I no longer have any Clark Foam catalogs to help with date. Can you help me date an old Clark blank? See photos. I got this blank about 7-8 years ago. Should be nice a crisp by now.
Thanks
Tim
Shape it up. Lets see what you can make out of it.
Well, haven’t found my factory catalog, but here’s what I did find in my general catalog. Left side photo: 9’4" blank by Rick Hamon. Salvador (Arambula?) or one of the other Salvadors poured the blank. (Clark had a couple) Right side photo: 3/16" basswood stringer. Extra 1/2" rocker. (Prob. nose, would have a T for tail, Natural nose rocker is 5 1/16") Y1 may mean that the rocker is the 9’1"Y in the tail, don’t know for sure, check the tail rocker, factory natural should be 3 3/8", 9’1"Y is 3 13/16". Somewhere on the side of the rail should be the marks for the glue up team. Don’t know what the “F” means, usually the first line has the name of who ordered the blank. I was so stoked to see my first batch of Clarks come in with my logo on the right!! Milennium and Artic does this too! Just my 2c…
That one would be the 9’4" Rusty shaped by Rick Hamon, Rusty and Stu Kenson. Introduced in April 1996. I think the other writing indicates a 3/16" Basswood stringer and a 1/2" tail rocker boost. I’m not sure who ‘SAL’ is but he supposedly did the pour. ‘Y ll’ and the 6 inside the box - I don’t know what that means. I’m just going by the explanations listed in the catalog I have. I realize that doesn’t give the date of manufacture but I hope it helps. My experience is that the aged foam is somewhat crispier (and maybe lighter?) than a freshie.
BYW; Like John said, there was never a “made” date, only the date the blank mold started production. The one thing that US Blanks did after Clark’s closing was to make available all the variables that Clark offered. We now know that Clark foam was not necessarily the best, but the service for big and small guys like me was absolutely awesome. Just my 2c…
definitely not after Dec 2005.
I have clark foam laminates if you want them, shoot me a pm
Its a worthless piece of foam until you shape something out of it. Have at it. Post pictures of the results.
I know there’s at least a few folks who feel otherwise. The remaining CF blanks have for whatever reasons become highly sought after.
Grubby don’t care anymore.
Nostalgia, the ability to say “I’m different” “I’m cooler”… the same reasons most “stuff” in short supply is of demand and cost a premium.
I’ve yet to talk to someone who staked claim that old Clark foam is better in terms of consistency, shapeability etc than the new foams we got now.
Thanks for all the info. Definitely added tail rocker. Crisp and white under crust.
That is a really nice blank for a fun gun, especially a triple stringer. Resinhead and I were just talking about the old 94r yesterday, and perhaps having WNC foam make some sled cut eps blanks as a near duplicate. I think it was a limited production blank at the end of the Clark era. Used to make the Rusty Desert Island boards. I would love to get my hands on one. If anyone has an extra, let me know. If you could get top and bottom rocker curves off it that would be good to have. The dimensions are in the old Clark catalog but not the exact rocker.
Looking at the rocker now. What is the correct rocker? Are you saying the rocker doesn’t match the numbers? Seems like the “Desert Island” type boards would have more pronounced nose rocker.
I agree the Desert Island might have had some tweaks. The one I had appeared to have more pronounced nose rocker but I never actually measured it.
Between Clark foam and the super green row are 3 dots, these are the pour dates
Slow progress. Almost ready for glass.
