DUCKWING 302 Posted May 3, 2010 Report Share Posted May 3, 2010 WELL FELLAS , TWO SUMMERS AGO I SET OUT A MINK TRAPPING LINE TO BE USED IN THE DEEP WINTER ..... HARD WORK BUT FOR ME VERY ENJOYABLE ! USING MINK TRAPPING TIPS AND METHODS PLUS THE PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE I HAD GLEENED MYSELF OVER THE YRS .... FROM THE LIKES OF G.W. AND THE FEW AMERICAN FUR TRAPPERS I KNOW .... I SET OUT THE LINE TO BE EFFECTIVE IN BOTH THE TIME IT TAKES TO CHECK THE TRAPS PLUS THE NATURAL FUNNELING OF THE MINK IN VARIOUS WATERWAYS LOCAL TO ME .............. IN MAKING THE VARIOUS SETS .. A TRAPPER NEEDS CERTAIN TOOLS OF THE TRADE ..... A HAMMER , TRAPPING TROWEL , GOOD KNIFE AND AN AXE ....... ETC ....... NOW.................. TO ME AN AXE IS INVALUABLE , ITS WELL USED IN MAKING THE SETS AND DAILY ON THE LINE ...... I TEND TO FIND NEW AREAS AS IAM WANDERING DOWN THE LINE THAT I WANT TO SET ...... SO ... IF THE AXE IS LEFT AT HOME I FEEL LIKE IVE LOST AN ARM ! THIS LAST SEASON IVE BEEN USING A GOOD OLD AXE WHICH I FELT WAS A TOUCH OVERSIZED FOR THE GENERAL JOBS ............. I HAD MADE MY MIND UP TO BUY A BETTER SIZED SPECIMEN AND WAS LOOKING AT THE BUKS GRANSFORS SMALL FORREST AXE BELOVED BY RAY MEARS WHICH RETAILS AT OVER 50 QUID , NOT CHEAP ...BUT A GOOD DEPENDABLE TOOL ........ WELL ........... TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON I WAS SNARING MILES FROM ANYWHERE ON AN ESTATE ...... I WAS PUTTING SOME WIRES OF AN OLD RAILING FENCE LINE THROUGH A HEDGE WHEN I KNELT ON SOMETHING ....... BRUSHING AWAY THE FALLEN LEAVES AND SOIL I COULD SEE IT WAS AN OLD AXE THE HANDLE WAS BROKEN IN HALF AND ROTTED THROUGH ...... THE HEAD WAS COATED IN A THICK LAYER OF RUST BUT WAS OF A PATTERN THAT REMINDED ME OF THE OLD HUDSON BAY TRAPPING AND TRADING AXE HEADS ....... FOR SOME REASON I PUT IT IN MY BAG AND WENT ON MY WAY ......... FOR MONTHES IT SAT IN THE SHED ....... AND I FORGOT ABOUT IT ................ A FEW MONTHES AGO I SENT A RECYCLE BOX FULL OF VARIOUS TRAPS DOWN TO A MATE WHO CLEANS THEM FOR ME , AT HIS WORK ...... ANY RUST IS SANDBLASTED AWAY AND THEY COME UP LIKE NEW .... WHEN I GOT THEM BACK AND READY TO TO BE SPRAYED I WENT THROUGH THE BOX AND FOUND THE AXE HEAD MUST HAVE BEEN PUT IN & IT HAD COME UP A TREAT ! WELL I HAVE QUITE A PILE OF ASH LOGS .,, SO I SPLIT AN AXE HANDLE OUT OF A 10 " ROUND LOG AND ROUGHED OUT THE SHAPE WITH ANOTHER AXE I HAVE AND A RASP ......... PUT IT TO ONE SIDE TO DRY .......... AND LEFT IT TILL TODAY THIS AFTERNOON I FINISHED THE SHAFT AND HAFTED IT ........... IAM REALLY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME ITS BEEN MADE TO FIT MY HAND LIKE A GLOVE ........ IAM GLAD I NEVER BOTHERD WITH THE GRASNFORS NOW ! SO THEN ....... HOW MANY OF YOU FELLAS .... CUSTOMISE AND RECYCLE YER TRAPPING EQUIPMENT ? I THINK ME AND THIS FELLA ARE GONNA BE JUST LIKE OLD FRIENDS !!! ALL THE BEST DUCKWING 1 Quote Link to post
cúagusgiorraí 57 Posted May 3, 2010 Report Share Posted May 3, 2010 I once dug up an old hatchet head from two feet down in the soil. I should get that sandblasted as well. That axe looks good Duckwing. well done Quote Link to post
