...for a scratch box. All Honduras rosewood....
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Wow! That's awesome. Tell us more about it.
Really a keepsake there!
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Very nice!!!!!
that's a awesome scratcher..
Nice looking scratch box
That's gorgeous! Did you do the carving? Who's the maker?
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Yes, I did the carving...and I built the scratchbox. Everything is made to fit in a Prince Albert tobacco tin...just like my grandfather carried his scratch box.
That is really nice good job, and like Chester asked did you make the scratcher also or someone else?
Man that is really nice!!
very nice scratchbox and user name too.
That's one sweet scratcher.
Good job on a sharp looking call, nice carving
Another one....
One more....
One more....
The last one....
WOW!!!!
You are a talented man.
Need to start selling those.
Thank you for the kind words. Yes, now I need to make some scratchboxes....
Those are beauties!
Very Nice
wow, those are nice!
Here's one I'm working on now....
Twenty-five year old hard crotch cherry that I'm having to do the finish detail with a file. I'll hate to see this one leave home....
Here's one I just finished up the carving and woodburning....now have to put on the finish.....
Very sharp looking work
Awesome work!
You really are very talented, great work.
Those are really nice ...
Finished the woodburning on the cherry scratch box....
you are very talented.
Thank you all for the kind comments....
A little something different....
just when i thought you couldn't top yourself, you did again, amazing work!
Very nice!
Nicest I have ever seen. Beautiful job.....
Special order going to Georgia....
Some more I just finished....
Quote from: Tarheel on July 25, 2020, 05:20:02 PM
One more....
I ended up with this one in my Christmas stocking. Once I learned how to use it, it sounds really good!
Great craftsmanship too.
Mighty fine looking scratcher and awesome carving talent!
Those look awesome
Those are amazing looking scratch boxes! :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
A Henry Davis style scratch box made to the exact dimensions of the originals made by Henry Davis....
Plain African blackwood with dogwood sound board and all Honduras rosewood with checkering and woodburning....
Awesome again!
Snakewood and African blackwood carved scratch box.
You have a gift, those look great.
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Another one I'm trying to finish up...walnut with cedar sound board.
Getting out of Dodge...walnut with cedar sound board.
Trying something a little different...wood burning a soundboard. African blackwood box with dogwood soundboard. This time I did more shading than wood burning.
please quit, i don't need to buy something else!
Eastern aromatic cedar burl with walnut handle...upgraded cedar and walnut strikers.
Quote from: Tarheel on September 06, 2021, 03:03:18 PM
Eastern aromatic cedar burl with walnut handle...upgraded cedar and walnut
trikers.
. That cedar burl is really nice
When searching through some old boxes of stuff, I found the first scratch box I ever made. It was dated March 16, 1989, and it was made from eastern aromatic red cedar. For my first effort, I don't think I did too bad of a job with it. It doesn't sound too bad...I think I could call up a turkey with it...LOL!!! I've been practicing my wood burning, so I decided to give my first scratch box an upgrade....
Your have a lot of talent sir. They are beautiful
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Thank you all for the compliments. As always I'm trying to improve my work...the wood burning being the area I've felt could use the most improvement. Since practice is the best way I know to facilitate improvement, I thought practicing on my scratch box strikers would work best since they are small pieces and if I mess up...oh, well. Anyway, people seem to like the striker upgrade....
Very nice looking.
Cherry burl is one of my favorite woods to work...even with the holes, cracks and voids you sometimes have to fill. The character of cherry burl makes the effort worthwhile, and the finished product can be enjoyed even if it is just a scratchbox. This cherry burl was home grown and waiting for it to dry has been difficult. But it's dry now....
Kansas bound for some fall turkey hunting....
Waiting for the gobble....now to woodburn the soundboard....
Sorry, I'm trying to get up my post count....
Marvin i can't wait for your 101 post!!
It's only taken me two years to get to 55....
;D
OK, a little something different....I haven't decided yet if I like it or not. I had four identical old growth teak scratchboxes, and I wanted to do something I hadn't done before...so here is #1 of 4.
