Harold Haman Mallard & Black Duck Decoys - rehabbing just 3 of a dozen

[Steve Sanford]

All~


As I mentioned in the Workbench post, I am helping a friend "de-accessioning" a dozen decoys he had purchased from Orvis circa 1975. He and his wife are downsizing as they move to western PA.


Harold Haman was a Delaware maker of gunning decoys. This YouTube is a nice tribute:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKLQfQTpQ9A


Please let me know if you have contact info for Ken Reynolds of Smyrna, Delaware.



Here is the dozen as they came to me:






They are a nice big decoy - with dense "black cork" bodies.






They are earlier birds, with wooden heads and brass hardware.






The paint is simple.






All keels have nice clear brands.






Nine of the birds are ready-to-hunt - or display in their original paint. If I were going to hunt them, though, I would probably re-paint them all. But, 3 needed serious repairs in any event. This Drake Mallard had a fissure almost through its body - and beetles or carpenter bees had excavated a bunch of cork inside the body.







This Hen concealed an enormous insect cavity.






This lost lower mandible looks very - suspiciously? - fresh.






This tail had been broken off a while ago.






On to the ICU.....


SJS

 

[Al Hansen]

Good morning, Steve. I for one,will look forward to the day when you show us your finished project.
Al

 

[Steve Sanford]

Part 2 - The work begins....


The body crack has been injected with straight epoxy - but the surface got filled with thickened epoxy. The body borings were filled with spray foam made for doors and windows. It remains flexible and is less likely than the standard foam to bust open the body. A tight shock cord is enough to clamp the body repair.







The cavity in this Hen took lots - and lots - of foam.






The heads are Red Cedar - but I used White Pine - and thickened epoxy - for the repair.






My Japanese pull saw cut the tail cleanly - to accept a new piece of dense cork. Straight epoxy - and 2 galvanized finishing nails to align the new cork - did the job. The foam filled a shallow crater on her back.







I shaped the new tail with medium rasp and 80-grit paper.






I got a good match of the body paint - but was a tad too dark with the markings. I do not own an air brush, so used Old School brushes to come "close enough".






Here she is ready to rejoin her rig mates.






Next - the "full restoration" Mallard pair.....


SJS

 

[Steve Sanford]

Part 3 - The Mallard Pair


I shaped the repaired bill and decided to put "Sanford paint" on this pair - because most of the original paint was disturbed during the repairs - and I wanted to see how they would look with a different approach.







As with the Hen - and most factory decoys I rehab - I re-drew the bill-face line on this Drake more in keeping with the live bird.







Finally - as I do with most gunners - I coated the bills with Satin Spar Varnish for both added protection and a bit of "pop".






Here is the back detail on Mister Mallard. I departed from my usual style in 2 ways: I painted in the speculum - which I usually forego with Drakes - and did not stipple on the paler grey to get the silvery effect. Both were done in an homage to Mr. Haman - who clearly preferred simpler paint.









Mrs. Mallard gets a new overcoat as well.






He sits for his portrait.






As does she.






Finally - sea trials.








All the best,



SJS

 

[bob welsh]

like the restoration Steve, big blocks bold paint and personal touches. A compliment to the original.

 

[Al Hansen]

What a great looking pair of mallards. I really like the way that hen looks. Excellent work on that beak of hers.
Al

 

[george w]

Steve, those look like carpenter bee holes. Had soe do that to a push pole ages ago--When i leaned on it on a fateful opener, it broke. Interestingly enough, the part with the holes didmake a nice flute. The other ind is still used as a walking pole. If i can remember the name of a gent who made heads for him, i will let you know. Ptoblem with that cork and picking up stool by the head will produce fissures in THAT spot.
Noce rehabs, so far.

 

[Steve Sanford]

George~


I need to consult one of my bee expert friends. The carpenter bees I know make a perfectly round 3/8-inch hole. And powder post beetle hole are an 1/8-inch or so. The work of a decoy fixer is never done.....


All the best,


SJS