Clayton Smith Hoods

[GriffMJ]

Hi All

You can now see a rare and "Elite" hood maker on my website under "Original Hood Makers". Clayton Smith was a Lawyer and a falconer in the USA and one of the most gifted craftsmen of his era. He made his own blocks and the fit of these hoods were excellent. Clayton could turn up with a box of 80 hoods at a fair in the US and all would be sold within 5 minutes of opening the box! Some of his hoods are on show at the "American Falconry Archives" and I have been fortunate enough to obtain some detailed pics of his hoods .... enjoy :!:

If you would like a copy of one of these hoods then let me know :D

Clayton Smith (http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/Original/Smith_Hood.htm)
http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/C%20Smith/77_3s.JPG

[SakerJack]

If you notice his beak openings are very different, Clayton's blocks were very different from all others, they actually were shaped to include the shape of the birds gape and beak opening. Clayton would cut the pattern and cut out the beak opening, sew the hood, and block it on his blocks and Whalla instant perfect shape.
Clayton spent a weekend with my good freind and one of the finest hoodmaker in the world John Moran many decades ago and learned from John. You can certainly see John's influence with the lighting bolts and sewn top plate. John was the first hoodmaker to ever sew that plate on a hood now we all copy it.
Sakerjack
Ken Hooke
Falcionry Hoods International

[Tim Laycock]

Fine piece of work :supz:

What blocks are you going to make the copys on Griff?

[GriffMJ]

Just done a "quick" copy of the original above (in miniature) for my Tiercel on a Rollins block :D
http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/CSH/CSC1.JPG

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/CSH/CSC2.JPG

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/CSH/CSC3.JPG

[Ben C]

YUM!!!!

I love the 'go-faster' stripes!!!

[Tim Laycock]

Fine work 8-)

[Ben C]

Is that inlaid that flash or ......dare I say it...drawn on??? (sorry)

[GriffMJ]

Is that inlaid that flash or ......dare I say it...drawn on??? (sorry)

To small to "inlay".... so its scratch marked then painted :D The original would have been painted on as well.... probably used a "dye pen" with a fine nib also. I will get a true copy made soon ... I just need to get a couple of bits etc before I can do it :D

[Ben C]

Do you ever inlay leather on leather? Can it in fact be done?

[GriffMJ]

Do you ever inlay leather on leather? Can it in fact be done?

You can do it....but its very tricky.... I have done it with hole punch dots .... but very fiddly. A well drawn and painted mark is just as good :D

[Ben C]

Thought so..........cheers griff.