Recent content by Steve Sanford

Good morning, Tony~ Always good to get the kids involved! And, I am very happy to see that your daughter has the requisite confidence to forge ahead. I have enjoyed the "help" of the Next Generation every now and then over the years - but cannot find the photo I treasure but cannot find...

Tony~ I have never tried Titebond III for coating decoys. I always have both epoxy (from US Composites) and Titebond in the shop. As I understand the original Restle/Trestle Coat, Restle Decoys used Titebond (or something like it) with ground corn cobs. The latter are hard to find here in...

Good morning, Chris~ Richard and Jeff have put you on the right track. And, Bob Welsh is the master in canvas-covered vessels. You are correct in that the canvas decks were most likely not adhered to the wooden decks. Some canvas decks did set the canvas in white lead paste - but especially...

Tony~ Great find! That 1967 vintage sounds about right. In addition to the flat bottoms (no extruded keel), they probably have solid brass screw eyes and washers - and not brass-plated steel that came later. Herter's Durlon foam decoys (the over-size Model 72s and the life-size 63s) were...

What a great adventure! All the best, SJS

Joe~ I saw such reproductions in the early '80s at the Ocean City decoy show. I do not recall the carver - but almost bought a "Dudley Canvasback" - for $80 or $90.... I saw the original several years ago (January 2021?) at the Shelburne Museum in VT - as part of a Joel Barber exhibit. The...

I'd love to see your list! Sometimes I look for "duplicates" that I can put in the hands of newer/younger hunters. I have been going through my books ruthlessly - and have a big box of waterfowl/bird books to offer for free at Tuckerton in September. (I literally did not have enough room in...

Josh~ Like so many aspects of our Grand Passion - boats, decoys, guns. clothing - one develops certain preferences over time. I think of them as well-founded prejudices. Regarding keels on decoys, I like those that are simple and as small as meets my needs. As others have pointed out, the...