And here are all four...it almost looks like they were laser engraved, but if you look closely they have slight differences. It was an effort...and one time is enough.
Post 59....now 60.
nice, i need to see some hen boxes, trying to help on the post count..
Unfortunately, the hen boxes will have to wait until after I finish up the trumpet callers I have to make. I got into some Honduras rosewood...then African blackwood...and found out I had developed allergies to both...now have to recover from the rash of that experience...still having trouble bending my fingers. My shop is so small, I have to do what I am going to do to make one caller, then set up for the next...there's no diversification in my shop....trying to have a few callers to take to Unicoi....
Those shut-mouth gobblers absolutely could not resist talking back to this one...guaranteed...LOL!!!
Storm coming...with the dark spalting of the maple it's difficult to see the detail, but it's there. Regardless, it is what it is....
Wow...I'm up to 71...now 72....my goal is to get to 100 before Christmas. ;D ;D ;D ;D
I like maple for a scratchbox...kee kees...and woodburns nicely.....
So...I got in too big of a hurry and glued up this scratchbox backwards....which with the carved handle means it's is set-up for operating left-handed. I'm not left-handed. It is obvious my playing skills left-handed are non-existent...LOL!!! But I don't think I'll throw this one in the fire....
89 now 90....
Beautiful calls! You almost to 100!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :icon_thumright:
I like maple for a scratchbox....
Spalted maple...with natures version of a morning sunrise added in the spalting.
Best friends....
all 3 are great but that one with the morning light is amazing!
3bailey3,
Thank you! Sometimes Mother Nature gives you a wonderful canvas to work with... :icon_thumright:
Morning flydown.....
The five together....
Now the other side....
Spring turkey season will soon be here, so I decided I needed a case for my scratchbox caller. My youngest son saw the case...now it's gone. Looks like I'm going to have to make me another one....
Scratchboxes aren't just scratchboxes anymore....
These scatchboxes are different. They will make their mark and represent themselves well in the turkey woods. They will never be a big production item. I hope to be able to meet some of you at Unicoi.
These scratchboxes didn't sell at Unicoi, so when I returned home I removed the finish and did a little woodburning, then I posted them for sale. It seems if I want to sell scratchboxes, I need to plan to do woodburning with strutting gobblers. After this picture was taken I went back and burned the veining in the wing feathers. I should have taken another picture. I sure did hate to cover up that cherry burl. They went quickly....
Snakewood and ebony make a fine combination. I'm trying to finish up the fine tuning so I can ship this call to its new owner. I sure do wish I could use it this spring to call up an old gobbler, but I promised....
You are very talented.
bear hunter, thank you....
Tarheel,
You are a true artist Sir, your God given talent goes beyond words. Thank you for sharing, I have really enjoyed this thread!
I wish I was a little more savvy technically with videos and sound files, but I'm not. I have had several people contact me on Facebook wanting a sound file, and I have had good success selling scratchboxes after they heard the sound file I sent to them. It looks like I'm going to have to carve more scratchboxes than I had planned...now I've got to find more dry snakewood...LOL!
Thank all for the kind words. I really appreciate the encouragement.
You are welcome Sir, keep making those beautiful scratch boxes.
Joe
A friend, Scooter Pegg, has put up a sound file of one of my teak scratchboxes on Sound File Central.
What you are doing is next level.
All of them are amazing but this one knocked it out of the park. That gobbler is fantastic.
I enjoyed this thread! Thank you for sharing your talent with us. :icon_thumright:
Thank you for the kind words and encouragement. After spring turkey season here in NC, I'm going to have to get to work.
How does a guy go about getting one of these? They are awesome
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The property I have turkey hunted for the last 10 years was logged 2 years ago. What roost trees left are on the creek bottoms, and there's little need for a gobbler to gobble...he has a direct sight line to the hens in the trees around him. I don't like using decoys...I'm too old to want to carry anything but the bare minimum with me in the turkey woods. My handled scratch box works just right....
A friend in Oregon sent me this picture....he said all scratch box. It's always nice when you get a picture from a customer using your calls.
