"Slip On" Kazakh Hunter

[GriffMJ]

Hi All

Here are the first pics of my new "slip on" Kazakh Hunter Hood called the "Berkutchi Hunter", the hood in the pic is for an 11lb Golden Eagle female. The hood will be on an eagle tomorrow and as soon as i get pics I will post.

Berkutchi Hunter Hood (http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/Eagle_Hood_Hunter.htm)

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Eagle/Berkutchi/Berk1.JPG

[Shaun Byrne]

Are you doing them for hawks Griff?

[GriffMJ]

Hi

If we get a good fit tomorrow, then I can scale them down and see if we can get them to fit hawks (Female Redtails, Ferrugs and large HH) :)

[GriffMJ]

Hi

We have a perfect fit now......hood pattern will now be size reduced for range of weights and will be on sale ASAP. Pics of the test hood on an 11lb Golden Eagle female will be posted tomorrow :)

This hood is designed as a Hunting hood for quick slip on & off fitting.

I will also reduce the pattern to see if it fits Female Ferrugs, Redtails & Harris :)

[James_Falconry1]

Nice hood in the background :wink:

[Falconry Equipment International]

Nice hood in the background :wink: "watch theee Pineo behind me!!" :yawinkle: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[GriffMJ]

lol....yes its the pineo I bought at the fair!!! As you know, both, I collect other hoodmakers hoods :)

I have three Ron Rollins circa 1995 (mint), a Dennis Maynes glued amongst others

[Tim Laycock]

I will also reduce the pattern to see if it fits Female Ferrugs, Redtails & Harris

what about a Gos? or spar?
:)

[Ben C]

Please forgive my stupidity, but why have a hood without braces? Is it used soley in the field for faster slips? I take it that you transport your hawk in a hood that it can't take off, change it to the beautifully made one in the picture, walk about, rabbit/game breaks cover and you slip your hawk super fast with said hood! Is this right or am I wrong. :) :) :)

If so I may have a little job for you Griff!!! :) :) :)

[GriffMJ]

Hi Benc

If you get the "International Falconer" magazine and you have the Sept 2002 issue 14 then all is explained in there in an articel written by Alan Gates (with whom I spent a day with this month).

What you have said above is right tho :)

[Ben C]

Sorry mate I don't go back that far.....give us a brief resume if you will, I like to learn new things. :) :)

[GriffMJ]

Hi All


Well...what do you think :) Little work needed on the gape...but nothing drastic.

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Eagle/Berkutchi/Berk8.JPG

[Ben C]

Spot on Griff.......how about bringing a few along to the birthday bash!! See thread marked falconry forum meet.

[Afshimo]

who's goldie is it? Nice bird!

The hood looks great! Real smart for eagles!

[Lee Slikkers]

I'd love to see one in a dark burgandy leather with silver type studs, black gortex braces that would fit a female Red-Tail. Let me know when you convert the pattern to a smaller RT size and have made one or two, I think they would be a great hood to carry around in the field when you needed to slip one on & off real quick.

Regards,

Lee

[GriffMJ]

Black Gortex braces

??????? Lol....its a slip on hood!

Lee Slikkers: I will be doing a redtail hood tonight ......in a mahogany colour with shiny bits. If you want to be a tester for this hood then PM me with your address :)

[Lee Slikkers]

:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

Ooopps, I got on a roll and wasn't using my brain...braces indeed!

LOL

Check your PM, just dropped you one...

Lee

[Jack Merlin]

Hi Griff,

I am getting interested in your hoods -- but I am not yet totally convinced!<g>

As you say, a bit more work needed on the gape. I wonder if your pattern is 100% correct? There is no questioning your superlative workmanship.

From the picture, it looks as if light will enter once the beak opening is trimmed back to clear the cere. But that is from the picture and I could easily be wrong.

I have some old braceless hoods here which I was told came from Pakistan. I took each one to pieces and made patterns from them. Only one produced a decent hood which I used on a passage peregrine. It was a rather tight fit but once on, there is no way that falcon was ever going to get it off! Every time the falcon shook its head, the hood just settled down firmer.

That hood was deeper at the back and curved to go down round the back of the skull. I still have it here and will try to put up a photo.

These hoods seem to have an eliptical head opening and were put on by pinching the hood slightly at the sides. Once on, the hood reverted to shape and was held on by light pressure at the back of the skull and around the beak. Is that how your hoods work?

As I say, I am very interested -- but very fussy too! A real pain in the ass customer!<vbg>

[Ben C]

I have a lovely harris that wants to be a tester too!!!! :) :)

[GriffMJ]

Jack Merlin wrote: As you say, a bit more work needed on the gape. I wonder if your pattern is 100% correct? There is no questioning your superlative workmanship.

From the picture, it looks as if light will enter once the beak opening is trimmed back to clear the cere. But that is from the picture and I could easily be wrong.

