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What is a "Snake"


lstmmrbls

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I never really have understood the term used for such a huge variety of Akros.  What exactly makes a "Snake" a "Snake"  Is it any transparent based corkscrew with a solid cork(even multiple colors}?  I even now see the term auger snake????? 

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I think of 'em mostly as clear based with ribbons that are the opposite of augers.  

Because that's my mental impression of the mathematical intersection of all the ways I've seen the category defined.  My instinct is to be as much of a purist as I can until the opposing forces become so strong that the dam breaks and I go with the flow.  

 

But I can see why someone would use it for the whole set of transparent based corkscrews which don't have some other obvious name such as popeye.  

 

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I like Steph's definition for a snake but even the use of auger is somewhat messed up by some.  I think of auger as a drill bit and, to me, ideally the ribbons should not reach the edge of the marble.  However many do and I can see that.  But then, you look down the middle of the drill bit, from top to bottom, and you should not see a "hole" in the middle.  But, again, some have a small hole and are still called augers.  Here's an example of an auger, pictures by marblealan that is a lazy one so....?

Akro Auger - Pur & Or (marblealan 3-10) - View 4.jpg

Akro Auger - Pur & Or (marblealan 3-10) - View 2.jpg

Akro Auger - Pur & Or (marblealan 3-10) - View 1.jpg

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1 hour ago, orbboy said:

 Grrrrr! I loathe the term "Snake" since there are documented pics of boxes with the true name "SPIRAL" in them. They are Spirals people. Spirals I say! 

 

Oh, I didn't see this when I posted.  

"Spiral" is usually what I say, but if you see me saying "snake" please forgive me. I'm more of a joiner now. :P 

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11 hours ago, lstmmrbls said:

  What exactly makes a "Snake" a "Snake"  

If you pick up a marble  and say, Damn!!  that marble looks "just like" it has a snake (viper) writhing on it, that could make it a Snake. All others are Spirals and Augers. I typically use the terms Spiral and Auger unless I'm talking about a marble that looks like it might bite me. Spiral and auger from now on unless.....           Thanks Steph I'm glad you like it 

lunapic_130220312029217_.jpg

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They're all spirals, peeps.  All of them.  Except the swirls and patches.

I find snake to be a useful term.  To me it is an opaque white or colored corkscrew in a transparent, generally colorless (although not always) base, with the corkscrew / spiral at or sticking close to the surface, with not much penetration into the interior.

Like Steph, I think of the auger (also useful) as the opposite of a snake.  It's like a drill bit running from pole to pole, with the sharp edges seldom reaching the surface.   Pole to pole, no hole.

I'd call marboman's spiral an onyx.  Ribbon too thick internally to be called a snake.  By me.  FWIW.

What I mean by auger, what I mean by snake . . .

 

auger green.jpg

Akro snake b.jpg

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Spiral was the name the Akro Agate Company gave to them.  Some regions of the U.S. had little boys who named them snakes.  I don't think we could ever change the minds of those grown up boys now, who called them snakes.   Those just getting into the hobby should use the proper name the company gave them.  My Weldon called them snakes to the day he died.  I call them spirals.

 

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What was it that corks were called in early MCSA publications?

Was it spirals for all of them?  

 

(Ya, as far as company names, at least in the early 1930's, the spirals were the colored ribbons on clear base and the onyx were the white ribbons on the colored base.)

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There ARE Akro corks that I do not know a company name for. LIke this fascinating one of Bill's on the back right -- with the opaque ribbon on a translucent colored base -- what the heck would Akro have called that?

snakes 004.jpg

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, sissydear said:

Spiral was the name the Akro Agate Company gave to them.  Some regions of the U.S. had little boys who named them snakes.  I don't think we could ever change the minds of those grown up boys now, who called them snakes.   Those just getting into the hobby should use the proper name the company gave them.  My Weldon called them snakes to the day he died.  I call them spirals.

 

 

Makes good sense. :)

 

hehe @ grown up boys. :)

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On ‎8‎/‎2‎/‎2016 at 5:50 PM, lstmmrbls said:

I thought Spirals and Onyx were 2 different types of corkscrews or did Akro start calling the Onyx corkscrews Spirals . . .

I think in the beginning everything produced by the spinner cups was considered a -- generic -- spiral.  That would include Onyx.  But I'd guess that the Onyx type was the first to receive it's own name, seeing as how "onyx" was a word all of the early companies wanted to use for their slags (opaque white swirled into transparent base).

I have an unnamed category for opaque spirals on / in translucent bases . . . failure of imagination.  Probably they just called them spirals, too.

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On ‎8‎/‎1‎/‎2016 at 6:22 PM, rockinron110 said:

Yeah Ann you loved a lot of mine out of this house :)

Well, that handsome little purple cork on a white base loved me right back . . .

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2 hours ago, ann said:

I think in the beginning everything produced by the spinner cups was considered a -- generic -- spiral.  That would include Onyx.  But I'd guess that the Onyx type was the first to receive it's own name, seeing as how "onyx" was a word all of the early companies wanted to use for their slags (opaque white swirled into transparent base).

I have an unnamed category for opaque spirals on / in translucent bases . . . failure of imagination.  Probably they just called them spirals, too.

The corks in translucent base glass, I have sometimes called them Moonie  Corkscrews (it's the name game,,,)

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