9, 2013 with all ten participants completing a fine Early Philadelphia powder horn with screw-tip, applied collar, and decorative band.

The class began with a lecture on screw-tip powder horns in general and the specific historic significance of the Early Philadelphia style.  Several original examples of this style were on hand for reference, along with additional contemporary examples.  Following the lecture, question and answer period and distribution of the course syllabus, work began in earnest.

Instructor Art DeCamp and his assistant Jim Pease helped all the participants in the class learn how to heat and shape the horn body, turn its ends true in the lathe, cut and fit a horn band, drill, bore and fit the applied collar, turn and thread the internal screw tip, and develop their lathe turning skills on both horn and wood to the point that each was able to produce a very nice rendition of the French & Indian War period style horn that was made in Philadelphia, PA in the late 1750′s through the early 1770′s.  With four individual turned horn pieces, and one wood piece this internal screw-tip style horn is one of the most complex types that can be replicated.

The participants came from near and far and included:

• Daniel Boling, Maryville, TN
• Jeff Gier, West Liberty, OH
• David Gundrum, Fortville, IN
• Walter Mabry, Jackson, MS
• Rex Reddick, Denison, TX
• Chris  DeCamillis, Traverse City, MI
• Joe Rushton, Tipton, IN
• Brian Shrader, Marion, IN
• Glenn Sutt, Olympia, WA
• Kevin Walden, Russiaville, IN

To see more of Art DeCamp’s Master level work, go to his website at: www.artspowderhorns.com.

The class is being held at Village Restorations, Inc. in Hollidaysburg, PA. Click Here for their website.