The pictures below are of sterling silver tubing. This silver will be threaded, faced, and cut to length. It is then sent to the Atherton bagpipes commissioned silversmith who will solder beads and caps onto the threaded tubing. This allows Atherton bagpipes to have complete control over the quality of the final product. The tubing for ferrules and ring caps is .050 thick (roughly the thickness of a one cent coin). The heavy wall thickness allows for the deep threads which will insure a lifetime fit. It will also prevent dings and dents which are so common in cheaper thin-walled silver. The tuning slides are .020 thick. This minimizes the amount of wood that needs to be removed from the wooden tuning pins, which can weaken the pin.
When choosing silver for your bagpipe, whether plain or hand-engraved, the first consideration should be the quality of the silver itself.
I hold an extensive inventory of sterling silver representing a significant investment in time and capital.
The silver components shown in the images is the finest silver in the industry. It combines both precision machining, threading, and hand-smithed workmanship. The ferrules and ring caps are made from three separate pieces of solid silver that are concentrically soldered together in the traditional manner. This labor intensive process yields a heavy, durable and aesthetically flawless silver part that will last a lifetime. No expense or detail has been compromised.
Hallmarking with the D.M. Atherton Bagpipes sponsor’s mark is available.
