New Molded Falconry Hood Protector And Matching Hood.

[Lymestone Canyon Hoods]

We are professional hood makers for falconry birds. The hoods are hand sewn and molded to fit the shape of the birds head that we are making the hood for. I just recently stared to develop a molded leather case for the hoods that we make. This is the result. Thanks....

[Rohn]

That sounds like a neat business. Hood looks great too. I'd like to see it on the bird.

[Lymestone Canyon Hoods]

My profile picture is my Peregrine with one of my hoods on her.

[x101airborne]

How utterly cool!

[Wild Bill46]

You found you niche Huh ? Nice tooling ! --- Wild Bill46

[Lymestone Canyon Hoods]

I have been a falconer for over twenty years. Falconry hoods are a very small but dedicated market. Problem is that it takes years to learn, get a customer base built up. There are very few good hood makers in the country. It is a perpetual learning cycle and the fit of the hood on the bird is everything. Style and beauty are secondary but certainly don't hurt anything. You have to have exposure to lots and lots of birds and continually work on the design. We have had the luck of help from some of the best hood makers in the country. They helped us get through the initial hurdles. Without that I dare say it would be an unlearnable thing. It is our love for what we do that motivates us to make hoods and now other things related to falconry and our hoods. At some point I really want to learn to sew gloves and gauntlets. The hood protectors took a good bit of R&D, especially to get a different design that what is currently on the market. We have successfully molded it into a small living doing what we love. We live off grid in the mountains of Montana and this is all that we do. We are lucky in that we are debt free and live small, that makes a world of difference. No one is going to get rich in the leather business but honestly, we never wanted that. we wanted some small niche that would let us live the way we wanted to live. This does that.

So if any of you guys have patterns or ideas on glove making, I would love to hear them.

Thanks for the kind words.

Brian

[Windrider30]

Brian first cool work second correct me if i am wrong but conserning the glove would you not have to have padding in different areas depending on the type of bird depending on the where the bird wants to sit on arm or fist?

[resqman]

The case is obviously wet molded. Do you tool the case while on the mold? or do you have some other neat trick?

[Lymestone Canyon Hoods]

The case was wet molded to a form, yes. I let it sit a while after forming, maybe 6-7 hours near our wood stove.. By that time the leather was dry enough to tool (about where you would consider it cased). I tooled it on the form and let it finish drying. Then cut it out, dyed and sewed. I had one little wrinkle on the bottom that is barely noticeable but I am ocd so I will most likely build up the form a little bit taller so that I have more room to work. That case is really deep for the size.

Regarding the glove question. Falconry gloves aren't padded. What we do is add another thickness of leather sewn to the top of the glove in the wrist and forearm area. Most times this is just for birds with stronger foot strength. Larger redtail hawks, various eagle and whatnot. For most birds a single thickness of elk, bison or thicker goat is enough.

[Hawkeronetwo]

Very nice work. I am going to point your work out at our next field meet this Feb. many members are always looking for unique items and your individual made items will definitely fit into that.

Arkansas Hawking Assoc.

[Lymestone Canyon Hoods]

I have made hoods for a few of the Arkansas Falconers already. Have a few friends there.