fan handle

[geronimo]

i'm trying to make a fan handle---the feathers are set....kind of rigged up with duct tape and all that...but now i'm stuck?


any suggestions????????????

[White Powwow Dancer]

Hi
What kind of feathers are you using tails or wings? If you are using tails go with a V shape handle to fit your hand. If you are using wings go with V shape handle too to fit your hand.
WPD

[Blackbear]

Hi
What kind of feathers are you using tails or wings? If you are using tails go with a V shape handle to fit your hand. If you are using wings go with V shape handle too to fit your hand.
WPD

HUH? LOL.. why did'nt you just say.. use a V shape handle to fit your hand? ROFLMAO

You might want to go and check the archives as well as the posts you will recieve here. There was a very large discussion about this last summer. Lots of good advise in that discussion.

[White Powwow Dancer]

Hello
I fine whats good for the hand and for the person who using the fan. Thats I use for my fan.
WPD

[Tibiki Kinew]

Deer shoulders make the best natural handle, when covered in buckskin and then decorated with fur they look wicked,,,

[White Powwow Dancer]

Hi
Here is the picture I was talking about here on this post. I hope you can see it.

[storm]

Make it like MOST people who are fan makers do it.
Check the archives, but here goes start to fininsh.
(Modern take on the olde style)
1. lay out feathers on a thin board covered with alum. foil.
2. use feather light masking tape across the feahers at two places to hold them down.
3.bond the quills..glue, hot glue, string and hide glue. it is all the same...
easiest way ... bondo!
after bondo sets turn feathers over bondo the back of the quills.
4. get a good hardwood dowel or carve a pine handle. nothing big and clunky...slim, trim and elegant.
I use a dowel. cut a notch 2in. from top of dowel, that is cut the dowel in half down 2 in.
5. set feathers in notch, bondo to dowel.work thread deep into the wet bondo wrapped around dowel this is good support.
6. shape bondo and dowel to an elegant curve. bondo sands and works so you can get any shape. you will hit some of your thread.
7. trim end of dowel to set fringe. 12 min. 24 best. twisted white buckskin not that yellow crap.you can tell a fan maker by his fringe....use white shoe polish on the twisted fringes.
roll them out on a glass with a flat bit of wood..nice, smooth even fringes.
8. Wrap handle in thin white hide...bead (gourd stitch)in 16's if you have em, 13 cuts are fine.This is all my fan making secrets...oops,
If on the other hand, if you want to make a big clunky fan with wide flat yellow fringe and wrap pony beads and skunk fur around it,,,, please just don't tell me.

[paraivo]

Amen Storm--right to the point. I am so tired of seeing those clunky fans that people show up with at dances. Those slim, elegant fans of the southern plains are a joy to behold!!!

[geronimo]

thanks guys!!!

they're eagle feather spikes & then i've got some scraps of white buckskin laying around.....just didn't know how to get started

thanks for the suggestions everyone!!! (especially storm...hope u didn't give all your secrets away) time to get to work.........

[[email protected]]

Can Someone Help Me I Have A Eagle Tail And I Dont Now How To Get Started On The Fan Handle Thanx

[White Powwow Dancer]

Hi BH
How Many tail feathers do you have? Set them up on a table and if you want them to overlap or not. use Storm's technique for attaching them and use a handle to fit your hand it should be conformable for your use.
WPD

[Blackbear]

Amen Storm--right to the point. I am so tired of seeing those clunky fans that people show up with at dances. Those slim, elegant fans of the southern plains are a joy to behold!!!

clunky or elegant... as long as you get good air from them it's doing a good job right? Some folks just are'nt as artistic as others and some places just make fans differently is all. It's all good.

[Tibiki Kinew]

When I use a complete tail, I lay the tail onto the shoulder bone of a deer and glue it in place,(you can drill a few holes through and tie them too) then cover the bone in leather and add the fur. Doesnt take long and last forever, but like bear says, if it moves air it is good!!! I can get lots of shoulder bones too!!! Right now I figure the roof of my shed has at least a dozen on it!

[Rides the Wind]

Make it like MOST people who are fan makers do it.
Check the archives, but here goes start to fininsh.
(Modern take on the olde style)
1. lay out feathers on a thin board covered with alum. foil.
2. use feather light masking tape across the feahers at two places to hold them down.
3.bond the quills..glue, hot glue, string and hide glue. it is all the same...
easiest way ... bondo!
after bondo sets turn feathers over bondo the back of the quills.
4. get a good hardwood dowel or carve a pine handle. nothing big and clunky...slim, trim and elegant.
I use a dowel. cut a notch 2in. from top of dowel, that is cut the dowel in half down 2 in.
5. set feathers in notch, bondo to dowel.work thread deep into the wet bondo wrapped around dowel this is good support.
6. shape bondo and dowel to an elegant curve. bondo sands and works so you can get any shape. you will hit some of your thread.
7. trim end of dowel to set fringe. 12 min. 24 best. twisted white buckskin not that yellow crap.you can tell a fan maker by his fringe....use white shoe polish on the twisted fringes.
roll them out on a glass with a flat bit of wood..nice, smooth even fringes.
8. Wrap handle in thin white hide...bead (gourd stitch)in 16's if you have em, 13 cuts are fine.This is all my fan making secrets...oops,
If on the other hand, if you want to make a big clunky fan with wide flat yellow fringe and wrap pony beads and skunk fur around it,,,, please just don't tell me.

Thankyou for the tips,ande I feel you on the fat yellow fringe,pony beads and pisuni fur.Twisted fringe is an art in itself.Your style suggests Kiowa,Comanche and Apache.
Aho

[Peacekeeper83]

I have made several hawk wing fans the way Storm suggested...they have always came out good...my last I used a piece of wood that I shaped and put my feathers in it...by rosin...then covered with hide and added the twisted fringe...alot of compliments on that one..I am not a fan{no pun intended} of the fur decorated fans..seems like thats all the whites use around here..kinda looks foo-foo to me anyways...but thats my opinion