Hi Jack

The beak opening is fine, what I did wrong on the hood that u see on my website is that I cut the vertical about 1cm too long but otherwise all else was fine. The eagle was left in the hood for 30 mins with no probs...no attempt to get off etc ....... and as you know....if an eagle dont like it....it lets u know soon enough... lol . I have altered the pattern gape to a standard Golden Eagle female gape and a hood is being sent to the same Eagle owner to fit and take more pics. I have sized down to Male Goldy now and I have also made the first RT/Ferrug Hood by a reduced pattern last nite....camera is knackered at the moment so I cant show pics.....but I will be sending the hood to a Ferrug female owner for testing and will post pics as soon as.

I think the Slip on hood is now more or less complete (after 3 months of getting the pattern right) and will be on sale shortly. There wil be three version of the hood ...1.plain leather 2. With silver studs 3. With silver studs and Kazakh tooling varying in price according to work put into the hood.

[GriffMJ]

Left to right

Female Golden, Male Golden & Female Ferrug

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Eagle/Berkutchi/Berk12.JPG

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Eagle/Berkutchi/Berk11.JPG

[Tim Laycock]

I like em :wink: 8)

[Jack Merlin]

Let's have some pictures of them on birds and then we can see if they fit!<g>

[GriffMJ]

Jack Merlin wrote: Let's have some pictures of them on birds and then we can see if they fit!

All three hoods are being sent out today to various forum members, so pics will come back soon :)

Did you not see this pic ? This is "Arrabella" an 11lb Goldy female bred by A Knowles-Brown with one of my test hoods on :)
http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Eagle/Berkutchi/Berk8.JPG

[Jack Merlin]

As I've said, I am very very fussy<g>.

To my mind, the hood is touching the cere at top of the back of the "lip", although the picture is a bit burnt out at this point so I could be wrong.

If that were my hood, I would be shaving the leather at this point (so, in section, the edge is tapered or feathered) and trying to get it to curl outwards, probably shaving the edge as well. But maybe this is something we are just going to have to disagree on? No criticism with your workmanship which is first class.

Hope you won't take it personally!!<g> I'm getting old and cantankerous!

[GriffMJ]

Hi Jack Merlin

What is not evident from my pics is that all the gapes are tapered to a soft edge and the leather around the cere is "worked" to soften (as you might be able to see on the female hood). I also send out tester hoods so that any "fine" gape adjustment can be sorted out when it comes to the actual client hood being made :) The comfort of the raptor is uppermost in my workmanship ....... come on Jack....what weight is your Eagle and sex and species and I will send u a test hood :)

Every eagles gape shape is slightly different ....unless I can be with the eagle I am making the hood for its impossible to get a "perfect" fit for that eagle working "blind", hence the test hoods to get feed back. Having said that, the universal gape shape I have will fit all in comfort even if it does touch some soft parts due to the softened & worked edges :)

Jack, PM me your address and I will send a tester up to you ...I think u need to see 1 in the flesh :)

[Lee Slikkers]

Those look great, can't wait to see the ones for the lowly little Red-tails <VBG>

Lee

[GriffMJ]

Hi Lee

The Ferrug hood size will also fit a Large RT female, depending on weight of the RT I can size the hood to small medium & large for the RT :)

[Jack Merlin]

Hi Griff,

Well, I have a reputation for meanness but I will put my hand in my wallet (if I can find it) and buy a hood for my male gos off you. (Jeez! Did I really write that?<g>).

I am needing a (cheap) hood for a male gos flying at 1lb 11oz. If that is a success, I will buy a similar for the female.

OK, I accept that it will probably have to be returned to you for "fitting" but I suppose a lot can be done at long range with these digital cameras?

Now, (ye gods this hurts!) how much should I send you? Just be sure you don't send me anything with a fancy plume as I sometimes hawk in company<g>. I prefer bright colours so if I drop it in the heather, I can find it again with my failing eye sight. Also need those goretex braces I heard so much about.

So, how much??

(I shall now have to go and lie down in a darkened room for half an hour. Then off to the chemist to get some tranquilizers for when the bill comes...<vbg>

[GriffMJ]

Hi Jack
lol.....for fear of the first forum fiscal fatality I shall carry on via the PM route ...:)

[GriffMJ]

Hi

We have confirmed fittings on 8lb Golden Female, 11lb Golden Female, Female Bald Eagle and Female Ferrug Hawk, Pics to follow :)

Suede Gape alternative will soon be available for extra comfort for the Eagle.

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Eagle/Berkutchi/Berk12.JPG

[Jack Merlin]

Never mind hoods for the vermin birds (as eagles are called by the sheep farmers in the west of Scotland!<g>), when are you going to make some of those hoods for proper hawks, like goshawks?<vbg>

If you see Alan Gates, mention my name to him. He had me making massive bels for his eagle years ago. I expect he will remember the first ones fell apart -- due to experiemental solder recommended by the manufacturer! But we got there in the end.

