One of the time tested materials for working decoys is cork. It
has many positive attributes that make it a great medium for
carving and for hunting. Two types of cork are generally used
for making decoys. The first is black cork or refrigeration
cork. Black Cork is free of all binders, because this material
is “burned” and as it is burned the natural tannins come out of
the cork and act as a binder. Although light in weight and very
buoyant, black cork has a reputation of being very brittle,
dusty & dirty and tends to crumble easily during the carving
process. For this reason many carvers shied away from this
medium and went to High Density cork or all wooden decoys.
The second
kind of cork is High Density or Tan cork. This variety of cork
is the granulated material left over from the wine stopper
industry and is considered "the tenderloin" of the cork world.
The cork granules are mixed with a poly-urethane binder and
molded under pressure into large sheets or blocks. Specific
formulas are used to produce blocks of uniform density and
weight.
HD Tan
Cork is our choice for carving working decoys and we made that
choice after much testing. We experimented with a variety of tan
cork products from several companies and soon realized that not
all tan cork blocks are created equal. For various reasons the
blocks were just not ideal for hunting decoys. Because of this
fact we decided to seek out the best possible cork product that
would satisfy all the qualities for good working decoys. To do
this we went straight to the cork plantation in Portugal and the
experts that actually manufacture the cork blocks. They were
able to put together the right combination of proper sized cork
granules and binder to come up with a cork block of perfect
weight and density for the carving and hunting process. What
this means to our customers is they are getting a product made
specifically for decoy carving and they can depend on the same
consistent quality every time they buy. We are proud to say that
Duck Blind Tan cork has become the overwhelming choice for
carvers today because it is easy to carve, takes detail well,
and floats naturally.
We
currently offer our Tan cork in several thickness’ to
accommodate the average pattern sizes of various working decoys
to cut down on waste. As a side note, for even less waste, it is
possible to square up any large size scraps left over from the
cut out process and glue them up (using polyurethane glue) into
body size blocks.
The most
economical way to buy cork is by the sheet. Although we
advertise our sheets as being 24 inches wide and 36 inches long,
they are actually measure 25x37 inches. This is really helpful
as the extra size helps to compensate for cork lost due to saw
cuts. A question often asked is how many decoys can you get from
a sheet of cork? The amount depends on pattern size but a close
estimate would be 7 full sized Mallards and a Bluebill from a 4
inch sheet. The four inch sheet is the most popular size as it
covers most full sized waterfowl.
A word
about shipping: We have been able to hold the line on our cork
pricing for some time but shipping charges are something that we
cannot control and they seem to increase on a regular basis.
One way to lower the cost of shipping is with large orders
shipped by common carrier. We suggest that friends and club
groups place bulk orders and have them shipped via a trucking
company. This will drastically reduce the shipping cost per
sheet. We've found that the cost can be reduced even further if
you pick your order up at the Trucking terminal. We suggest at
least 6 or more sheets to use a common Carrier. Give us a call
and we'll be happy to get a quote for you.
Prices effective 05/01/2011 - Shipping not included
