By way of introduction, I am John Donelson and I design and build custom black powder rifles, smoothbores, pistols, hand-forged knives, hawks, and tools needed by buckskinners, reenactors, shooting enthusiasts, and collectors. I have no predetermined "line" of goods to offer, the mix varies with each show and each day of production.

If you would like to see a short video of me in action you can click below. A local channel, WCCO, did a segment titled "Finding Minnesota: Hand-Made Weapons" which aired on February 19, 2007



John Donelson forging
John Donelson in shop




I buy and make what I like to have. Besides my own guns, there's antique items: guns, knives, hand-forged traps. There is also my own knives, hawks, traps, and accoutrements.


Donelson custom guns


For those wanting something not available to the right, I can build it as a special order, whether it's a gun, knife, trap, hawk. A waiting period will apply and may be as short as a few days for a hawk or knife and as long as a year or two for a hand-forged gun. Every item is unique — no two will be exactly the same.


I enjoy researching a style of work and then bring the best aspects from several pieces in the same style or maker to life with my own interpretation of that style, developing a superior product from that.


Donelson Custom Cherry



Terms are $800 down payment for a gun, balance prior to delivery. Lead time is usually six months to a year. Minnesota Sales Tax of 6.5% applies to all sales within the state. Satisfaction is guaranteed or your money back.


You can see me at the upcoming shows:

   
Come and see me and Michael Hoffmann demonstrating at my farm... 8 miles North of Becker on Highway 25. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after Thanksgiving and the next two Saturday and Sundays in December!



Donelson Wheatley

I always have an inventory ready for immediate shipment. These items for immediate sale are shown on the right side of this page!




Donelson Custom Muzzleloader


Perhaps you know just what you want or have seen an old antique that you wish you had. Looking through books with photos of original antiques is a good way to determine what styles you like. Right hand or left. French and Indian War period to the Plains Rifle... all are possible.

We can use store-bought parts or I can hand-forge everything depending on your pocket book and your desire. I always supply my clients with photos of their gun in progress from the beginning pile of parts/materials to the finished piece (shows them that I didn't go to Jamaica with their down payment!).

We gladly accept these fine cards:


MasterCard Visa


For Sale Now

1. Northwest Trade Gun: unfinished In-the-white condition, assembled by me and test fired. 20 gauge (.625 cal), hand-forged guard and buttplate, plain Maple stock, dragon sideplate in brass, low front sight soldered on, two ribbed brass rod pipes with no entry pipe. Finnish it yourself or pay me to do it (add $500)
..............only $1100.

Northwest Trade Gun: unfinished In-the-white condition

Northwest Trade Gun: unfinished In-the-white condition

Northwest Trade Gun: unfinished In-the-white condition

Northwest Trade Gun: unfinished In-the-white condition




2. Blacksmith Coal: 50 lb. Bags of premium smithing coal, very clean and nugget size pieces...........$20 per bag
If you need 10 bags or more then the price is
..............$17 per bag

Blacksmith Coal



3. Three Throwing Hawks by KRJ: these are the standard throwers made by Keith Johnson, Bemidji, MN. All mild steel with a hardened edge...these have decorative stampings added by Keith for me
..............only $39 each


Throwing Hawks by KRJ


4. Old Craftsman Hatchet: this has a very handsome hand-whittled handle with great PATINA which might be used to haft an original head as desired
..............only $35

Old Craftsman Hatchet

Old Craftsman Hatchet



5. Knife Blade Blanks for builders: these are Torch-cut blanks from L-6 sawblade material, cut using a CNC plasma torch which leaves very minimal heating along the edge. These can be ground to final finish or even forged further and will yield high quality steel knives........
Top blade: Bowie style...$15 2nd from top: Hunter..$8
3rd from top: Dagger........$ 8 4th from top: Big Dag.$8
5th from top: Sportsman..$10 Bottom: Stilletto.......$6
Guards: any one.......$5


knife blade blanks


6. 3 Hand-forged Blades for builders:
Top: Damascus blade in "wood grain" pattern, forged from a coiled car hood spring....very unique..and hard!.............. $125
Middle: Damascus blade from Chainsaw chains .............. $75
Bottom: Hunting Knife from a file
..............$45


Hand forged blades for builders


7. Old Traps with tags dating to 1946-47:
Three Beaver-size traps with dated tags .............. $20 each
Two Muskrat traps...ca. 1910 style
..............$15 each


Old traps


8. Rendezvous Tent Stakes: hand-forged tent stakes 14" long and stout with hook on the end
..............$ 3.50 each


Rendezvous Tent Stakes

9. Antique Early Powder Horn: French and Indian period plain horn......large round Pine plug with a forged wire loop, large lip on spout for strap attachment.....no scrimshaw or markings......just a good working horn from the Early period............
..............$149.00





10. Far Left: Nice Hawk with upturned top point, pointed ears on the eye, long neck to the bowl and signed in script: "JWD" (forgot to stamp it)....lightweight and dangerous!!...
..............$239.00





11. Middle Left: Inspired by the "Patriot" hawk, but has an octagon bowl instead of the round one from the movie hawk......
..............$259.00





12. Center: Fully dressed hawk with extensive filing and deep hand-chased engraving...beautiful turned brass acorn plug on to............
..............$559.00





13. Middle Right: beautiful hawk with sweeping downturned lines and a flared bowl octagon to round, blued and very nice......
..............$339.00





14. Far Right: super-lightweight hawk made from a piece of 20 ga. barrel saw-off.....everybody that picks this one up says "whoa!!" and waves it around like a lit sparkler!! Octagon hand-scraped Curly Maple handle.............
..............$229.00


15. French Trade Axe by Donelson: Trade axe in the Early French Colonial style, complete with a leather sheath with cover and belt loop on back, these were commonly traded thru the 1600's until 1760 when the British took over..............................
..............$119.00



16. Forged pipe hawk in the rough: mounted on a curly handle, still has forge scale, similar shape to one above.........
..............$159.00



17. Antique French Powder Flask: flattened horn body on one side, rounded on the other, brass mountings, wood plug.........
..............$159.00






18. Hand-forged Arrow/Spear points by Donelson: These are forged out of L-6 steel and are very durable!! The ferrule will fit 1/2" shafts....a little large for arrows, these are better for Addle-addle spears.....smaller versions could be made for arrows.....each..
..............$15.00



19. Double bladed axe with sheath: cut down from a full size double blade axe head, making a nice handy size for the trail........
..............$85.00
| Home | Longarms | Pistols | Knives/Swords | Hawks | Testimonials | Contact | Education |
© 2008 Donelson Custom Muzzleloaders
12519 37th St SE, Clear Lake, MN 55319, 320-743-3327