This the one that at one time we had decided to buy. But because of health issues decided that we were better off staying out of the decoy business. We had chosen this one because they are located in Belen, NM, an easy drive for us to pick it up. Our plans were to set it up in Ruidoso and operate this during the summers, the Mescalero Sawmill would have been our source for the wood. But old age made the decision to drop this plan.

http://www.radarcarve.net/index.php?p=specialty

nice

Here is a pic of a real duplicator set up. Looks like he has the capability for 12 at a time.

http://www.bayjournal.com/article/once_they_lured_ducks_now_decoys_attract_collectors

Interesting.

Here is the kind most use

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyQBH0EbT9Y

The whole deal



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llNNIOVYzJA

I'm gonna wear that last video out watching it. That truly is art!

Gee thanks Jeff. Ive been browsing their website for an jour now.....

Yeah, them east coasters can carve em up... For other decoy related materials, check out some of our State carvers. The greats: Rudy Lecompte, Warren Brewer, Bowie Creekmore, Dave Speer. Legendary.

Man if I wanted all my decoys to look the same I'd totally look into getting a lathe

Are they all foam guys like Dave?

No, they're purist man, classical carvers from way back. Those specifically carved swamp cypress

Means to an end, brother, means to an end

My foam days are 98% over

Got a question for you guys. My wife's best friend needs to pitch an article idea to a client I can't name. It needs to be about things made in Texas. She likes the idea of doing it about hand carved decoys because it's unique. Are there still any production carvers in Texas nowadays?

Lets see some pics of their gunners

Bingo ^^, I would add a few more, but can't post pics right now.

Those are ok, but you know those aren't even in the same class as the Ward brothers. BTW the Wards carved theirs one at a time like Dave

Those aren't production deeks, those dudes were carved all by hand from wood that was collected... By hand. It's a matter of preference I guess. I like All decoys from All carvers and don't really discriminate one from another. If their handmade, I like em! .I make decoys and know how difficult it is regardless of simplicity!

The Wards aren't production, they were carved one at a time. The reason those old boys on the gulf used tupalo wood was it was there in the woods where they lived. Most of the guys on the gulf used drift wood because, well it was free, not because they were purist.

Jeff, I don't think we are disagreeing, I didn't say the ward bros were production deeks, neither were the guys I mentioned. They all however to me were purist, they used what was available. They used tupelo, cypress, basswood, red/white cedar, whatever they could carve a duck out of. Straight up gunners!. They rarely bought cork, and God knows they didn't go to a store and buy foam. To me that's pure.

Wood they have used foam if it was available??? You can say yes or no, but to them it was a business, so the realistic answer would be yes. Would they have only hand tools, no power tools, the answer is an easy yes, some of them used power tools, crude, but still they were power tools.

The purist thoughts are , I see it on the callmaking forums off and on, I also see it on the engraving forums. I even see it on a watchmakers forum. The consensus is all of the old time "artists" would have used the best tools and materials they could have laid heir hands on. As tools and materials evolved, most of the craftsmen of their time adapted the new methods as soon as they learned them.

Dang I didn't realize "purist" was such a trendy word or one with so many connotations.. You boys can have this one from here.

I kind of think this is the whole "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" yeah Ward stuff is GREAT and very popular, I also REALLY like the decoys Jake posted above, very classy. I still need to get ahold of that book.

I got that book for Cristmas. It's very cool and has tons of great antique pictures. As far as "production". I meant a Texas carver that is currently carving and selling gunners.