August - Whats on your workbench?

Dave,
I like the chest on that bird. You don't see that to often. Carl Becker showed me a trick years ago to use instead of shooting the bird, poke it with a scratch awl or ice pick to make the holes. That way you don't blow up the bird by accident.
Phil
 
That's a cool grebe! As far as "confidence decoys" go, well, there are occasionally mistakes made during early TEAL season :D
 
Here's a Greater Yellowlegs I just finished for a wedding this weekend. The bride is an old friend who will also be celebrating her 75th birthday. It is Basswood finished with oils. The "leg" is brass and the base is Redcedar. I think I will use a longer piece of brass - it needs at least another inch.

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Here it is against a different backdrop - kraft paper from my workbench.

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All the best,

SJS
 
Very nice Steve. I think your OCD is showing on the brass "leg". No one except a detailed oriented bird biologist would find any thing wrong with the current height or proportion. Very nice and subtle coloration and "topography".
 
Beautiful Steve. I love the neck-chest-flank transition.

I'm on the road most of this month for work followed immediately by family vacation....so no shop time for me this month.
 
Good morning, Gents~

Thanks for the kind words.

Here it is with a longer "leg" - and a different, slightly lower base:

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All the best,

SJS
 
Hey Kristan! Great to hear from you!

Yes, John Schweikert hollowed his heads from the back to lighten the overall weight of the decoy. Hollowing the head of course would also reduce any splitting or checking of the head wood by reducing the interior of the wood where most moisture resides. I also know that Robert Elliston hollowed heads. Seems like a lotta work for a little effect however many of the vintage carvers were extreme craftsman. In addition, back in the day, they had to haul everything by hand, were in heavy, wood boats so, the reduction of any weight was a good thing.

A little history for you today... Great question. Take care and God bless! Pat
 
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Hello MLbob and Steve, nice work! Like that Grebe and yellow legs.
I've been trying to finish some decoys for the fall season. almost forty in all I'll post a few shots, and then probably next week.
some blue winged just to glued up and eyes set.
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Man you guys are making some nice stuff! Geoff, you are out of control on that redhead.

Decoys were on hold this month while I did up some other stuff. Finished a few knives to sell.

Muskox horn.

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Dall sheep horn.

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A fossilized rib off something big. It was about 2 1/2 inches wide.

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A little damascus letter opener with Dall sheep horn.

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And this monster. Damascus blade with two big slabs of mammoth ivory for a handle. A friend picked out the blade because it reminded him of the lines on a topo map.

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Keep those pictures coming guys, I can't believe our bird season opens here in two more sleeps.


Mike
 
Thanks Mike...Those knives are awesome. I enjoyed seeing the decoys you posted a while back too.

I hunted your Barrows and Old Squaw on Lake Michigan last year. The Antler tail is still intact! Sure looks cool sticking up like that riding the waves...
 
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