Posts Tagged → blacksmith
Kempton Gunmakers Fair 2026 starts with a bang
The annual Kempton Gun Maker’s Fair started today, at the Kempton Community Center, in Kempton, PA. This is the former Dixon’s show. Dixon’s black powder shop is still operating, and why they ever gave up ownership of this national show, I will never understand.
For those easily startled and alarmed and triggered by the word “gun,” you can do a bong hit and relax, because these are guns of the 1776 variety. Mostly flintlocks, some percussion, all artistic beauty. They are loaded by pouring black powder down the barrel, and then ramming down a patched lead ball on top. Shooters of these fine instruments might get one shot every 45 seconds, if they are really fast. These are mostly used for primitive hunting and shooting competition, and are constructed of especially pretty, and expensive, sometimes rare, wood.
Hunters toting these rifles in the woods are committed to challenge. To giving animals a real high chance of survival. No long range assassinations possible here, the Long Hunter must have excellent wood craft, and get close to his quarry. A shot over 100 yards is considered long distance, and though the guns are very accurate, the human hand-eye coordination factor is the fly in the ointment here. Hold-through after the flash in the pan is imperative. Thus the nickname “flinchlocks”, because that fiery flash in your face makes you flinch, and miss.
My usual experience, anyhow. And so any legal animal taken with one of these primitive black powder guns is truly a trophy.
A great deal of 1770s period clothing and accoutrements are available, for those wishing to step back in time. Tools, tomahawks, spontoons, halberds, pikes, and naval spears are all part of the kit, and are therefore available.
I went to check on the status of a percussion rifle being made for me, to take a class on flint knapping, to see long time acquaintances, and to pick up some really neat hand crafted gifts for people who appreciate them. Ended up selling a pile of dry curly maple and black walnut stock lumber I have had stashed for many years. Whatever I get for that will go towards paying for that percussion rifle being made.
Funny little circle, that.
If you are at all interested in black powder guns and all the related stuff around them, like beautifully made leather “possibles” bags, or a blacksmith’s hand made steel tomahawk, or a set of naval pikes for your office decor, the Kempton Gun Maker’s Fair is worth your visit. It runs through Sunday.
Jim Chambers Flintlocks is one of the powerhouse lock and parts makers in the world. Jim and his crew here
A colorful attendee from New Jersey, upon whom I bestowed Most Hirsute of The Show award.
Antique style arms and armor. Need a curaiss for Monday’s board meeting?
David Martin, a talented cabinet maker from Bloomsburg, talks with talented gunmaker Mark Wheland, from Blair County. At age twelve, I started my trapping career on Mark’s family farm in Pennsylvania Furnace. Funny small world.
Making homespun wool thread on a traditional spinning wheel
Gary Fatheree and his super cool wheel locks from Germany, Denmark, and some other formerly European country. You can successfully bag dinner with these
Gunmaker Rod England and gun barrel maker Jason of Rice Barrels teamed up. Rod makes beautiful 1860s style percussion locks and breech plugs, long range sights, and makes Henry style rifle kits. Jason makes perfect barrels to your exact order on his CNC machines. In fact, that percussion rifle I came to check on has Rod’s lock and Jason’s barrel, a .62 caliber Forsyth rifled masterpiece.
More wheel locks, a snaphaunce, and an assortment of related 1500-1700s style guns
Spark Mumma from Jonestown, PA, makes beautiful hand crafted items from cow horn, bone, and wood. I bought one of his large scrimshawed salt shakers
In flintlock rifle circles, Alan Martin needs no introduction. His guns are objects of artistic beauty
Someone talented spent a lot of time making these beautiful “letter openers”
Every year artisans from across America submit their best work to be judged in a competition. Rifles, knives, scrimshawed powder horns, ornate leather bags are the most common items
You can stand amazing beauty only so long, before resorting to the “smart” phone
Some vendor tables
Blacksmith making a naval spear head with socket. As a part time blacksmith myself, I will attest that making a quality socket is the hallmark of a real talented smith
Master class on knapping flint
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Tools and detritus (debotage) of flint knapping
Thank you for helping us learn how to make our own gun flints!
