A new gaff

Done as a gift for a power boat captain who has put up with me aboard for several trips and never takes gas money.
This was my first test of the black net cord and I’m really stoked on it. Gives the piece a bit of a Ninja vibe.
This one is a little longer than my usual kayak gaffs since it is to be used from a pb deck height. I used a mustad zinc hook and a blank of white cedar for the handle. It’ll float too!

Beautiful.

Nice one Sean! 

A work of art. Nice!

Great looking gaff

That thing is gonna get into so many fish 

Thats very cool looking!!!

what varnish do you use to seal with?

Beautiful, Mine is almost done for Albion raffle but they never float

what varnish do you use to seal with?

I've been using the standard Helmsman exterior marine polyurethane.
3-4 coats seems to seal it up well and withstand "normal" abuse. One thing I know now is that ambient temperature is key to getting a nice finish. An uncomfortably hot day is perfect. I also let the piece warm up a little in the sun if is cool.

There is a bit from "the terror" near the end of the book, which details why many native hunting implements were so beautifully carved and decorated.
It was believed that if the harpoon or gaff was beautiful enough, the animal it killed would be appreciative of the hunter, who had demonstrated such respect for his prey. The animal in turn would communicate this out to others before it expired, effectively saying "this hunter understands our ways, to give your life to them is an honor, and they in turn will honor you in their culture". So a super decorated implement is supposed to be good luck for the hunter.

Maybe I ought to do a speargun stock next....

Way cool.
And now I have legitimate justification for these gaudy-looking fancy fishing lures that I’m hoarding. Thanks!

Very nice 

what varnish do you use to seal with?

I've been using the standard Helmsman exterior marine polyurethane.
3-4 coats seems to seal it up well and withstand "normal" abuse. One thing I know now is that ambient temperature is key to getting a nice finish. An uncomfortably hot day is perfect. I also let the piece warm up a little in the sun if is cool.

There is a bit from "the terror" near the end of the book, which details why many native hunting implements were so beautifully carved and decorated.
It was believed that if the harpoon or gaff was beautiful enough, the animal it killed would be appreciative of the hunter, who had demonstrated such respect for his prey. The animal in turn would communicate this out to others before it expired, effectively saying "this hunter understands our ways, to give your life to them is an honor, and they in turn will honor you in their culture". So a super decorated implement is supposed to be good luck for the hunter.

Maybe I ought to do a speargun stock next....

Such a clean, beautiful instrument.  Thanks for this...I absolutely appreciate nature and what it give us.  I wonder what the fish think of my piece of S&^% , amazon ordered, made in PRC, blunt tipped gaff.  I've seen other samples of beautiful hand made gaffs at Bay Tackle. I thought of making my own but I've yet to gaff a fish and so I don't have data points for proper construction.