Hi, my name is Dale Murff. I was born and raised in Oregon and grew up enjoying fishing, hunting and recreating in the wonderland that is the Pacific Northwest. In 1999, my wife, Julie, and I built a vacation home in Astoria and eight years later we made it our full-time residence. It is here, on the North Coast of Oregon, where I fell in love with clamming for razor clams. OK...maybe I became a little obsessed with it.
After destroying a few clam guns and shovels, from heavy use, I decided to try making my own. My goal was to make a clam gun that would hold up to the kind of punishment that I put one through. The result of my initial experiments, and subsequent improvements, is the best clam gun available and one that I'm proud to put my name on. Since then, we have also released, what I feel are, the finest clam shovels you can buy.
Check out www.theclaminator.com for more information, products, recipes and more!
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We build these clam guns in several tube lengths. Standard size is 14". We also have a longer "Mocrocks" version that has an 18" barrel. Our smallest, 28" clam guns, have 12" barrels. The clam gun that Dale is using in this video is the Murff's Claminator Mocrocks with the 18" barrel. You can check out all of the sizes at www.theclaminator.com
This is the most expensive clam gun on the market and you have to go buy a washer to fix it? That's ridiculous. The should come with the washer already installed. I think I'll stick with the clamhawg they work right out of the box.
Thanks for your comment. Just to clarify, our clam guns come fully working, right out of the box. Occasionally we have a customer report trouble with the valve at the end of their vent tube getting clogged up. That could be due to the kind of sand they are digging in or how dry/wet it is. Keeping the valve rinsed after every couple holes in a tide pool or in the surf usually keeps it clear as well. One customer of ours put a small O-ring on his valve and it seemed to resolve his clogging issues. We just passed on this tip to anyone else that may be experiencing similar issues. Happy clamming!
i am going to chime in also, as with any high end tool, you should take care appropriately, to keep it working well. This is a mechanical device to be used in a salt/sand environment, keeping the valve clean will allow minimal troubles while making your digging experience top notch, if your happier with a clam hawk, by all means use a clam hawk, All the guns will dig clams, some are manufactured better than others and will require more delicate use to keep from breaking, or more exertion to obtain the end result! We might have to work self washing mechanism, but that will add to the cost which we strive hard to keep as competitive as possible. Thanks for your input! Dale Murff Owner @@murffsclaminator-stainless7872
Cheers to the thumper, made one and just got back to back limits on two days in about a half hour, each day. I only got one out of the 30 without it. Almost felt like I was cheating!
i typically hit the northern end of Clatsop beaches -- either the fort stevens or sunset beach approach. Lots of nice sand bars this year that should provide great digging once the ocean lays down a bit and we get some good tides.
i send a good amount of guns to the eastern seaboard -- Florida to Maine --- spread the word, you can order off the website and discounted shipping rates apply!
Great question! Honestly, it is a bit of trial and error. Dig it and see what comes up! Sometimes you get a lot of mole crabs (sand fleas) that look like clam holes. The razor clam "show" can look different depending on the day, sand, depth, size, etc. Some look like just a small hole a bit smaller than a dime. Others look like little volcanos. Some may be just a little dimple in the sand. Sometimes you can even see the clam necks sticking up out of the sand when the surf comes in. Once you figure out what they look like on a particular day, it is a lot easier to spot them. Good luck!
Beautiful tool, marvelous scenery, great vid. But ... I was trying to figure out how the things worked. I can see the bottom-suction vent tube, and I liked the sand-blocker. Having the end of it up high is good. My problem is that the top pressure/vent-suction hole isn't mentioned. I deduced it must be there, and I can see it, but the video ignores it. Maybe all your potential customers know how the tool works, but I'm guessing there are people who don't. They might be willing to pay more if they realize what a clever design it is. Anyhow, I appreciate and enjoyed the video, and I admire the craftsmanship.
Thanks for your comment on the vent tube and valve. Yes, it makes all the difference. We do plan to do some more videos that explain how it works. We do have some drawings on the clam gun page of our website that illustrates how the vent tube and valve work. Go check it out at: theclaminator.com/products/murff-s-claminator%E2%84%A2-stainless-steel-clam-gun
Thanks for your question. I think you can still purchase the "sand thumper" at Englund Marine. You can also make your own out of PVC, just like the one shown. You just fill it with sand to give it a little more weight. You can also use a stick or shovel handle, or even just stomp around in your hip boots. It's just the vibration that scares the clam and gets it digging down...which will hopefully make a small hole or "show".
what exactly were you looking for? you can check out the website ate www.theclaminator.com for more information or email me directly at dale@theclaminator,com to answer any questions you may have.
According to the California Department of Fish and Game, the best California beaches for razor clams are in Del Norte and Humboldt counties. wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Sport-Fishing/Invertebrate-Fishing-Regs
I love my Murff’s Claminator stainless steel shovel! The first day I took it out to Agate Beach (Newport, OR), I made a video and posted it on Facebook. I got lots of great comments. I like the way the Murff’s shovel is angled much better than the shovel made by “that other company“ from Astoria.
This is really cool to watch, I was raised digging them with a true temper clam shovel, but I really want to see what it's like using a clam gun one of these days.
Typically, razor clams will be between 6 inches to 2 feet below the surface. You can use a PVC clam gun. A lot of people use them. They tend to require a lot more work, however, because the PVC material is thicker than metal clam guns...therefore you have to push a lot harder to get them into the sand. They also do not have any vent tubes, which help to reduce the natural vacuum when pulling the gun up. That's why we recommend the Murff's Claminator Stainless Steel Clam Gun. You can see some illustrations of how the vent tubes work at: www.theclaminator.com/clam-guns/
Thank you for your comment and for subscribing to our channel! You can purchase our clamming tools directly from our website: www.theclaminator.com/ ...as well as from a number of different retailers in Oregon and Washington. Here is a link to view a map of all of our resellers: www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=15cH0lkWuPu-dzfz27LER-m3Xi-Y&ll=45.83245123822143%2C-123.41575534623348&z=7
using a "tamper" will cause the clam to retreat, therefore creating a "show" which may be in the form of a hole or dimple in the sand. they don't always show on thier own --sometimes you need to do the tamping -- some just stomp there feet to get them to "show" -- tamp an area ten feet by ten or twenty feet back and forth, then review the area for the holes.
