garimpo Posted January 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Hi folks, just want to say before I tromped on about running down the Hermit pick, that wasn't what I was doing. I was leading up to a point and the Hermit pick just happen to be a very nice one for the illustration. The point I'm making is this: how do you sharpen your picks? Does Wal Mart do it or does Home Depot ? Now I'll let you in on a long gone art. In it's heyday in the states it was called the "town blacksmith". That's where I have my picks made and sharpened about every three months. First pic is in front of the owners house. That's the owner in the blue shirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Then it's put oFinally pop gets to make the part where the handle will fit. At this point it's almost finished, when he's done he'll lay it on the ground for a couple of hours to cool. Then he cuts a handle for it and the whole thing is done. The entire process cost me $3.50 n the anvil and the process of beating it into shape starts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 To change the shape of a piece of spring steel takes a lot of hammer work. Here the owners two sons are keeping a steady rhythm as the steel begins to take shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Finally pop gets to make the part where the handle will fit. At this point it's almost finished, when he's done he'll lay it on the ground for a couple of hours to cool. Then he cuts a handle for it and the whole thing is done. The entire process cost me $3.50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Hey Garimpo,Where and when [years] were you up on the Klamath?? Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexb Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Now THAT'S a well priced pick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Colo. Bob, Happy Camp in the McCraken dredge school. I think it was 1992or 93. rexb, how many do you want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Garimpo,I was up there in the late 80's and early 90'S. At one point had the big dredge just below the bridge in town.I used to have the Klamath Inn Motel, remember that? Also ran a shuttle service and tried to dredge all at the same time. Didnt work too well, worked my ass off.Was you there when some of the guys took their big dredge a few miles below town and droped it over the cliffs [about 100' down] with this big ass wrecker. They took well over 100 oz's out of that hole.I also had mine up at savage rapids, got into a good pay line up there. There was also some good stuff below the rapids. Always did well if I worked in the various rapids. Its tough as I wore 105 lbs of lead just to keep from getting knocked around too much. Ah, that was the good old days. Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Hey Bob, sure do have a lot of memories of Happy Camp and I think your hotel is where I stayed while I was there dredging. At the end of every day me and another guy were the ones doing the clean up from Dave's dredge. Yes we were down stream from town and when the gold started getting good McCracken pulled everybody out. I heard later about him lowering the dredge down the cliff, I used to take supplies down that friggin cliff with one hand holding on to the rope. The only time I've ever had a broken bone was there during the dredging. I broke my left wrist but didn't quit dredging, sure as hell hurt a lot. The whole experience was fun but I wouldn't want to do it again under the same circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Garimpo,Ever run across any of these while you were up there. We saw quiet a few, had to be on your toes. I would come up very slow and take a peek, if my partner was still standing and the water was not red, I assumed everything was OK. Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 This one appears to be looking for lunch. Me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 A couple more, below the rapids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 My bride checking out a little Klamath river stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Bob T. thanks for the pics. Sure have some memories there. Better ones here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexb Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 Colo. Bob, Happy Camp in the McCraken dredge school. I think it was 1992or 93. rexb, how many do you want? <{POST_SNAPBACK}>At that unbeatable price maybe I better take a whole boat load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 rexb, for a boat load they'll probably know the price down even lower! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 I hate reports like this one. Three days of muscle aches, sweat and one little one. Did I say little loud enough? How does .2grams sound? At least it kept the skunk away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlakMagnet Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 Garimpo,I guess you just didn't realize I have taken possession of the skunk for now. I thought you'd had it enough, and I am the next best candidate for now. I'll pass it back when I hit one ok?Just didn't want you to worry about it's whereabouts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 AZM, glad to see your back and doing ok. Cody sure looks like a keeper. I think him and my "little nugget" would get along really great. Bill, it's tough when you find out later that you've been throwing away "goodies". At least your doing something about it, like learning what not to do. Rattlesnake Jim, guess what, no more sleepless nights. Went and dug that sucker, didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it to but at least now I know, I used the best discriminator in the world, my eyes. Hold on to your coffee, pic below. Hi Flak, hope every one in the Calif. hills are doing ok. Thanks for taking care of the skunk. Refering to the pic below, any questions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Fresh coffee is almost ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlakMagnet Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Garimpo,It it an old pick blade or what?Glad you dug it though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Garimpo,Looks like an old wedge of some sort. Sometimes used them in falling trees in the right direction. Thought maybe that skunk was headed in my direction until I found that huge 4.5 grain piece the other day. Bob T. On second thought, is that even worth a mention??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Good A.M. folks, about the "object" in the pic. The farmers here pull behind a tractor a large very heavy machine that has five of these things hanging down. They are controlled by the hydraulics of the tractor. What they do is rip open the hard packed ground about 6" deep and then they put on ground up rock in a powder form that helps keep the ground softer. The signal I was getting was from one of these "rippers" that had broken when it hit the large rock just below the surface. After removing the steel part there was no signal at all from the rock and it wasn't magnetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 Good Sunday morning folks. A nice 70°, clear skies and a beautiful Sunday. Last night got back from the capitol, Goiania for some banking, truck repair and a WalMart fix. Nope not a typo, WalMart AND Sam's only 5 hours by car. The others are more than three days away. Hope everybody has a great day. grubstake get well and slow down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted January 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Life is good-----GOLD----Antiques----Emeralds----Diamonds----Quartz Crystals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.