Phil Lloyd 10,736 Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Superb ,..what a joy to own such a unique tool... Quote Link to post
DUCKWING 302 Posted May 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 CHEERS FELLAS , I OWN QUITE A FEW OTHER TOOLS THAT IVE MODIFIED TO BETTER SUIT MY NEEDS OVER THE YEARS .... AND A FEW THAT ARE READY TO DO ............. IVE A CRACKING OLD HARRISON BILLHOOK THAT NEEDS SOME TLC ... MAYBE THE NEXT ASH LOG PROJECT ! ALL THE BEST DUCKWING Quote Link to post
Butler 396 Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Top job fella....................... the lawn isn't looking to bad either Quote Link to post
The one 8,396 Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 That looks very nice now its all been done up Quote Link to post
stig 2 Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 What a fantastic post duckwing!Got a mate whos a wood turner and hes just re handled some old marples chisels for me and i honed them up a treat and there gunna do me well for my apprenticeship if i could only find someone with enough work. All the best s Quote Link to post
DUCKWING 302 Posted May 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Top job fella....................... the lawn isn't looking to bad either HI BUTLER , I HAVE MIGHT HAVE THE MOST FERTILISED LAWN IN BRITAIN !! ONE THING I FORGOT TO ADD ABOUT THE OLD TOOLS .... THE STEEL ........ THE STEEL IS TOP QUALITY AND TOOK SOME GETTING AN EDGE ON .... BUT NOW HAS AN EDGE I CAN SHAVE THE HAIRS OFF MY ARM WITH ........ TRY DOING THAT WITH A LOT OF THE CHINKY STEEL AROUND TODAY ! WHEN YOU LOOK ROUND AT PLACES LIKE FARM OR THE CAR BOOT TYPE SALES YOU OFTEN FIND NEGLECTED SHEFFIELD STEEL TOOLS FOR NEXT TO NOTHING .... I AINT BEEN TO CAR BOOTER FOR YRS AND YRS ....... MAYBE ITS TIME FOR A TRIP ....... WITH A LITTLE TLC AND ELBOW GREASE YOU CAN HAVE A CUSTOM MADE TOOL TO HELP YOU ON THE LINE ................... ALL THE BEST DUCKWING Quote Link to post
DUCKWING 302 Posted May 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 What a fantastic post duckwing!Got a mate whos a wood turner and hes just re handled some old marples chisels for me and i honed them up a treat and there gunna do me well for my apprenticeship if i could only find someone with enough work. All the best s GOOD LUCK WITH THE APPRENTICESHIP STIG TIMES ARE HARD IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY ....... WE RECENTLY HAD AN APPRENTICE DAY WHERE I WORK AND 4000 TURNED UP .... GORDON BROWN REALLY HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR ......... MY ADVICE WOULD BE TO LOOK FOR THE FEW FIRMS LIKE THE ONE I WORK FOR .......... THAT OFTEN TAKE ON OLDER APPRENTICES IN THEIR 30s TO 40s .. IVE FOUND BY AND LARGE THE OLDER FELLAS MAKE THE BETTER TRADES MAN . ....... MAKE THE MOST OF THE APPRENTICESHIP ........ AS THEY ARE PASSED THE PISSING ABOUT STAGE AND KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO FOR A LIVING ....... HOWEVER ..... LIKE ANYTHING TO BE A CRAFTSMAN IS EITHER IN YOU OR IT ISNT ....... YOU HAVE EITHER SKILL IN YER HANDS OR YOU AINT ..... NO AMOUNT OF TRAINING OR DEGREES WILL HELP I AINT ON THE TOOLS AT THE MOMENT ... OFFICE SITE BASED .... AND BY GOD I MISS IT ........ I GOT WRONG OFF ONE OF THE LADS THE OTHER DAY FOR TAKING HIS HAMMER AND CHISEL OFF HIM AND HANGING A DOOR .... I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT ONE MINUTE I WAS CHATTING AWAY ABOUT THE JOB ..... NEXT THE DOOR WAS SWUNG THATS WHY A FUTURE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE A WORKSHOP ........ THOUGH IF I SPEND ANYMORE TIME OUT OF THE HOUSE THE MISSUS HAS THREATENED TO PUT MY BED IN IT ... WELL LOOKS LIKE I MIGHT NEED A POT BELLIED STOVE ,. IT GETS KINDA COLD ON A NIGHT WELL BETTER GET ON WITH THE DECORATING ........ ALL THE BEST DUCKWING Quote Link to post
stig 2 Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Thanks duckwing Iv now sent out 20 letters and attended 2 apprentice days and gone round a few firms that i liked the look of.Real old craftsman they were.One guy just had a little shop on the outskirts of a village near me and i went in ...christ his stuff was good i had a look at a dove house he was making really incredible.He had also done some work for Roman Abramovich who im sure with all the money he has did his research for the best.I know what you mean about some other younger lads they dont get it.Just college then dont think about it till there back again..me iv invested a lot of money i dont have in tools.Refurbished a few from my grandad.Looking into making my own wood planes soon already knocked up a mallet out of some scraps at college its just filling with linseed at the mo.I love the thought of either a unique hand made tool or one with a real story behind it. I just love it.I think im gunna have to widen my search and look to have to travle in everyday. Thanks for the advice All the best s Quote Link to post
bedrock 16 Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Its tured out well duckwing. You’ve saved your self a couple of quid to. My brother in law was looking for a similar tool a few weeks ago and he got this It cost a bit though. http://www.red-deer.co.uk/acatalog/Axes_by_Snow_and_Neally.html Quote Link to post
BRYAN3 29 Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 WELL FELLAS , TWO SUMMERS AGO I SET OUT A MINK TRAPPING LINE TO BE USED IN THE DEEP WINTER ..... HARD WORK BUT FOR ME VERY ENJOYABLE ! USING MINK TRAPPING TIPS AND METHODS PLUS THE PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE I HAD GLEENED MYSELF OVER THE YRS .... FROM THE LIKES OF G.W. AND THE FEW AMERICAN FUR TRAPPERS I KNOW .... I SET OUT THE LINE TO BE EFFECTIVE IN BOTH THE TIME IT TAKES TO CHECK THE TRAPS PLUS THE NATURAL FUNNELING OF THE MINK IN VARIOUS WATERWAYS LOCAL TO ME .............. IN MAKING THE VARIOUS SETS .. A TRAPPER NEEDS CERTAIN TOOLS OF THE TRADE ..... A HAMMER , TRAPPING TROWEL , GOOD KNIFE AND AN AXE ....... ETC ....... NOW.................. TO ME AN AXE IS INVALUABLE , ITS WELL USED IN MAKING THE SETS AND DAILY ON THE LINE ...... I TEND TO FIND NEW AREAS AS IAM WANDERING DOWN THE LINE THAT I WANT TO SET ...... SO ... IF THE AXE IS LEFT AT HOME I FEEL LIKE IVE LOST AN ARM ! THIS LAST SEASON IVE BEEN USING A GOOD OLD AXE WHICH I FELT WAS A TOUCH OVERSIZED FOR THE GENERAL JOBS ............. I HAD MADE MY MIND UP TO BUY A BETTER SIZED SPECIMEN AND WAS LOOKING AT THE BUKS GRANSFORS SMALL FORREST AXE BELOVED BY RAY MEARS WHICH RETAILS AT OVER 50 QUID , NOT CHEAP ...BUT A GOOD DEPENDABLE TOOL ........ WELL ........... TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON I WAS SNARING MILES FROM ANYWHERE ON AN ESTATE ...... I WAS PUTTING SOME WIRES OF AN OLD RAILING FENCE LINE THROUGH A HEDGE WHEN I KNELT ON SOMETHING ....... BRUSHING AWAY THE FALLEN LEAVES AND SOIL I COULD SEE IT WAS AN OLD AXE THE HANDLE WAS BROKEN IN HALF AND ROTTED THROUGH ...... THE HEAD WAS COATED IN A THICK LAYER OF RUST BUT WAS OF A PATTERN THAT REMINDED ME OF THE OLD HUDSON BAY TRAPPING AND TRADING AXE HEADS ....... FOR SOME REASON I PUT IT IN MY BAG AND WENT ON MY WAY ......... FOR MONTHES IT SAT IN THE SHED ....... AND I FORGOT ABOUT IT ................ A FEW MONTHES AGO I SENT A RECYCLE BOX FULL OF VARIOUS TRAPS DOWN TO A MATE WHO CLEANS THEM FOR ME , AT HIS WORK ...... ANY RUST IS SANDBLASTED AWAY AND THEY COME UP LIKE NEW .... WHEN I GOT THEM BACK AND READY TO TO BE SPRAYED I WENT THROUGH THE BOX AND FOUND THE AXE HEAD MUST HAVE BEEN PUT IN & IT HAD COME UP A TREAT ! WELL I HAVE QUITE A PILE OF ASH LOGS .,, SO I SPLIT AN AXE HANDLE OUT OF A 10 " ROUND LOG AND ROUGHED OUT THE SHAPE WITH ANOTHER AXE I HAVE AND A RASP ......... PUT IT TO ONE SIDE TO DRY .......... AND LEFT IT TILL TODAY THIS AFTERNOON I FINISHED THE SHAFT AND HAFTED IT ........... IAM REALLY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME ITS BEEN MADE TO FIT MY HAND LIKE A GLOVE ........ IAM GLAD I NEVER BOTHERD WITH THE GRASNFORS NOW ! SO THEN ....... HOW MANY OF YOU FELLAS .... CUSTOMISE AND RECYCLE YER TRAPPING EQUIPMENT ? I THINK ME AND THIS FELLA ARE GONNA BE JUST LIKE OLD FRIENDS !!! ALL THE BEST DUCKWING Hi. DUCKWING. You say that the handle was made to fit your hand. What did you use for a template? Quote Link to post
cúagusgiorraí 57 Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 TRY DOING THAT WITH A LOT OF THE CHINKY STEEL AROUND TODAY ! your right, its impossible to get a proper edge. And a blunt axe is a dangerous axe Quote Link to post
Rolfe 2 Posted May 4, 2010 Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 Nice job there DUCKWING........really looks the job that does. Not wishing to hijack your very interesting thread but talking about Trapping Hammers i took a picture of part of my collection you might find of interest. Along with a " Brades" genuine trapping hammer i have several that would do the same job and indeed i have used in the past. I prefer the short handled "Cobblers" type hammers for the simple reason they slip nicely into my pocket when trapping or setting wires but virtually any hammer with a wide blade to one side will do the job, there are masons hammers, packing crate hammers and modified builders scutch among this lot but all will do the job of digging out beds for spring traps. The two hammers to the bottom left of the picture are the ones i tend to use on an almost daily basis for peg snares and setting Imbras and Mk6 Fenns. Quote Link to post
