The Red Kite username comes from a canoeing trip back in '08 to Loch Ken. We were paddling along and a friend of mine shouted over to me that three of the majestic creatures were soaring and circling overhead. I was so entranced by the spectacle that before I knew it, I'd crashed into a reed bed and had some difficulty extracting myself! It's an inspirational story too as twenty to thirty years ago, Red Kites were reduced to a small group in the mountains of Wales but thanks to many reintroduction programs around the country, the breed is flourishing once again. A modern day Phoenix if you like. Plus, I just love that forked tail!
Working horn seems like voodoo magic to me at this very early stage, so it'll be stag antler and wood handles first then I hope to make a basic steamer to bend ash shanks for one piece crooks. I did harvest a lovely hawthorn shank with a large piece of trunk almost parallel to it so in a couple of years, I'm hoping it'll making an attractive Price of Wales or Grafton knob stick. I'm not sire it's quite big enough for a leg cleek and it certainly won't do for a one piece crook but a cracking knob stick for sure.
Once again chaps, thanks again for the inspiration!
Graeme