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Brass Chimney Chain Links

c c

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dave moore Influencer

dave moore

Posted
Posted

Hi

 

The original brass clips came from canvas gas mask bags that were awaiting recycling at Dickinsons paper mill at Croxley on the G U. As you know, working boaters had a fondness for brass and this was another example of re use. Bed knobs, bell terrets, horse brasses and poker heads ( for a tiller pin) are others,, along with brass fire fender tubing, rosettes or beehive brasses.All of these were either transferred from horse tackle or available from dumps as,say, bedsteads were thrown out. Collectively they added tremendously to the turn out of a boat and, like the fancy painting added to the overall statement of pride of ownership, in the same way that some owner operators have airbrushed lartwork or vinyl wraps on their truck cabs today.

 

The clips were not hard to source half a century ago but it's a different tale today.I went through a collecting phase some years ago and now have a fine number of both patterns.Hanging on a chimney, topped off with a rosette and a pair of lamb's tails ropework in white cotton line, they look spot on on a traditional style boat. If you want to see what I mean, look up the recent Boat Share Opportunity thread in General Boating, where you can see the whole show on my tug Resolute. Hope this adds clarity to your query.

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  • 1 month later...
furnessvale Influencer

furnessvale

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No it's still there type in "gas mask bag strap" £7.50 2 bids

 

Darren

Yes, they are the more desirable double link type. Unfortunately already up to £11.49 including postage and still nearly three days to go.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Why dont you go to the manufacturer who is still trading in Walsall and get some new ones?

Can you provide contact details please Laurence?

 

The only place I have ever seen linked to has always showed no stock, and not replied to attempts I have made to contact them, but think that was probably a retailer rather than an actual manufacturer.

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Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

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Stanley Bros in Queen st would be a good place to start, I have given this name before on here. There is also a number of other firms still involved in the brass buckle trade in the town.

It just means you have to physically go and look not live on ebay, try this: http://www.eyland.co.uk/

Edited by Laurence Hogg
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Tuscan Veteran

Tuscan

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Stanley Bros in Queen st would be a good place to start, I have given this name before on here. There is also a number of other firms still involved in the brass buckle trade in the town.

It just means you have to physically go and look not live on ebay, try this: http://www.eyland.co.uk/

Thanks for this Very useful

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c c Rising Star

c c

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Hi there, I got three chains each with ten links on, two were my nans and one was given to me 2 weeks ago from the daughter of a ex boater. I do have though, which I found in my nans shed years ago 7 hooks and 7 hoops if you want them then all that you will have to do is get someone to make up the brass link to join them together. Not a hard job for someone Im sure. I do think these chains do look better. Anyway let me know if you want them.

 

Darren

And here, at last, they are. Thank you Darren.

rngb.jpg

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Edited by canalchef
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c c Rising Star

c c

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If you want to buy a ready made chimney chain I would NOT recommend ordering one from Black Country Metalworks Ltd. I wanted one to make do until I could make another for the butty but theirs was short, poor quality and the links were so narrow that the chain could not hang properly. When I brought this to their attention, their reply was that it was "decorative".

I also ordered the ring bolt for the roof which was also finished badly and they sent me a further item that I did not order.

I should have got the clue from their company name - based in Oswestry?

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Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

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If you want to buy a ready made chimney chain I would NOT recommend ordering one from Black Country Metalworks Ltd. I wanted one to make do until I could make another for the butty but theirs was short, poor quality and the links were so narrow that the chain could not hang properly. When I brought this to their attention, their reply was that it was "decorative".

I also ordered the ring bolt for the roof which was also finished badly and they sent me a further item that I did not order.

I should have got the clue from their company name - based in Oswestry?

 

Ian, I suspect that their stuff is not of UK sourcing from what I have seen. The name is a bit misleading.

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dave moore Influencer

dave moore

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Hi all

 

Like Laurence, I have similar reservations about the output of Black Country Metalworks. I'm certain that much of the stock is not made on this country, certainly not in my native West Midlands. The Waterways Craft Guild looked long and hard to find a local firm to make water cans, failing miserably. Much of the stuff in chandleries is little better, a pale imitation of old time cans, chimneys etc. This may not matter to many modern boaters, but to those of us with longer memories.......

 

Dave

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c c Rising Star

c c

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Ian, I suspect that their stuff is not of UK sourcing from what I have seen. The name is a bit misleading.

And from the pompous response I got today in reply to my request for a refund,

(If I go to the expense of returning the chimney chain then they MAY consider making a refund, so long as they judge it to be faulty! Which of course they have already claimed that it is not!)

I will not be shopping there again.

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Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi all

 

Like Laurence, I have similar reservations about the output of Black Country Metalworks. I'm certain that much of the stock is not made on this country, certainly not in my native West Midlands. The Waterways Craft Guild looked long and hard to find a local firm to make water cans, failing miserably. Much of the stuff in chandleries is little better, a pale imitation of old time cans, chimneys etc. This may not matter to many modern boaters, but to those of us with longer memories.......

 

Dave

 

The waterways craft guild can't have looked very hard! There are dozens of places that can make a can and to a high standard, the problem is the volume required to make the job feasible and then where do you store all the stock?

Manufacturing isnt dead here in the West Midlands, what we have lost sadly is the smaller firms often family run whose production could be more varied and bespoke. We still have galvanisers and metal workers all capable of good production holloware but the quantity needs a rebirth of GUCCCo and FMC to fully support the investment. Samples I have seen made this year and last certainly prove we still have the capability but where do you move the quantity?

 

Cant spel edit!

Edited by Laurence Hogg
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dave moore Influencer

dave moore

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Hi Laurence

 

Quantity was the problem, nobody wanted to make 50. Lesters are still manufacturing but will no longer produce cans. Demand for a decent product is very small, there are still some old stock left that is hard to move, mainly small cans for souvenir ware. As you know, bcmw output is a far cry from old stuff!

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mark99 Veteran II

mark99

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If you want to buy a ready made chimney chain I would NOT recommend ordering one from Black Country Metalworks Ltd. I wanted one to make do until I could make another for the butty but theirs was short, poor quality and the links were so narrow that the chain could not hang properly. When I brought this to their attention, their reply was that it was "decorative".

I also ordered the ring bolt for the roof which was also finished badly and they sent me a further item that I did not order.

I should have got the clue from their company name - based in Oswestry?

Funny enough I looked hard at their chrome companion set for a solid fuel fire (our cabin is chrome fitout) and rejected it based upon that on ebay, I could get an antique chrome companion set with matching chrome coal bucket with claw feet for the same price and real good quality that is impossible to find in modern products.

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