DUCKWING 302 Posted May 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2010 HI FELLAS , JUST............ BACK IN FROM FEEDING STOCK AND NEARLY TIME FOR ROUND 2 OF THE DECORATING ........ SOME INTERESTING POINTS AMONGST THESE POSTS ................ FIRSTLY STIG ,.............. WELL MATE AS A NIPPER SETTING OUT ON A WORKING LIFE ..... MY OLD DA ........ GAVE ME A FEW BITS OF ADVICE " ALWAYS TRY YER BEST SON " ........... AND .......... " NEVER PUT YER HANDS IN YER POCKETS , IF THERES NOWT YOU CAN GET ON WITH ASK , OR PICK UP A BRUSH " NOT A BAD STARTING PLACE I THINK ............ AS FAR AS MAKING TOOLS STIG , ......... THE FIRST I MADE WAS A BUCK SAW FROM BEECH , STILL HERE .. STILL IMACULATE AND STILL WORKS A DREAM ......... AS A KID I SERVED MY TIME WITH A LAD OFF HERE CALLED THE ITALLION STALLION [ more of a shetland pony really ! ] HES A TRUE CRAFTSMAN AND WE BOTH WERE MAD AT BUYING AND DOING UP TOP CLASS OLD TOOLS FOR WORK ..... OVER TIME WE MADE , BEECH WOODEN PLANES , MALLETS , REHANDLED MODERN SAWS WITH OLD DISTON HANDLES . YOU NAME IT ........ THOUGH TO BE FAIR STALLION WAS ALWAYS BETTER THAN ME AT SHARPENING SAWS ..... THOUGH HE STILL CANNOT PUT AN EDGE ON A BLADE LIKE ME ........ ONE BIT OF ADVICE ON THE WOODEN PLANES ........ A GOOD ONE TO MAKE FIRST IS THE SIMPLE REBATE PLANE ...... WITH WOODEN PLANES THE WEDGE HOLDING THE BLADE HAS TO BE PERFECT , OTHERWISE THE BLADE WITH CHATTER WHEN USED OLD TOOLS ANYONE ? .................. HAVE A LOOK AT THIS SITE BELOW WHOS INTERESTED IN TOP CLASS OLD HANDTOOLS ,,,,,,,,,,, BUT DONT LOOK IF YER HAVE A DICKY HEART ........ THE PRICES CAN BE STEEP !!! I MUST HAVE ENOUGH TO RETIRE ON IN THE TOOL BOXES ALONE ! http://www.oldtools.co.uk/ GOOD LUCK STIG BEDROCK , I HAVE SEEN THEM AXES BEFORE .... I LIKE THEM ! ....... YOU MAYBE CANNOT SEE IT FROM THE PHOTO BUT THE FOUND AXE HEAD OF MINE IS VERY SIMILAR , THOUGH I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED IT WITH A TOUCH LONGER HAMMER ON THE REAR OF THE HEAD , HANDLE WISE I MUST ADMIT I PREFER THIS ONE BELOW , IAM NOT A BIG FAN OF AN AXE WITH TOO SMALL A HANDLE , AS IN THAT CASE I LIKE TO USE A BILLHOOK ................ VERY NICE AXE THOUGH ! NOW THEN .. ALTHOUGH BRAYN3 THOUGHT HE WAS TAKING THE PISS ............ HE WAS RIGHT !! ........... WELL IN A WAY ............... YOU SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS I OFTEN CUT A HANDLE PROFILE OUT OF HARDBOARD TO MAKE SURE THATS ITS GONNA WORK ......... NO POINT IN SPENDING TIME ON SOMETHING THAT YER NOT HAPPY WITH ...................... DONT WORRY ROLFE ........... YER NOT ......... THIS THREAD IS ABOUT ME MAKING A TOOL TO BETTER SUIT MY NEEDS ON THE TRAPLINE , AND AS I FIRST SAID IAM VERY INTERESTED IN HOW OTHERS HAVE DONE THE SAME ! AS YOU HAVE SAID ..... MANY TYPES WILL DO THE JOB ..... I CAN SEE THE BRADES IN THE BUNCH ....... A LUCKY FIND , OR PICKED UP AT AUCTION ?? ALSO THE NEW TRAPPING HAMMERS FROM JOHN B [ almost to painful to mention ] ....... FOR YRS I USED A MODIFIED BRICKIES SCUTCH ........ ONE LONG HANDLED , ONE SHORT ........ I MUST ADMIT THE SHORT HANDLED ONE WAS A BOON WORKING IN TIGHT HEDGEROWS ETC ............... ALL THE BEST DUCKWING Quote Link to post
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