On Apr 18, 7:22 am, "george" wrote:
wrote in message

...

OK, I got the ball rolling with my reply to BJ...so what is
everyone's/anyone's favorite Herter's stuff, good, bad, or nonsensical,
fishing, hunting, or general sporting goods?

TC,
R

Remember Herter's "World Famous Kendall Mint Cakes" taken by Sir Edmond
Hillary to the top of Mount Everest? I actually bought one of those things
once and it was a solid slab of mint flavored sugar, nothing else (flour or
anything) added.

I loved their Model 9 fly tying vise and it was my first vise. I used to
build their browntone rod blanks into rods (a fantastic bargain for a
pre-teen). One of the neatest Herter's products I ever acquired was their
bamboo planing form...I got the rare one that is for building hex-rods on
one side and penta-rods on the other.

Up until about 2 years ago, the company actually still existed and published
a miniscule duck-hunting-only catalog (now acquired by Cabela's). What a
decline from the days of selling hunting and fishing equipment, tackle
building, reloading, rod building, silk, gemstones, archery, trapping,
furniture, food (Diamond Lil's Toffee Cakes, 5 Alarm Barbecue Sauce, Kendall
Mint Cakes), boats and boat building supplies, old Hudson Bay blankets,
self-published books ("How to Live With a Bitch", "Bull Cook Book") etc.,
etc., etc.

If nothing else, Herter's was certainly "colorful".

It certainly was. They had "stuff". Cabella's, GM, and the others
have turned into yuppie clothing stores. I still have hooks, hackle,
and lure making hardware from them. When I was stationed in WA, there
was a Herters retail outlet at Exit 111on I-5, just north of Olympia
(why I remember the exit #, I have no clue). I used to go there and
rummage through bins of "stuff" that I couldn't get along without. My
Herter's brand 357 mag I bought there is still in wonderful shape
after hundreds of rounds. It is the only handgun I have ever seen
with nylon crosslocks on all screws.

cheers

oz, who has three H catalogues from the 60's and 70's in plastic bags
on the bookshelf.