Replacing stems - serial number question

[greenvilleguy]

OK, here is a weird question. I'm replacing both stems in my Old Town so effectively, the serial number will no longer be part of the canoe.

Is there something I should do to perserve the serial number?

(BTW, I found the last 3 digits of the serial number written on the outside of one of the garboard planks. Strange?)

 

[Gil Cramer]

Jerry Stelmok has Old Town's stem forms .He can stamp the original serial number into the new stems.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

It's great to know this! Thanks, Gil.

Kathy

 

[Steve Ambrose]

Or you can get a set of letter/number stamps and hammer the serial number onto the new stems yourself!

http://www.harborfreight.com/36-piece-3-8-eighth-inch-steel-letter-number-stamping-set-35122.html

 

[pklonowski]

Would be nice to use the same font as OT did. The Harbor Freight set looks like a no-frills set, while the numbers on my OTs are a bit fancier. Just a thought.

 

[greenvilleguy]

Thanks. I see the set from Harbor Freight.

Am I overthinking this? Is this a really an issue? It's not a particularly historic canoe (1942 Old Town - Yankee) or even a rare one.

What have others done when they replaced the parts containing the serial number?

 

[Ed Moses]

Original S/N preservation.

I have band sawed off a 1/4" slice of the old stem containing the S/N and mortised out a corresponding thickness on the new stem. Epoxy the original stem slice containing the S/N to the mortise in the new stem and Voila, original numbers in tact!!

Ed

 

[Dave Wermuth]

what i did

I had to replACE both stems on an OT. I called Old Town and they sent me stems that were excellent and stamped with the original number. Once that number is gone---it's gone for good. I think that what is interesting about a canoe is the story that goes with it. remove the number and you remove the story. I also write on the canoe under the canvas to pass along info. I think it's pretty cool to find pencil marks and names under canvas.

 

[greenvilleguy]

Wow! Now I have 3 good options, stamp the serial number myself on the new stem, preserve a slice of the old stem with the serial number or order new stems from Old Town.

If I order new stems from Old Town, I'd miss the fun of trying to bend them myself.

 

[Jan Bloom]

I would slice and set in long before I bought and used the Harbor Freight numbers. As said the font style is different. Also all 3 of my OT's, 29, 37 & 52 have numbers that are 1/2" in height not 3/8".

 

[Steve Ambrose]

I agree preserving the original numbers is preferred over the made-in-china 3/8" option and wouldn't dare imprint a rare or historically significant canoe with such trash BTW, I believe Jerry Stelmok is now the man behind Old Town wooden canoes and all things attached - maybe he could shed some light on the magical font.

 

[pklonowski]

Just think... a 1942 Old Town may not be rare or historically significant no, but by the next time it needs new canvas... who knows???

Be an optimist!