South african clubs

Tim Simmons · 3rd July 2006, 07:08 AM

Very nice.

fearn · 3rd July 2006, 04:08 PM

They are nice clubs. Speaking as a botanist, I don't think that the heads are intended to represent a fruit or nut, at least one I can recognize. My guess is that the pieces may have been initially turned on a lathe, and that the indentations in the the tips of the heads might be where the spur from a lathe was used to hold the piece as it was turned. The longitudinal lines would have been added later.

F

Tim Simmons · 3rd July 2006, 07:13 PM

I do not think they have been turned. I like the one in the middle the most.

ggoudie · 3rd July 2006, 10:19 PM

I am not going for the lathe idea the carving must mean something to them .Even modern knobkerries are hand carved .

fearn · 3rd July 2006, 11:58 PM

I'm not arguing that the carvings are meaningless. I am saying that the heads on these club heads do not appear to be carved into a botanical pattern. I'm puzzled by the dimple at the top of the head. There are three reasons that I can think of for such a dimple:

1) it's artistic (always possible, but it can be a fancy way of saying "I don't know, but it must have been put there for a reason").
2) the tree these came from has a central pith (like a walnut), and the central pit is an unavoidable remnant of that pith. I've got a number of walnut walking sticks, harvested locally, and the central pith doesn't particularly look like the dimples on these clubs. It's not impossible, just unlikely IMHO.
3) it's a result of the manufacturing process, suggesting that the club was turned on a lathe (either spring-cranked or machine). I agree that this is explanation works better for the shaft than the head, but it's still my favorite.

F

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3rd July 2006, 07:08 AM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,855	Very nice.

3rd July 2006, 04:08 PM	#2
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	They are nice clubs. Speaking as a botanist, I don't think that the heads are intended to represent a fruit or nut, at least one I can recognize. My guess is that the pieces may have been initially turned on a lathe, and that the indentations in the the tips of the heads might be where the spur from a lathe was used to hold the piece as it was turned. The longitudinal lines would have been added later. F

3rd July 2006, 07:13 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,855	I do not think they have been turned. I like the one in the middle the most.

3rd July 2006, 10:19 PM	#4
ggoudie Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 29	I am not going for the lathe idea the carving must mean something to them .Even modern knobkerries are hand carved .

3rd July 2006, 11:58 PM	#5
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	I'm not arguing that the carvings are meaningless. I am saying that the heads on these club heads do not appear to be carved into a botanical pattern. I'm puzzled by the dimple at the top of the head. There are three reasons that I can think of for such a dimple: 1) it's artistic (always possible, but it can be a fancy way of saying "I don't know, but it must have been put there for a reason"). 2) the tree these came from has a central pith (like a walnut), and the central pit is an unavoidable remnant of that pith. I've got a number of walnut walking sticks, harvested locally, and the central pith doesn't particularly look like the dimples on these clubs. It's not impossible, just unlikely IMHO. 3) it's a result of the manufacturing process, suggesting that the club was turned on a lathe (either spring-cranked or machine). I agree that this is explanation works better for the shaft than the head, but it's still my favorite. F