Are these funny looking rocks edible?

[outrider58]

Yeah but, snot tastes gooood!

 

[Alphabrew]

I don't think I've ever eaten an oyster, at least not that I recall.

 

[44man]

Haha, come on by I have plenty of shells to load you up with.




I grew up with old sets of nippers laying around and the process isn't that hard. I tend to like it a little better than tonging. Wait til the tide gets blown way out and the water is really clear in the winter and push around for them.

Shafts are unobtanium. There are rumors about some old guys still making sets here and there. One locally a few on the Eastern Shore and a few more down in tidewater VA. I was just going to get 16' 1x4 clear pine and shape them myself. It can't be that hard. Finding clear pine that long might be tricky but I bet Dyson's could fix me up.

we nipped till the snaps were all caught up in the Wicomico. tongin is faster but harder.

try and get Georgia pine, in 5/4 x 6 so you can get the offset for the bottom right, and its not that hard with the right material and tools.

 

[joemac]

5/4x6 and split it or cut it myself?

I'd like to try the Wicomico I've never been that far north but I can say they make some good oysters. Had some Wicomico oyster last year. They don't beat mine of course but darn close.

 

[44man]

5/4x6 and split it or cut it myself?

you will need the 6 inches for the offset at he bottom from the rivet to where the head attaches,and 5/4 for the thickness at the rivet and bottom section. that may be a bit thick but its easier to plane and sand them down than it is to make them thicker if needed. of coarse they taper to almost nothing at the top.

 

[joemac]

So I need two of those boards then? One for each shaft. I know what you what you are trying to say about the offset.

 

[44man]

So I need two of those boards then? One for each shaft. I know what you what you are trying to say about the offset.

yes, one for each shaft. the offset makes it necessary. the real trick is getting them to balance at he rivet. try and find a pair to make a pattern from.

 

[joemac]

I didn't know there was that much to it. So the head end should weigh the same as the shaft above the rivet? My pair has the rivet and shaft below still attached to the heads. The shafts broke above the rivet.

 

[44man]

I didn't know there was that much to it. So the head end should weigh the same as the shaft above the rivet? My pair has the rivet and shaft below still attached to the heads. The shafts broke above the rivet.

if they don't balance at the rivet it makes them hard to handle and dump. it sounds hard but its just woodwork

 

[Skins_Brew]

Can someone explain in english what tonging and nippering is?

 

[joemac]

Nippers are a set of long wooden handles with what might look like a large eating fork opposing each other so they mesh. You stand on the front of a small skiff and push around the shoreline in search of oysters. You must be able to visually see them. Low tide and clear water open up a lot more water to nipper in. I think mine might be 10 or 12' long.

Tongs have a wide head as opposed to the nippers. Tong heads might be 24". They are also connected to a long set of shafts. Some shorter versions might be 12 or 16 foot but I've seen them over 20' for deep water. Tonging occurs in deeper water over an oyster bar. You generally don't see what your tonging for. You get a tong full and pull them up, throw over the shell and cull the live oysters.

Both implements use a scissor like action to either pinch individual oysters or to scoop up many.

Not me

 

[Crab Bait]

Shafts are unobtanium. There are rumors about some old guys still making sets here and there. One locally a few on the Eastern Shore and a few more down in tidewater VA. I was just going to get 16' 1x4 clear pine and shape them myself. It can't be that hard. Finding clear pine that long might be tricky but I bet Dyson's could fix me up.

If I happen to find an old set, what might they be worth to you?

 

[44man]

Nippers are a set of long wooden handles with what might look like a large eating fork opposing each other so they mesh. You stand on the front of a small skiff and push around the shoreline in search of oysters. You must be able to visually see them. Low tide and clear water open up a lot more water to nipper in. I think mine might be 10 or 12' long.

Tongs have a wide head as opposed to the nippers. Tong heads might be 24". They are also connected to a long set of shafts. Some shorter versions might be 12 or 16 foot but I've seen them over 20' for deep water. Tonging occurs in deeper water over an oyster bar. You generally don't see what your tonging for. You get a tong full and pull them up, throw over the shell and cull the live oysters.

Both implements use a scissor like action to either pinch individual oysters or to scoop up many.

Not me

great explanation!

 

[outrider58]

Mmmmmm, po'boys!

 

[RynNap1]

Im not an oyster fan, but those are huge!

 

[ChannelCat]

Was never a big fan of oysters, but I had a few with my buddy a few weeks back at Mike's North on the Patapsco, and they were quite tasty!

Where did you get them?

 

[joemac]

They are wild caught a creek off of the Potomac.

 

[Pwilliams1]

I can only do then if they're charbroiled with plenty of garlic butter and cheese