A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Saturday 30 November 2019

The Half-Axe.


I purchased my first hand forged tomahawk many years ago from a Blacksmith in Victoria. I realised after a while that the head on this tomahawk was simply too large for my needs, so I made a longer helve & turned it into a half-axe. I do not want to have to carry a saw, I do all my journeying on foot these days & carrying a saw is simply not practical. But when I have heavier cutting to do the half-axe is just the thing I need.
This image shows the half-axe secured under the blanket roll ties.




Tuesday 26 November 2019

Bottle gourds floated to the New World from Africa

Bottle gourds floated to the New World from Africa.


For thousands of years, bottle gourds have been cultivated for use the world over as drinking vessels, medicine bottles and even fishing bobs. A new study looks at how they got to the Americas from their native Africa. Here, a preserved gourd stores yerba mate tea.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)



Making Camp

Tuesday 12 November 2019

New Additions To My Equipment.

17th-century Jamestown settlers unwind silk fiber from cocoons
detail of a painting by NPS artist Sydney King

I know, usually I am looking to remove things from my knapsack, but I had a reason to add some things recently. A long time ago a close friend sent me some spools of silk thread, & I had never got round to winding this silk thread onto a thread winder. I didn't want to make the common thread winder, because I didn't think this would fit my persona to have more than one of these period winders, so I made two winders out of some rawhide. I am not likely to use this silk thread for sewing, as I have plenty of linen thread for that purpose, but I had thought to try using it as fishing line & for tying flies.
Sewing thread was sold in skeins, & then wound onto thread winders.
Skein of silk thread.
http://bebetaian.blogspot.com/2012/10/for-sale-nishijin-silk-thread-orange.html;

The two crudely made rawhide silk thread winders that I made.
I am unlikely to use this silk thread for sewing, as I have plenty of linen thread for that purpose, but I thought to try this silk thread for fishing line & for tying flies.

The second item is a small parts pouch. I have no documentation for this, just my own personal need to have some sort of container to put the parts of my fusil into when I am stripping it down in the forest. This pouch is made of leather, & I intend to tie it to the trigger guard of my fusil.
My gun parts pouch.


Saturday 9 November 2019

Spence's Old Powder Horn.

No date on Spences horn, but obviously it looks pretty old, & Spence's images were so good I just had to ask Spence if I could use his images. Thanks Mate, very much appreciated.





Spence being Spence he just had to put this old horn back into service, so he whittled a new spout plug, bound it in linen twine & beeswaxed it for a good seal.

Thanks again Spence, great images.
Keith.

Friday 1 November 2019

Gun Politics 101 - an easy to understand guide for Aussie shooters

18th Century Market Fair takes attendees back in time - Delaware State News

18th Century Market Fair takes attendees back in time - Delaware State News: DOVER — Delaware is a state full of history. In the 1700s, The Green in Dover was the site of annual autumn market fairs. But instead of reading about that history through books or lectures, attendees can take a step back in time during the First State Heritage Park 18th Century Market Fair on Saturday. …