K.D. (Knock Down) Decoys

Eric Patterson said:
Vince

From a woodworker's point of view the bottom pocket is the most challenging aspect of these decoys. Not only is there a pocket but the anchor slips into and wedges in a channel in that pocket. In 1920 the machine to make those cuts was a pin router. Pin routers were widely abandoned starting twenty years ago and can be picked up at machinery auctions for scrap prices. I've never wanted one on my shop, until now :)

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Eric,

The bottom looks like it is ideal for either routing on a CNC or having a CNC made template that you could attach to a body and rout out the pocket with a router and bushing.

Rick Lathrop
 
Rick

No doubt if those decoys were made today they'd be CNC cut. Not knowing how to program CNC I would handle the job by band sawing and shaping my own templates. An overhead pin router would follow my template for hogging and shaping. In fact, it's quite possible 100 years ago when they decoys were manufactured that's how they did it. Until I learn CNC I'll approach things like they did a century ago :)
 
Eric Patterson said:
Rick

No doubt if those decoys were made today they'd be CNC cut. Not knowing how to program CNC I would handle the job by band sawing and shaping my own templates. An overhead pin router would follow my template for hogging and shaping. In fact, it's quite possible 100 years ago when they decoys were manufactured that's how they did it. Until I learn CNC I'll approach things like they did a century ago :)
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Eric,

That is a simple pocket and would take about 10 minutes to program in VCarve. A pin router would take up additional floor space in my shop. I think a CNC is more versatile tool.

Rick
 
My my.... All this discussion over how it was done, and how to improve something that was ingenious and created in quantity in 1920. Makes me smile.

For many a year decoy carvers and makers have Tried to figure out the methods and the paint on the old decoys. Few have succeeded and the ones that have keep it to themselves. One must remember that when these Decoys were made there were far more Duck Hunters than there are today, and so many different styles of hunting.

Pocket Decoys are a unique type of decoy made for a specific purpose. K-D were some of the best over 100 years ago. They came in a very well made Crate/Box that in itself is collectible and very well made.

Eric,
You indeed could put a Pin Router to very good use with your skills and imagination. I hope that you acquire one, vintage no doubt.


"One thing about Pine. Pine holds a lot of memories" - a line from the movie STILL MINE
 
Nice, functional decoys.

Those would be great for various little spots. I've often wondered if it wouldn't make sense to have a slightly under size rig to be able to carry a small rig into some of the walk in spots in the timber...and generally you need almost no weight, since there is no current. The removable heads that sit in a pocket make them even more transportable and damage resistant.
 
Rick Pierce said:
slightly under size rig to be able to carry a small rig into some of the walk in spots in the timber...and generally you need almost no weight, since there is no current.
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I bought some of the Cherokee Sports inflatable decoys once for this reason. Great concept, poor execution. 12 mallards fit in two Columbia Wigeon pockets. Problem was, they would lose air after a while (poor vinyl/plastic/whatever material). I killed ducks over them, though. A couple of them got a stray pellet and a few others got tears in them. When I went to get more, they were discontinued. Ugly as could be, but highly transportable.

I would hunt over 6 or 8 of these decoys in the timber, any day.
 
Steven Alexander said:
I bought some of the Cherokee Sports inflatable decoys once for this reason. Great concept, poor execution. 12 mallards fit in two Columbia Wigeon pockets. Problem was, they would lose air after a while (poor vinyl/plastic/whatever material). I killed ducks over them, though. A couple of them got a stray pellet and a few others got tears in them. When I went to get more, they were discontinued. Ugly as could be, but highly transportable.

I would hunt over 6 or 8 of these decoys in the timber, any day.
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6 or 8 in a backpack with a box of shells and a strap would be a nice walk-in rig.
 
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