I've posted a sound file on FB Sound File Central for those who might be interested.
Dang nice bird Marvin..
Just before last spring turkey hunting season, I got a message from a friend wanting one of my handled scratchboxes. At the time, I was working on one configured exactly like what he wanted, so I sent it to him. Later, he sent me back the above picture with a dead gobbler and the scratchbox I had sent to him. Then he ordered three more scratchboxes, but he wanted these decorated with heavy woodburning to handle the rigors of hunting with them....the first one I sent him was rather plain....LOL!!! He's going to let me know if these sound as good as the first one. Personally, I think they sound better....but he gets to make the final decision.
That is a mighty fine flock of scratchers Marvin! The artwork is top notch like everythink you do. Your friend is going to enjoy running them.
The cherry burl darkened up when I applied the finish and shows the wood figure nicely.....
They look really good.
My fondness for scratchboxes started with my grandfather's applewood scratchbox he kept in a Prince Albert tin.....
Scratchers are sweet little compact callers that the gobblers love! That prince albert can is a great way to protect those gems.
Only 53 days to go.....maybe they'll make it until then.....
Great looking and I'm sure awesome sounding scratchers Marvin!
Quote from: Tarheel on November 19, 2022, 08:53:55 PM
Only 53 days to go.....maybe they'll make until then.....
Those are just awesome!
Sometimes it all comes together easier than at other times...but it does come together. I've got a lot of woodburning to do now.
Marvin, really excited to see that tobacco tin one finished! But that bigger group is going to be exciting to see as well!
greentrout,
You never know with wood how it will take the detail when woodburning....at least I never know....even with hard maple. Some specific pieces of wood just give better detail. With these calls, I've tried to pick mostly harder woods to try to facilitate more detail, although I am woodburning on one cedar soundboard. It's soft, but it'll work. So far, I'm getting good detail with this batch of calls, so maybe these will turnout well. I try to make sure any woodburning I do on a turkey call will hold up to heavy hunting use. I can do more fine line woodburning and shading, but it would not hold up to hunting use, so I opt to be a little more heavy handed with cutting the lines and shading. I want the calls to get to go to the woods and be used to kill turkeys......
I was making good progress until carpal tunnel issues flared up....getting old with all the aches and pains gets annoying quick. Normally it takes 2-3 days for the numbness to ease. As you can see I do the heads last....I don't really have a reason for doing the heads last...it's just I take more time with the heads, so when I finish the heads the hard work is done. The woodburning I do will hold up to hard hunting use. Hunting will not damage these calls.
Nice burning
Beautiful work
Every now and then, I try to do something different from my normal. I drew this gobbler on this scratchbox, then started woodburning. Normally, I do the heads last, but with this one, I did the head first, then started to work on the body. Normally, I would keep woodburning, but I think I'm going to stop on this one. I kind'a like it like it is.......
Let's try a little color......
I think I like the color on this one a little better.....
This scratchbox has one of the best gobbler yelps and gobbler clucks I've ever heard from a scratchbox....even if I did make it myself LOL!!! This one stays with me.....
I couldn't resist the urge to keep messing with it, so......
Marvin those look great! I like the color added.
Marvin, That color really brings those gobblers to life!
Yes, I kind'a like the color, too....and I got a little carried away! Oh, well, it is what it is.....but this batch is what I'm taking to Unicoi. Next week I'm going to apply the finish to them, and see if I can't get them all finished up. Then it's on to other things.....LOL!!!
Very nice Marvin, that purple really kicks it off!!
Outstanding batch!
Outstanding batch of calls.
Thank you for all the compliments and support! I appreciate the encouragement. Unicoi is just 3 weeks away, and I've got all the calls for Unicoi packed up and ready to go. This is a first for me....normally I'm working to the last minute to get calls finished. This year I've tried to work smarter and travel light....LOL!!! Several years ago, I purchased a couple of vintage Hartmann leather suitcases for transporting turkey calls, and I've got both suitcases stuffed full with turkey calls.
Have an awesome time at Unicoi. I wish I was going.
