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 01/08/2024 - Shipping not included