Two blacksmiths compare notes
Two great shows coming up soon!
Two great shows are coming up soon. If you live in central Pennsylvania, then fortunate you. If you live farther out or even far away, even out of state, both are worth traveling to, even from far, far away.
The first show starts this Friday, the 18th Century Artisan’s Faire, now (as of last year) held in Carlisle, PA, at the Carlisle Expo Center at 100 K Street. It used to be called the Lewisburg Show, because for decades it was held in Lewisburg, PA, along Route 15. The Carlisle Expo Center is SO MUCH BETTER than the prior hotel venue. I went to this show last year and could have easily spent both days there. Better lay-out, better room, more room, higher ceilings and far better lighting.
If you are afflicted with history-itis, with a passion for hand-made tools and utensils of all sorts, including eating utensils like forks and knives and plates, with blacksmithing and historic reenacting, with hand-carved curly maple furniture and gunstocks, leatherworking, with anything black powder or flintlock or percussion, with 17th and 18th century clothing, then this show is for you. I have been attending for I don’t know how many years, a long time, and every time I go it’s worth it. The nationwide talent that is assembled at this show is amazing to experience.
The second show starts this Saturday, the Great American Outdoor Show. It is held for the whole week in Harrisburg at the Farm Show Complex on Cameron Street. This is the “new” show built on the ashes of the old one, which I helped end by starting a boycott.
The prior show was run by a British promoter, and they had no feel for America, Americans, guns, gun rights etc. In the immediate political backwash of another Democrat-run mass school shooting, that British promoter tried to prohibit exhibitors from having AR-15 platform rifles. That set off a slight negative reaction among the paid participants, advertisers, and attendees that culminated in the boycott, which ended the show that year. And it ended that tone deaf promoter’s role in the show ever-after.
In the press interviews I did about shutting down that show, my favorite quote was “The British did not understand Americans in 1776, and they still don’t understand us in 2012.”
To which I think we can easily now add the entire Democrat Party, because it is openly and officially the political party of big government, of citizen disarmament and gun confiscation, of digital currency and your money control, of high taxes, of speech control, of thought control, of censorship, of car control, of health care control, of Covid lockdowns and private citizen movement control, but not USA border control.
Nope, under the Democrat Party the American border is wide freakin’ open to tens of millions of anyone and everyone from around the world.
So, go to these two shows. Both are very family friendly, regardless of what your family members each like. You will be really happy you did go. Enjoy America and freedom while you still can.
On Friday and Saturday you can rub elbows with gunpowder horn makers, flint knappers, flintlock and percussion rifle makers, black powder bag makers, historic dress and bonnet makers, tri-corner hat makers, and blacksmiths.
On Sunday you can go to the Farm Show Complex and see the whole world of tactical socks and vests, endless semiauto blast-em rifles as well as very cool historic lever action rifles and Wild West revolvers, bushcraft duck calls, high fence deer hunting legends and other TV created one-dimensional personalities, useful ATVs, fabulous boats, and cool end-of-the-world survival RVs, high tech synthetic and high tech wool outdoor boots and clothing, hunting guides from all around the world, and all kinds of fishing stuff. The Great American Outdoor Show really is an amazing experience. I highly recommend it.
I myself will be both a visitor and a volunteer at the GAOS. After many years of volunteering at the show and its predecessor, I took 2021-2023 off. This year I will be volunteering one or two days with the Pennsylvania Trappers Association, a wonderful conservation group of which I am a Life Member. Come on by the PTA booth and chat with us!
Gunmaker extraordinaire Mitch Yates
Leatherman’s new proprietor with his wares, which many black powder hunters use nationwide
Hoffman Forge. Jymm Hoffman made the outstanding modern steel anvil that we use in our own forge
I am a proud volunteer with the Pennsylvania Trappers Association at the GAOS.