Marlinspike

[Maui512]

Since nobody had one for sale anywhere, I was forced to make my own from scratch. How did it turn out?





Steve

[Mojo Turbo]

top notch mate!

[Captain McAnen]

That looks great! Real deer bone?

[Banditxx1]

That´s awesome! Which material did you use? What about the colour? How did you get this perfect finish?

Greetz

[Maui512]

Believe it or not it was a bamboo spoon from Target, under $5. I cut a 3/8 strip from the center and shaped it by hand with a Dremel. Once I was happy with the shape, I sealed the grain with super glue. Carefully now, ye don't want to be attaching yer hands to yer bone! Sand till smooth and paint. I used acrylic craft paint, white base coat, then wash with raw sienna and burnt umber. Spray with a clear flat sealer and you're done.

Look for a spoon with a square shaped handle, not round. This will give you the most material to work with. As an added bonus, the weight is about half of the reindeer bone I used to have

[FleetStreetNightmare]

Wow I would have never guessed that
That looks great!

[Banditxx1]

It´s still unbelievable... it looks awesome.

I need a new marlinspike, so I followed your advice and just bought a set of bamboo-spoons on ebay.

I understand, that I have to use a dremel, to get the sailing-needle in shape. But before that, what did you use for cutting it half-way into the shape? Did you use a saw or a knife? I never worked with bamboo, so is it difficult, respectively is it going to fray or frazzle?

And my other question - because I want to try doing it as perfect as you did it - how did you reach this "washed colour effect"? First you painted the whole needle with white paint, ok. Then you used the darker colours ... but in fact they are only slightly faded over the white... that´s exactly the perfect finish I think. But how can I reach this amazing result?

Thanks for your help and your reply.

Greetings Arndt

[Maui512]

Thanks everyone for the compliments!

Bamboo isn't hard to work with and mine didn't fray at all. It has some flexibility and a fairly tight grain, so I thought it would be a good material. I cut a 1cm wide strip from the center of the spoon with a bandsaw at work. Allow extra space at the loop end. I drilled the hole next since it will be difficult on the shaped "bone".
My bone has an overall curve and a hollowed out area on the inside both made with the Dremel tool with a drum sander.

After the white base coat, I gave it a raw sienna wash with VERY dilute acrylic paint (1 drop of paint to 1 teaspoon water approximately). Blot off the excess and let it dry. Repeat until you have the desired amount of yellow brown tint. Do the same with the burnt umber but go easier on the density. Concentrate on the loop end, the tip, and the inside hollow.

Seal your work with a light coat of clear flat spray.

Hope to see pictures of your soon

Steve

[Banditxx1]

Thanks for this awesome infomation.

I have ordered a bamboo-spoon-set on ebay and yesterday it arrived. I followed your instructions.

With the dremel I tried to saw and cut the rough form of the needle out of the piece of wood. Now I know, why you used a bandsaw - it was a bit difficult with the dremel. And it was a very DUSTY business and also it smoldered ...

But after a while I was satisfied with the shape and then I used the dremel for manual or hand-guided grinding. Therefor the dremel is the perfect tool.

I made two needles - one is a bit thinner - and I also painted them with white and brown/sandish colour for the perfect weathered, distressed look. They look a bit different from your version, but I´m very satisfied with the result as well...
[img][/img]

[Banditxx1]

[Banditxx1]

This was the "origin material" ... (only one is left )...

[Banditxx1]

The two needles after the first coating with white colour...

[Banditxx1]

I made two versions of the sailing needle, because in the movies, this item also varies between long and thin and a bit shorter and more a broad strip ...

[Banditxx1]

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

Make sure that you seal it with matte sealer spray on. It will keep it looking good for alôoooooong time.

[Banditxx1]

Ok.... thanks.

I just didn't seal it, because I'm afraid, that the colour and the spray will not fit together - because of plasticizer and all that chemical stuff...what did you use exactly?

I'm still searching perfect hemp line for attaching the needle to my wig.
I think it must have 5 mm thickness for a perfect look - but not the waxed ones.

Do you have a source for supply?

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

All craft or art stores will carry both items you are looking for. I would recommend JoAnns or Michaels but they are both US stores. I am not familiar with international markets.

[Banditxx1]

Hm... ok ... I think I will look for REVELL-Matte-sealer, because on the one picture, you can see, that I used Revell-modell-paint.

I think they will fit together, without "making soft rubber" out of my used colour...

[Maui512]

Very nice work on those marlinspikes, mate!

[Banditxx1]

Thaaaaanks a lot... very kind of you...

[Banditxx1]

And today I finished the last bamboo-spoon - into a sail needle/ marlinspike...:



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