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Thursday, 8 July 2010

Old School Kit: The Acme Thunderer



I must have had this whistle for over twenty years, a lad I used to know brought it home one day, having had a near miss with an absentminded pedestrian whilst cycle-dispatching. He gave it to me, and in the intervening years I've made quite a few people jump out of their skins with it. Really it is 'double bastard' loud. Solid brass with thick plating and a cork 'pea' ball. Which, while we're passing: travels as just over 800 meters per hour - who knew?


"There is no whistle available today, from any source, that doesn’t owe its existence to a concept or design pioneered by Acme. The Acme Thunderer alone had sold over 200 million"
It doesn't get anymore old school than that. As our friend The Bambi Basher said "everyone should have an Acme Thunderer"
Cuckoo, Crow, Jay & Magpie, Duck, Quail, Curlew and Predator calls also available




Catch you soon
Your pal
SBW

13 comments:

  1. Chas S. Clifton8 July 2010 at 16:23

    Definitely old school.

    When you blow it, are you moved to shout, "Stop, thief!" or "Over the top!"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Phillip8 July 2010 at 17:19

    Pretty cool old thing.

    I keep my old coach's whistle in my pack when hunting the back country. Should the need arise, that whistle hollers a lot louder than I can... and keeps it up as long as there's wind in my lungs. I consider it a critical part of my survival kit.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Caleb8 July 2010 at 23:47

    Cool guns.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Suburban Bushwacker9 July 2010 at 00:54

    Chas
    Also 'chocks away' and the familiar refrain from my school days 'you boy'

    SBW

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Suburban Bushwacker9 July 2010 at 00:57

    Phillip
    It doesn't bare saying enough times does it. The whistle is probably the piece of survival kit that saved more lives than any other.

    SBW

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Suburban Bushwacker9 July 2010 at 01:18

    Caleb

    Thanks for commenting, http://imtellingyourmom.blogspot.com/
    is a great idea for a blog - keep it up
    SBW

    ReplyDelete
  7. Caleb9 July 2010 at 18:30

    Thanks! Did you see the one from yesterday?

    "Tired Gay succumbs to Dix in 200 meters"

    Seriously! Doesn't Reuters employ any editors? Sheesh.

    Thought of this site yesterday. My brother's friend was out at my dad's farm shooting some old german sniper rifle from WWII that he had modified. No idea what it was, but it was cool looking and loud.

    That squirrel didn't stand a chance.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Chad Love12 July 2010 at 21:11

    The Acme Thunderer has undoubtedly trained more dogs than all others combined. I have an old one almost exaclty like that. Hang on to it, I don;t think they make them lik ethat any more...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Coloradocasters12 July 2010 at 22:29

    Oh great…for some reason my Ebay search list just added one more item. I tend to embrace the old school more and more. Just about everything made in the old school has earned its money 10 times over and still kicking. My new school stuff?...not so much.

    I don’t know how to say this but I am actually getting more useful info from your blog than my own. Ha ha

    ReplyDelete
  10. The Suburban Bushwacker12 July 2010 at 23:28

    Chad

    I'm defiantly keeping it, when Mick disappeared for the last time, taking my favorite hat, a great pair of jogging pants, and a half decent bag, he left the Acme and a bull nose plane which I just found out is worth 60 quid - let history record I'm actually £41.20 and the whistle up on the deal. HA!
    SBW

    ReplyDelete
  11. The Suburban Bushwacker12 July 2010 at 23:31

    Colorado casters

    Thanks I know what you mean - the comfort factor of knowing that kit is as it is is more important everyday.

    SBW
    PS louder and more often will do nicely ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cork @ Cork's Outdoors14 July 2010 at 18:31

    Hey, Mate --

    You can also take out that cork ball and turn it into one of the best widgeon, teal and pintail whistles for duck hunting on the planet. I've actually called pintails away from other hunters in the Sacramento Delta, because the Olympic size whistle so friggen loud!

    The one who taught me how to modify the sports whistle into whistling duck call is Billy Gianquinto (he does do some extra modification on his modified sports whistles): http://www.billygducks.com/Products.html You should have seen his face when I told him he taught how to hunt ducks when I was 13 years old!

    BTW did you come over and listen to the Cork's Outdoor Radio interview with James Marchington?and his DVD on hunting rabbits with airguns?

    You and I should do one soon, too! :)

    Cheers,
    Cork

    ReplyDelete
  13. The Suburban Bushwacker14 July 2010 at 23:54

    Cork
    Fantastic DIY tip! That's what makes blogging so cool.
    James is always great value - I've met him a couple of times
    Be fun to do something even if its just over the phone for now
    SBW

    ReplyDelete

Please feel free to leave comments. I really enjoy hearing what readers think. The rules are the same as round my dinner table:

You're welcome to disagree, life would be way too boring if we all agreed with each other and we'd never learn anything.
I like to think that we're all grown up enough to argue every last point, right down to the bone, without bearing a grudge afterwards.



Come on in the waters lovely
SBW