Very nicely done!!
Today I was trying to finalize what calls I'm taking to Unicoi. I don't have anyone in the immediate family interested in collecting turkey calls, so everything I make is subject to be for sale. Here are the first two scratchboxes I carved..... numbered #1 and #2. I made 12 Honduras rosewood scratchboxes in 2006; and after I retired in 2018, I found them and decided I would try doing some woodcarving. One thing led to another, and I was soon making turkey calls again.....LOL!!!
Oh, well....this one isn't going to make the trip to Unicoi.....
I'm a big fan of Roger Parks's gobbler pot calls, and I always try to spend as much time as I can visiting with him at Unicoi. For hunting fall gobblers, I think Roger's calls are hard to beat. North Carolina doesn't have a fall turkey hunting season, but I try to follow along and keep up with the fall turkey hunt reports from the folks that do fall hunt. If ever I get the opportunity to do any fall turkey hunting, I have the calls to hunt with. I make a slightly larger scratchbox that I call my Gobbler Box to use to hunt gobblers in the fall....and in the spring, too, but please don't share that information with anyone. I took two of my gobbler boxes to Unicoi to show Roger. Now I have to make him one. I'll have to post a sound file on Sound File Central....it's all GOBBLER!!! Here is a picture of my two gobbler boxes.
Sharp looking and I'm sure sounding gobbler scratchers.
Unicoi was a success. Spending 2 1/2 days sharing a table, talking turkey and turkey calls with Steve Mann was a pleasure. The two carved scratchboxes were gone less than 10 minutes after I opened my suitcase of turkey calls. All of my Prince Albert tobacco tin scratchboxes sold, and I had the wife of one customer tell me I needed to do some market research on the value of Prince Albert tobacco tins. She told me I was selling them way too cheap. I later found out Prince Albert tobacco tins are now valuable collectibles. That changes my marketing strategy....LOL!!! Later in the show, an old friend came to the table wanting to see the carved scratchboxes to purchase one, and I had to tell him they had sold....but I still had one at home I had started but not completed. There a long story associated with that call, but I told the customer I would finish it for him if he really wanted one of my carved scratchboxes. Here is the carved scratchbox I have to complete. I'll show a picture of the finished call when completed. I have a lot of detail to do.....
Marvin, Mighty fine carving! I really like the trees with the gobbler.
Today on YouTube the Unicoi Call Makers posted the Roger Parks Fall Hunting Seminar that Roger did during the Unicoi Call Makers Show. During that seminar, Roger stated if there was one call at Unicoi that money could buy, he would have purchased this scratchbox from Marvin Breedlove. A friend sent me the link to the video and asked how much I paid Roger for the promotion.....LOL!! I was stunned. I very much appreciate Roger's support and encouragement. This is my personal hunting call and is NFS, but I will be making Roger one.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ZjyMx81jk Roger Parks Fall Hunting Seminar
There is a sound file now on Sound File Central of my gobbler scratchbox.
It does have that old gobbler sound.
Today I've posted two more sound file videos on FB Sound File Central, so anyone interested in one of my carved handle scratchboxes should be able to look and listen to those videos and get a pretty good idea of what my scratchboxes sound like. I have a few carved handle scratchboxes I brought home from Unicoi.
Back last fall 2022, a turkey call maker friend of mine in PA prodded me to do a sound file video on FB Sound File Central. I honestly did not want to do a sound file video. My friend insisted I post at least one to give it a try....I could only embarrass myself so much, right? I now have to say sound file videos are a game changer. It has given me the opportunity to meet and have contact with turkey hunters all over the US. I've made friends I never would have otherwise.
Today I did a scratchbox count; and now, I'm down to three scratchboxes total, and here is a picture of the three....I might have to do another sound file video....LOL!!!
Well, the last three scratchboxes have sold. They're all gone. Hopefully, I'll get some pictures this spring of some dead turkeys.....
Marvin, Congrats on your soundfiles and call sales. The turkey hunting society are an awesome group of people with a common goal..... hunting that grand old gobbler and enjoying the outdoors!