Brass Dunton Double Windlass

[David Mack]

Brass Dunton Double on Ebay. At double the price of the aluminium ones!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226591845912

Edited February 14, 2025 by David Mack

[magnetman]

Unusual one. I've seen the single Dunton style version but not the double in brass. 

 

If it is brass it is liable to bend and break.

 

Maybe it is LG2 gunmetal like the ones Laurence Hogg produced, or aluminium bronze. 

One would hope it is a bronze if it is useable rather than an ornament.

 

Quite a lot of metal in these so it will be a heavy blighter. 

 

 

 

 

If its brass it will probably break at the bend. 

 

 

[MtB]

1 minute ago, magnetman said:

Unusual one. I've seen the single Dunton style version but not the double in brass. 

 

If it is brass it is liable to bend and break.

 

Maybe it is LG2 gunmetal like the ones Laurence Hogg produced, or aluminium bronze. 

One would hope it is a bronze if it is useable rather than an ornament.

 

Quite a lot of metal in these so it will be a heavy blighter. 

 

 

 

 

If its brass it will probably break at the bend. 

 

 

 

Not only all that, and pretty as they are, I decided not to buy one as I consider windlasses (windlii?) a consumable item like fenders. They are for me anyway as I lose them. Usually by leaving on a lock beam or simply dropping them in long grass then can't find it. 

 

Never actually dropped one in the water yet, but a bronze one would probably go in at first use....

 

 

 

[magnetman]

Its intriguing because the Duntons are a basically good design. I don't particularly like them but they are effective.

 

It would be a bit odd for someone to use the moulds for brass so maybe it is bronze. 

 

I see the advert says its about 1.5kg so over twice the weight of the ally version. 

 

They may know it is brass as they do mention it may be ornamental and also disclaim responsibility. 

 

Sensible. 

 

 

[David Mack]

48 minutes ago, MtB said:

Never actually dropped one in the water yet, but a bronze one would probably go in at first use....

 

And your magnet will be just as effective at recovery as it is with the aluminium ones...

[Ray T]

14 hours ago, magnetman said:

Unusual one. I've seen the single Dunton style version but not the double in brass. 

 

If it is brass it is liable to bend and break.

 

Maybe it is LG2 gunmetal like the ones Laurence Hogg produced, or aluminium bronze. 

One would hope it is a bronze if it is useable rather than an ornament.

 

Quite a lot of metal in these so it will be a heavy blighter. 

 

 

 

 

If its brass it will probably break at the bend. 

 

 

 

The associated blurb does suggest it is brass and is ornamental.
 

"A rate opportunity to acquire a limited edition, 

ornamental brass windlass.

 

I acquired the remaining stock of the Dunton Double windlasses from the estate of my deceased cousin who designed and manufactured them.

 

I've sold all bar a few of the aluminium type but have around a dozen of these brass units.  I'm not sure if they are meant to be functional or just ornamental but they are certainly a thing of beauty, particularly if you're interested in all things canal related.  For comparative purposes the aluminium DDs weigh just under 600g while the brass weigh approximately 1400g.

 

This particular  'Double Double has been in dry storage for several years and, although it's new, I'm listing it as old stock and seconds, because, while the finish is good there are some blemishes."

[alan_fincher]

On 15/02/2025 at 08:40, Ray T said:

The associated blurb does suggest it is brass and is ornamental.
 

"A rate opportunity to acquire a limited edition, 

ornamental brass windlass.

A|ll of which would make it a very dubious purchase.

You can't be sure you could actively use it without it bending, snapping, or otherwise failing.

 

Used only as an ornamental piece, it is not a copy of anything that might have been actively used "in the day".

I'll pass, thank you!

[Mike Tee]

I'd take one as a free sample to test if it lasted!😁

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

Now sold, did anyone on here buy it, I wonder?

[MtB]

1 minute ago, BoatingLifeUpNorth2 said:

Now sold, did anyone on here buy it, I wonder?

 

When I looked at the listing, it said ten were available!

 

 

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

2 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

When I looked at the listing, it said ten were available!

 

 

If he’s sold 10, he’s made a lot of money out of the Rosie & Jim brass polishing boaters..

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, BoatingLifeUpNorth2 said:

If he’s sold 10, he’s made a lot of money out of the Rosie & Jim brass polishing boaters..

 

From the listing:

 

"I've sold all bar a few of the aluminium type but have around a dozen of these brass units."

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

2 hours ago, MtB said:

 

From the listing:

 

"I've sold all bar a few of the aluminium type but have around a dozen of these brass units."

Yes has sold quite a few of the different models according to his feedback, all satisfied buyers. Nearly £1200 on the brass ones alone if all sold. Must be putting them on a single listing, not a multiple listing and from what I see no offers option.