[Tim Laycock]

Never mind hoods for the vermin birds (as eagles are called by the sheep farmers in the west of Scotland!<g>), when are you going to make some of those hoods for proper hawks, like goshawks?<
:D :wink:
I must admit I would like to see one on a Gos more than anything else.
I think the hood suits the traditional style of slipping a shortwing more than others :D

[GriffMJ]

ok...lol.... I will make a Gos size and see how we get on :)

[Jack Merlin]

I must admit I would like to see one on a Gos more than anything else.
I think the hood suits the traditional style of slipping a shortwing more than others

I was thinking more of having a hood that would not need to stay on the gos long enough for me to be able to pull the braces!

A braceless hood would also cure the problem of removing the hood without KK doing his little dance "to help me" get the hood off!!! (He does vertical jumps).

I saw an American hood some time ago which had the back held closed with a piece of spring steel piano wire. A loop of wire stood up at the back of the hood and the hood was opened by pinching the loop between thumb and forefinger. As the loop was pinched, the two "jaws" parted, opening the back of the hood. I didn't see it in operation on a bird but I gather it worked OK.

[GriffMJ]

Hi JM

This is the hood ur on about, but I am not sure I would like that much metal near the raptor...lol. Still, if it works ....it works.

Do you want to try a slip on hood first, for the female???

http://www.themodernapprentice.com/spring_wire_brace1.jpghttp://www.themodernapprentice.com/spring_wire_brace2.jpg

[Tim Laycock]

ok...lol.... I will make a Gos size and see how we get on
:D :D :D

[GriffMJ]

Please remember that these slip on hoods are for hunting and NOT the mews :)

[Tim Laycock]

At least when the dog chews a hood you can give it a boll*cking though :lol:

[Jack Merlin]

Griff,

When I am in foreign territroy, I do what I'm told! You are in the driving seat and I rely on your recommendations. No point in keeping a dog and barking myself.<g>

[GriffMJ]

woooof! ok

[Mary Quite Contrary]

Hi Griff,

Well, I have a reputation for meanness but I will put my hand in my wallet (if I can find it) and buy a hood for my male gos off you. (Jeez! Did I really write that?<g>).

I am needing a (cheap) hood for a male gos flying at 1lb 11oz. If that is a success, I will buy a similar for the female.

OK, I accept that it will probably have to be returned to you for "fitting" but I suppose a lot can be done at long range with these digital cameras?

Now, (ye gods this hurts!) how much should I send you? Just be sure you don't send me anything with a fancy plume as I sometimes hawk in company<g>. I prefer bright colours so if I drop it in the heather, I can find it again with my failing eye sight. Also need those goretex braces I heard so much about.

So, how much??

(I shall now have to go and lie down in a darkened room for half an hour. Then off to the chemist to get some tranquilizers for when the bill comes...<vbg>




well done griff :D you have exposed light to places where mushrooms grow.

[Jack Merlin]

well done griff you have exposed light to places where mushrooms grow.

Insults is it now? That's it.
No Christmas card for YOU next Christmas!!!

(Boy! Do I love it when they do that!<vbg> Now I can save money and not even have a conscience about it).

[Tim Laycock]

:lol:

[M & J Raptors]

Griff,

When I am in foreign territroy, I do what I'm told! You are in the driving seat and I rely on your recommendations. No point in keeping a dog and barking myself.<g>

Derry

Just would like to correct your spelling, Territory, :oops:

cheers

Mick

[M & J Raptors]

Never mind hoods for the vermin birds (as eagles are called by the sheep farmers in the west of Scotland!<g>), when are you going to make some of those hoods for proper hawks, like goshawks?<vbg>

If you see Alan Gates, mention my name to him. He had me making massive bels for his eagle years ago. I expect he will remember the first ones fell apart -- due to experiemental solder recommended by the manufacturer! But we got there in the end.

Derry

Just would like to correct your spelling, experimental, :oops:

[GriffMJ]

lol

[GriffMJ]

http://www.m-jhoods.co.uk/images/Eagle/Berkutchi/Berk19.JPG

[Varmint]

Christ on a bike! that was quick mate :lol:

[GriffMJ]

lol.....got to make the best of it :) Thanks for the pic....if u can get a couple more shots of her being held on the glove that would be great... :) Have you got the other hoods yet?

[Varmint]

Not yet mate?

Ill try my best for some more pics but it's plissing it down today!

[Jack Merlin]

but it's plissing it down today

Damn! Just arrived here (the rain, not the hood).

Can't you Perthshire bods keep your wet stuff without sending it up here? Or is it those southerners to blame again?<g>

[Tim Laycock]

Or is it those southerners to blame again?<

Blame them anyway!
I blame southerners for everthing I can get away with :lol: :D