Product Description
PRODUCTION ON PAUSE
Hi Folks, we are no longer producing this line – for the time being. Once the shop is moved and set up again, I expect to resume production on these and many other of our Golden Witch and Arcane Component Works parts. After an item is listed as ‘Production On Pause,’ please don’t request that we make an exception for you; the tools to make each paused item are already boxed up and ready to move in a shipping container. Thanks for your understanding and patience as we shift from a full-time operation to a semi-retired part-time operation. I expect our sabbatical will last the entirety of 2023, with operations firing up again in early 2024. – Russ
According to Stein & Schaaf’s book, Dickerson: The Man and His Rods, Lyle Dickerson used three separate formats for his hook tenders. There were variously a) some have none at all, b) rarely a ring & saddle, or c) usually his own creation, a “loop the loop” tender. To borrow from Charles Darwin, “…from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful… .” The evolution of this hook tender flows from that original “loop the loop” concept to an entire series of Dickerson-Inspired Twisted Tenders in brass, nickel silver, sterling silver, and gold. Single loops. Double loops. Soft soldered or hard soldered with silver or gold. Matching solders and contrasting solders. Our favorite is the new double loop variant in roped sterling silver with its subtle, contrasting gold solder. What’s yours?
This page showcases the Dickerson-Inspired Twisted Tender with a single loop, in either of the precious metal options, which are Sterling Silver and 18K Yellow Gold.
OK, a bit more text here now that we’ve added pictures of some additional options. There are two wire diameters to choose from. All variants are available in light wire (approximately 0.040″ diameter); ONLY brass and nickel silver variants are available in heavy wire (approximately 0.051″)…these are for big rods. If in doubt, order the light wire. All brass and nickel silver tenders on this page are soldered with “soft” solder – we use a professional gunsmithing solder appropriate for soldering front sight posts on pistols, i.e., it’s strong enough to handle magnum recoil, so it can handle your hook. All Jewelry Grade options in Sterling Silver or 18K Yellow Gold are “hard” soldered, i.e., welded, with either Sterling Silver Solder or 18K Gold Solder. Double Loop options are more expensive because they consume a lot more metal during the manufacturing process, both in the second loop (obviously), but also in the jig that forms these tenders. All the Jewelry Grade metals utilize ROPE wire format, as pictured currently, unless you request plain wire (few do, because, for example, plain gold wire doesn’t look much different from plain brass wire). We do not currently offer a clear-coat on the Jewelry Grade parts because if they’re clear coated, you can’t polish them gently with a Sunshine cloth just prior to showing off your work, or passing it along to your client.
Read everything you ever wanted to read about hook tenders on our Ramblings post, here!
You might also want to check out the other twisted cousins:
- The Dickerson-Inspired, Single Twisted Tender
- The Dickerson-Inspired, Double Twisted Tender
- The Dickerson-Inspired, Double Twisted Tender (Precious Metal)
