This piece was created for a wonderful photographer, Mr. Keven Kleppinger or Baltimore, MD who was creating a special custom sign for a residence. The crab is solid copper mounted on a Stainless Steel plate as the centerpiece for the sign. It is always interesting to me that people contact me (in Seattle) to forge their signature animal (the Baltimore Blue Crab). Happy to help!
After spending a rewarding (and smelly) weekend with a freshly-caught male Dungeness from Hood Canal, WA, I updated my Dungeness crab. When a scientist friend stopped by, he gave me the greatest complement...."accurate"!
Constructed of pure 1/8" copper plate, this piece seldom stays in the shop long. The hand tempered copper make each piece very different....just like the real ones!
The East Coast Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun) is known for living within the water column instead of on the bottom like many of the crabs. The scientific name was derived from Latin and Greek: Calli, beautiful; nectes, swimmer; and sapidus, savory. Notice the wide swimming "fins" instead of the sharp legs commonly found on bottom-dwelling crabs. The sculpture is forged from heavy mild steel and will survive (much like the crab in the wild) almost anything. Tempered from mild steel to give a rich blue color and powder coated to preserve the patina.
The crabs always get a lot of attention...especially on the fishing pier in Des Moines, WA.
This bruiser was created for a new friend in Maine....she said they were all this size!
The Dungeness is a large crab very popular around the world because of it's distinctive flavor and large size. The Steelhead Fabrications version is forged from 11 gauge mild steel and is provided in "bright" finish. That means the crab is guaranteed to rust when exposed to the elements. The Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) is a popular shellfish found in the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. This crab is named after a shallow, sandy bay inside of the Dungeness Spit on the south shore of the Straits of Juan de Fuca in Washington State. Many consider the Dungeness Crab as the premiere crab for the table....unless you are from Maryland!
Thanks to my new friends the Clarks, I have started the redesign of the Dungie Crab...and about time, also! Randy paddled out from the dock by his house to capture two of the largest crabs I had seen for a while...and freshly delivered. These mild steel models will be translated to tempered copper to better match the color of the shell. I am so blessed to meet so many wonderful people...... Much more to follow soon.
I seasoned this crab in the waters of Puget Sound, thus the tasteful and accurate color!
I created the lobsters as a forging exercise. The framing squar is present, because nobody believed they were over 36" long. They are test pieces, but some of my favorite pieces. Someone now wants a geoduck clam.....
