End of Life on this Site

This website and blog is at the end of its life.  In the next couple of days, it will disappear. For a decade, I maintained this website and blog and it has been very enjoyable. For a variety of reasons, my posting on this blog had slowed significantly the last few years. I have decided to no longer maintain and host that website (and pay to keep the domain). Knowing its popularity, I have archived some of the most popular...

Selling my fusil

I am, somewhat sadly, selling my fusil.  It was built by Jai Mather. It has a 20 gauge, 44” Colerain barrel and Davis lock (stamped A TVLLE) that have been rebuilt to more correctly match originals. The stock is walnut and hand scraped (no sandpaper hit it). This was built to be a working canadien’s tool and be plain Jane. I have used it for a few re-enactments but mostly for hunting. It is a SWEET shooting gun and has taken...

Piping the Past

A couple weeks ago, I did some historical interpretation and piping for “The Past Passed Here” in Chippewa Falls.  For the event, I portrayed a piper for the Northwest Company in the late 1790s to early 1800s.  I spoke on the history of the fur trade and specifically the Scottish elements of the Northwest Co.   It was a fun little time and the school groups that came through were great.  My piping was definitely...

Another Pipe Banner and a Correction

About a year ago, I made a bagpipe banner and blogged on it.  The banner was to be a banner for the personal piper of Simon McTavish of the NorthWest Company.  In that post, I questioned some of the heraldic info out there and the coat of arms of the NorthWest company.  This stated, I was quite sure on the heraldry of Simon McTavish.  I have since found some information contradicting my earlier research on Simon’s...

New Leather Goods

I recently received a few things from a friend, who has recently moved to Morocco in search of creating some very nice reproduction historic goods.  Among the items I have received from him are a couple pairs of slippers (a pair for me and one for my wife) and a leather document folio. These items are amazing.  The leather is fantastic, as is the color and craftsmanship.  I have only worn the slippers for a short bit but I...

Breacan an Fhéilidh

As I prepare to do some bagpiping at a historic event, I have decided to do a little post on the Breacan an Fhéilidh or belted plaid.  This was the start of the kilt in its biggest, bulkiest, crudest form.  The reason I am drawn to blog on this is two-fold.  1.) I have a few 1750s reenactors that have been asking about building and putting on the fèileadh, and 2.) I have seen many people wearing these at historic events and...