How would you repair this Canvas Swan?

Dave Diefenderfer

Dave Diefenderfer

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There is a beautiful canvas swan for sale near me that I would love to get out and hunt, but afraid I should repair it first.



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Glue a patch on it?
 
Might send Chuck a message.

As for what I'd do as a rank amateur, (a) using curved needle, stitch the wound together as much as possible without pulling the fabric. (b) glue my patch over that.

EDIT: Then again, maybe the fabric is sealed up enough that a needle will not penetrate?
 
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All depends on the status of the canvas. Sewing can do more damage than good. A patch would be a better solution IMO.

From what I can see the canvas appears to be thin, very tight & taunt (a good job of stretching). Therefore the canvas warp and weft are already stretched to maximun.

Appears also to be a well constructed decoy. A tear that high would have little effect on it's use. White Duck Tape should do the job. The less weight of the patch the better.

Having made and recoverd many canvas decoys, recovering the decoy in the future would be done.

my 2 cents.

Best regards
Vince
 
No experience with canvas decoys, but lots of experience fixing similar rips in waders. Duct tape on the inside if you can get in there, and then a light coat of Aquaseal on the outside, with a cloth patch applied over that with thinned Aquaseal. On Goretex fabric waders, a patch like that is stronger than the original fabric and barely visible if the cloth matches the base color.
 
Complete novice on canvas decoys but i,d be tempted to see if I could slip a tape backer in there ever so nimbly and cover rip with white 5200. Without the backer it would just slip thru I believe.
 

I strongly agree with the interior patch, Duck Tape, etc. That method has served me very well in other applications. It's not as difficult as it appears to be, just takes patience and thought. Have not used it in patching canvas decoys. Small shot holes no problem with decoy still being used, larger tear, etc. I recover the decoy.

Also was the decoy used for gunning as constructed, or do you want it to be? Just curious.

Canvas working decoys are very durable, practical and toll birds very well. Made to be used, abused, then repaired and recovered when need be. You will find old decoys with shot holes, but few with large patches. Many old decoys have no canvas on them at all, just the frame awaiting the next layer of canvas to get back to work.
 

The decoy was made by a Mr. Billy Rose, of NC, and were sold at DU events. According to another source.

Some were gunned over, others were not. They made bucks for the ducks.

Mr. Ron Vick also made many canvas decoys for DU in the early 1980's. His decoys are also quality with thin canvas. All signed and numbered. In the tradition of the area of their birth.
 
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