So here is one just for fun if you are in the mood. Last fall while I was at Camp killing time before the season opened I made my brother his birthday gift. It's kinda funny I was sitting in my favorite chair under the shade of the porch in between shooting sets. I looked at the wood pile right beside me and picked up a red oak twig and later a long slender piece created from splitting a big piece. I thought I was so funny I sent him photos of his newly created gift weeks before he was to recieve them and challenged him to figure out what they were for. I laughed and had a great time as he guessed away for weeks with out coming close. I told him the first day he took them hunting I would show him how to use them while he was in his tree stand. Can you guess Dan's gift?
(http://i.imgur.com/lA7Y3wg.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/cgrJ9dr.jpg)
so this little twig and piece of stove tinder that I carved a little with my pocket knife followed a funny little progression...
I started making more for friends and looking around the yard for oak twigs with character. Then I had the idea to wood burn a simple little message to Dan. Then that turned into trying to make deer and turkey tracks...
(http://i.imgur.com/klwLTRJ.jpg)
then I figured I should coat them with a layer of clear coat that turned into many layers steel wood between. O I should have finish sanded first, did that from then on... lol It turned into hours of timkering and playing with a little twig from the yard!
After all this time spent I thought to make a little pouch to put the twigs in but I never made anything out of leather so off to the local craft store I went!
(http://i.imgur.com/q19d03f.jpg)
simple enough...
(http://i.imgur.com/ov6a8az.jpg)
I thought after some time I could make a nicer way to keep it closed...
(http://i.imgur.com/C1oCKFb.jpg)
first time cutting an antler
(http://i.imgur.com/bSJS4a3.jpg)
Yup... better!
But I had more to make...
(http://i.imgur.com/wKgHdWE.jpg)
As I made more I was better at sewing and the antler buttons. So I remade Dan's too and kept the first prototype for myself.
(http://i.imgur.com/rbPsf9H.jpg)
with my new found skill set I branched out and made this, from my 2012 spring turkey, for Dans longbow he keeps in his garage most of the time.
(http://i.imgur.com/GoJoD6H.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/lE47kUw.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/oywsVe8.jpg)
I wrote a little that fit into the pouches for each person. Taped them with clear packaging tape and trimed them with scissors to size... water proof notes. That took me inside a week till hunting seaon opened... so thats all anyone was getting done to their twigs that will more than likely be dropped from a tree stand into the brush! lol
Very cool Jim!
Those look nice, Dan will like them.
I enjoyed this. I still have sticks that I picked up when I was a kid. I don't know why but I think it may be for the same reason you just did it for your brother.
This just is pretty cool.
CTT
Ok, here is the answer :)
(http://i.imgur.com/SJi7iKw.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/jRCs3zE.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/CKIXmdY.jpg)
Dan's sticks are to keep his arrow from falling off the shelf while in his tree stand...
:campfire: :clapper:
Permission to steal this idea for this years Christmas gifts?
Awesome stuff
ha, yes sir Jake! :) have fun!