 Still wouldn’t buy one, as just wouldn’t use it. I wonder if they’re for use or for show, to be polished on rainy days 😂

Edited February 16, 2025 by BoatingLifeUpNorth2

[David Schweizer]

On 14/02/2025 at 18:34, magnetman said:

Unusual one. I've seen the single Dunton style version but not the double in brass. 

 

If it is brass it is liable to bend and break.

 

Maybe it is LG2 gunmetal like the ones Laurence Hogg produced, or aluminium bronze. 

One would hope it is a bronze if it is useable rather than an ornament.

 

Quite a lot of metal in these so it will be a heavy blighter. 

 

 

 

 

If its brass it will probably break at the bend. 

 

 

 

I still have my bronze Boatman's Cabin (Laurence Hogg) short throw windlass. It is a lovely item, which I used on all but the stiffest lock paddles. It is now in my small collection of interesting windlasses, but not on display!

[magnetman]

I have one hanging by the front door. 

 

These are the best genuine article bronze windlasses. The right size, LG2 and hard as nails. Brilliant bit of work. 

 

 

[Ray T]

16 hours ago, BoatingLifeUpNorth2 said:

If he’s sold 10, he’s made a lot of money out of the Rosie & Jim brass polishing boaters..

As one gets older and less mobile polishing  the boats brasses can be quite therapeutic.😃
Don’t mock this pursuit. 
The working boaters of yore always had their brasses well polished and they were certainly not Rosie and Jim boaters, what ever they are.
 

Edited February 17, 2025 by Ray T

[magnetman]

One suspects the polishing was partly to help with the mental elf which can be negatively impacted by living in such ridiculously small spaces. 

 

 

[Mike Todd]

47 minutes ago, magnetman said:

One suspects the polishing was partly to help with the mental elf which can be negatively impacted by living in such ridiculously small spaces. 

 

 

Indeed. For all that boat people were looked down on by others parts of society, most were very 'house' proud and went to great lengths to keep their living space exceptionally clean and tidy. The shiny bits were but one part of the philosophy. Most would have been horrified by the way some people today litter the towpath.

[ditchcrawler]

34 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

Indeed. For all that boat people were looked down on by others parts of society, most were very 'house' proud and went to great lengths to keep their living space exceptionally clean and tidy. The shiny bits were but one part of the philosophy. Most would have been horrified by the way some people today litter the towpath.

I thought lots were fumigated from time to time

[David Schweizer]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

 

 

deleted

 

 

17 hours ago, magnetman said:

I have one hanging by the front door. 

 

These are the best genuine article bronze windlasses. The right size, LG2 and hard as nails. Brilliant bit of work. 

 

 

 

My Bronze windlass is exactly the same as the one illustrated.

 

 

Edited February 17, 2025 by David Schweizer

[David Schweizer]

3 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I thought lots were fumigated from time to time

 

I have never heard of that happening. I knew a lot of boating families in the 1960's, and can only think of two who might have qualified for that sort of treatment. All the others kept both themselves and their boats clean and tidy, despite the often dirty work.

 

 

Edited February 17, 2025 by David Schweizer

[David Mack]

5 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I thought lots were fumigated from time to time

I'm sure I've read of boats being fumigated before the cabin interior was repainted (as part of a regular docking). But I assume the boatman and his family would have been transferred to a different pair before that happened, so it wouldn't have affected the family directly.

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

9 hours ago, Ray T said:

As one gets older and less mobile polishing  the boats brasses can be quite therapeutic.😃
Don’t mock this pursuit. 
The working boaters of yore always had their brasses well polished and they were certainly not Rosie and Jim boaters, what ever they are.
 

How many years ago were the working boats of yore? Long before the majority on here were on the canals and Rosie & Jim were on kids TV and people played at being on a working boat of yore, complete with Rosie & Jim rag dolls.

Edited February 17, 2025 by BoatingLifeUpNorth2

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

8 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

Most would have been horrified by the way some people today litter the towpath.

yes, and most boaters today equally hate to see it,

 

I was horrified to see how much the land dwellers mess up their streets,

I took a walk around Aston (Brum) the other week, around the housing estates and the streets in general. It were awful. Really shit. All sorts of rubbish pilled up for the bin man who’ll never collect all of it. 

But all seemingly  ok for the residences who live with it, they don’t seem to care what they dump in their front yard. 

Aston Hall and the grounds looked very pleasant mind. But the rest was awful. 

 

[dave moore]

Birmingham is in the middle of a dispute with the refuse collectors, hence the accumulation of rubbish. Another uninformed comment.