Fast Antler Tamper Project

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Blackhorse

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They say that the longer you do something the better you get and the less time it takes. Hopefully the end product doesn't suffer.

Below are some photos of a piece of antler a really good guy here at BoB gave me to use as a tamper...COOL!

Now, for any of you that know me a bit, you should know that I hardly ever leave a nice piece of raw material alone, especially when it has the potential to be something 'special'. I've been making knives for some time now and have a good amount of practice at installing spacers, etc. on hidden tang knives. So I adapeted the proceedure to the tamper and ended up with one that has an added set of three materials at the tamp end...some heavy brass, a piece of Gabon Ebony and a piece of nickel sliver. Upon finishing that, and liking the result, I decided to go a step further and add a new tip...of nickel silver.

Notice that there's a copper pin in the tamp end. It goes into the body of the antler about an inch or so. That should hold for a while. What you can't see is the 'pin' that secures the silver tip in place. The tip was 'file carved' sort of in the shape of a tall, thin pointed mushroom...having a thin 'stem' (very thin, but quite strong, being all metal) that goes into the tip about 3/4". All of the spacers and pins are secured with DevCon Crystal Clear 2-Ton Epoxy. Cure time is 30 minutes. Like I said above...what should hold for a while.

I didn't put the silver tip on it to use as a poker, rather as an alternate tamping shape, as a lot of guys prefer a non-flat style. As I was working on it I kept flashing on Lee Marvin's nose in Cat Ballou. Twisted, but kinda funny.

So - the photos (with thanks for Thistleoak for the tine):


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DSCN1538.jpg
 
if all the tines would only have looked like that when I dropped the beastie.... That was off a 10 point last bow season... Good show BH it looks amazing!!!!
 
Nice tamper !

They should call that stuff "DefCon". It's damned near nuke proof.
 
Thanks one and all. I appreciate your kind words.


Re: the "DefCon" comment...I agree, so far as my experience goes with it. It does require that all surfaces be TOTALLY clean - grease free and abraded so there is something for it to grip. That, plus when I've clamped something tightly (thus squeezing most of the epoxy out of the join) I've had a history of the bond failing on a few occasions. So I know to use Acetone to clean things really well after taking a small rasp to the surface and scoring it really well...and then leaving a good film of the epoxy in the gap. Then it seems to work as you alluded to...it don't like to let go.

But, you know what I really like about it the most (cause a tamper or some other rather decorative personal item really doesn't need DefCon level bonding...a little less and it would still be fine)...I like the clarity. And on pieces like this, or a knive or whatever, it's very nice not to have a very slight gap that has some tan sludge or other cruddy looking stuff in there. The clear aspect allows it to reflect back whatever it sits next to...so it looks 'right'. While not an engineeering concern, these are pieces in which the visual is part of the overall appeal...so to me it's important. Anyway...it's good stuff.
 
Thanks, Todd. I like it too. First time I've done a tip - pretty ballistic looking piece. I used a belt sander to rough out the cone, hand filed the stem (which took 4-ever)...from quarter inch rod stock. I also like the copper pin in the tamp end...trimmed from a two foot section of 'overhead power line' I happened across one day.
 
Cool stuff. Did you have training in the handy arts or are you all self learned? I hope some day to acquire some of that experience.
 
Far more training that it would seem by the work. Zillions of Art classes of all kinds. Started school as an Art and Architecture major then did a different major...then went back later and came within a few hours of getting a degree in Fine Arts...Metalsmithing and Metal Sculpture. Did a two year stint as the Lab Supervisor for the Metals lab at Portland State (as a student). Professional career in very different directions, but now I'm back at playing with the lost loves...sculpture (carving) and metals (knife making). Unfortunately, most of the classwork I did or the proceedures I learned on my own in metals and sculpture are very equipment dependent, and I'm very equipment shy...not a good situation. But much of what I learned was also only done with hand tools, so that's what I'm carrying forward.

For anyone that would want to do things like this I would only say that you can if you want to...but you have to invest the time. Anyone with sufficient motivation can do anything. It just takes the research and the practice. The internet has all the instruction anyone needs.
 
Fantastic piece of work! :cheers: :cheers:

You are clearly not only talented but also a perfectionist BH.

Congratulations!

Fraternally

Jers
 
Attention to detail, as well as striving for perfection, are 2 traits that always shine thru in a craftsman's work. Congrats on another outstanding project Blackhorse! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
 
Have I mentioned that you do good work, BH? You do good work, brother. ;)
 
Thanks guys.

Jers - my wife, being Irish by heritage, is a muse for some of my work. She chose one of my favorite briars...a Rosslare Royal Irish blast in the 06 shape. She said it just looked so Irish! I'm puffing on it right now. I had another, a straight apple that is also quite a good smoker. And while my favorite Pete shape is the B5, at least this week, they make many that really call to me. I noticed your pipe preference listed as a Royal Irish and felt a certain kinship...but while appreciating a smooth briar as much as any man, I really like the black blast in these pipes and the contrast to the amber lucite stems. Really a fine item.
 
BH - I'm entirely with you on the attraction of the sandblast black and amber stem. The sandblasted Royal Irish are surprisingly hard to source in Ireland and the UK, and those that can be found are generally sold for silly money.

A sandblasted Royal Irish is definitely something that's on my wish list. As has been said before - so many pipes, so little time......

Fraternally

Jers
 
Well, they seem to come up here pretty regularly, but not in great numbers. You can always to a google search for USA sites and see what you can find. One of the things I liked about the black blast was that the prices were quite a bit lower than the smooth briars. I think I paid $125 US for the new 06 and about $60 US for the straight apple as an estate. So they can be had for fair prices. I have a Rosslare Classic B5 and the finish on the stem (as just one example) of the that one is nowhere what they did for the Royal. But they smoke about the same...really, really well. lol So it's more fit and finish than performance, I think.

These seem well priced for the UK. I've seen them for twice the cost as I recall:

http://www.jamesfox.ie/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=209_345_358

And here they are for twice the cost! I wonder what the difference is?

http://www.mysmokingshop.co.uk/index2.php?mod=mancats&sec=1041&man=99

 
By coincidence it was James Fox's shop in Grafton Street, Dublin that I bought my Rosslare Royal Irish from! Their shop is just a few doors below where the old Peterson shop was sited yet their prices for the Royal Irish pipes are much keener. I believe the difference between James Fox's pipes and the UK based mysmokingshop.com is just profiteering. Some European suppliers will also charge similarly inflated prices for Peterson pipes.

I may end up buying a second Royal Irish from the USA, my 221 remains the best smoking pipe I presently own. I've already purchased one new pipe from across the pond, that was a Savinelli. To be forced to purchase a Peterson from the USA would be ironic!

Fraternally

Jers





 
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