Tobacco tin scratchbox.......

[Tarheel]

I will have to admit.....I have a love/hate relationship with dogwood.  My hands bear the scars of working with dogwood.  But dogwood makes one of the finest scratchbox strikers.  I hoard my dogwood; and if you happen to acquire a dogwood scratchbox striker I made, you will have something rare.  But if you happen to acquire an all dogwood scratchbox with a dogwood striker........

I decided to do a little folk art decoration to a couple of dogwood strikers.......

[turkey stew]

Those scratchers are mighty fine! Really like the strutting gobblers but the gobbler on the limb would be my first choice!

[callmakerman]

Really special work thats for sure.

[3bailey3]

Very nice work Marvin!

[Tarheel]

I have a box of my personal scratchbox strikers I've set aside for myself.  Out of boredom I decided to entertain myself with woodburning a few scratchbox strikers. Every once in a while I'll do this for a special scratchbox.  I really don't spend much time drawing, so the artwork and the woodburning is a little more crude than on the scratchbox itself.  Some of it I like, some of it I don't. It's somewhat different........

[Spurtaker]

Everyone I've seen you make I believe will talk turkey.


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[Tarheel]

Yesterday I had an individual contact me about my tobacco tin carved scratchbox.  After talking with him for a while, I realized he really didn't understand the time and process I went through to make one, so I decided to share a photo that might help some other understand the process. First, you have to build the scratchbox and get it tuned....if it doesn't play it's firewood. The front of the scratchbox has to be just thick enough to create your scene....but not too thick. The front vibrates and adds or subtracts from the sound; even though you are carving a scene, you try to do it as conservatively as possible yet remove all excess wood you can, so starting thickness requires you to asses the depth of the scene you are creating and determine the thickness needed. The drawing of the scene in pencil is next, then I woodburn a general outline of everything drawn. I remove all the background first in layers. The nearest trees and turkeys are left for last. I will woodburn the details of the scene 3-4 times, with more detail each time. Then I start working with my files.  Over 90% of the final detail work is with files. My process is tedious, and it takes time.....but it's the way I do it. Very few will spend the time and effort on a simple scratchbox like I do..... but my grandfather and my father turkey hunted with a scratchbox and it's in the family legacy.....LOL!! 

[Tarheel]

The tool chest drawer of files in the picture above are mostly German made, and every time I go to the dentist, I get a few dental picks. I can't tell you how many small dremels I've burned up.....so I have a micro-carver, but it will never replace my files and dental picks....LOL!!

[callmakerman]

Never apologize for hunting with a scratch box, their one of my favorite tools used in the woods in the spring or fall.

[greentrout]

I sure love and appreciate the one I got from you Marvin. Excellent piece of art and functional as well. This one spent time in the woods with me this spring and fall.


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[Badger]

Outstanding looking scratch box.

[crow]

I started the carving on this scratchbox in 2020, but I didn't finish it.  At the time, this was my 8th carved scratchbox.  A good friend contacted me wanting a carved scratchbox, so I took an afternoon and finished it up.  It will fit in a tobacco tin and is a deadly little turkey call................

It goes in the mail tomorrow to Texas.

Really nice, great looking work and call

[turkey stew]

Marvin, I always enjoy looking at your scratchers. I only wish that I could have made it to Unicoi. God willing next year!

[EZ]

Stunning stuff Mr. Marvin. See ya soon.

[Spurtaker]

Lots of work in those for sure. It's a passion and not a job cause that job doesn't pay well. Gotta love it.


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