1973 Otca Restoration

[Bill Thurlow]

I am working on restoring a 1973 Otca, staples, staples everywhere, when did Old Town start using staples? I won't live long enough to pull them all, the ones in the stems I am grinding off.

 

[Benson Gray]

I'm not sure when they started but you may have an early one if it has lots of extras. Good luck,

Benson

 

[Bill Thurlow]

The ribs, plank ends at the stems, and the canvas all staples. Enough staples in the stems (canvas) to build a house.

 

[Worth Gretter]

Bill, just for my curiosity: are these smooth, general-purpose, staples? Or are they ribbed like ring nails for greater holding power? What metal are they?

 

[Todd F]

Worth, glad you asked. New topic for me ref staples and when they may have started to be used etc.

 

[Benson Gray]

My brother reports that Lew Gilman led the transition to staples and he started working at Old Town in 1968.

Benson

 

[Bill Thurlow]

The staples in the rib ends are narrower and longer, all the rest look like your normal steel staple.

Bill

 

[Benson Gray]

Old Town used Senco staples that were stainless steel. This canoe may have been recanvassed if you are seeing a lot of normal steel staples.

Benson

 

[Bill Thurlow]

After investigation I did find some that were stainless, but some did stick to a magnetic, seems to be a mix. Also, I think it's original canvas as I can still see the design #4 paint colors. Oh well, my first experience working with staples. I put a bronze nail in each rib end to help reenforce that joint. Also nails in the plank ends, should have enough to hold it to gather for another 50 years.

Bill

 

[Dave Osborn]

I recall a couple of’70’s Old Town canoes with the long narrow staples. They were not friendly with the planking, especially on the 50 Pounders.

 

[Rollin Thurlow]

Benson, I've pulled a lot of staples out of O.T. Canoes and they are always as rusted as can be. From my perspective there hasn't been much indication of any stainless staples. Now maybe I exaggerate because I remember the difficulty of the rusted ones much more than any stainless. Will a poor grade of stainless or thin wire stainless rust over time? I don't know. I wish I had kept track of the dates of the staples but it seems like any of the canoes from the late 60's onward had staples on the canvas and then staples for the ribs from the late 70's onward.