WM Gavels

[jwardl]

I'd like to see some of the various WM gavels out there. Please post pics of yours if you have one that's particularly decorative our out of the ordinary.

 

[Mac]

A brother from Scotland posted his hand-crafted gavels on another forum. I conversed with him, seeking guidance on how I might make my own eventually. When I couldn't find a lathe, I asked him if he would be willing to take on a commission. The brother refused payment, and offered to make it as a gift. (Talk about fraternity!)

My personal masonic "crest" consists of the mortar and pestle within the S&C, surrounded by acacia wreathed with foxglove. The foxglove is both a poison and the source of a medication (digitalis), the difference is in the dose. I thought that a fitting use of a symbolism.

The gavel has three steps at the top of the base, and then a thistle thrown in at the top of the handle to reflect our mutual Scottish heritage. This gavel travels with me. Closely. It's been a real item for reflection at times. This brother asked for nothing, and in my then condition, I had not much to offer. I still ponder on how I could properly make this up to him.

 

[Bro. Staton]

This is a beautiful gavel and look at the detail this is artwork in the finest degree. Bro McNulty thanks for sharing. On another note nice collection of books as well.

 

[Brother_Steve]

That is a beautiful setting maul.

A PM in my lodge would argue that it is not a 'gavel' though.

Our lodge has a "gavel" in the east while the west and south have setting mauls because of this.

His reason? The gavel is the voice of the master and only the master shall have a gavel.

 

[jwardl]

That is a beautiful setting maul.

A PM in my lodge would argue that it is not a 'gavel' though.

Our lodge has a "gavel" in the east while the west and south have setting mauls because of this.

His reason? The gavel is the voice of the master and only the master shall have a gavel.

Good point. My own gavel for next year (if elected) will be a "setting maul" style as well -- a gift from my girlfriend. I don't think Texas has any regulations concerning the form or style of the gavel in the East, but it's probably worth researching if one is a SW, regardless of their jurisdiction.

 

[Brother JC]

NM lodges use gavels at all three stations, my CA lodge uses mauls at all three. Haven't visited another CA lodge, so maybe Brother Doug can enlighten us on others here.


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry

 

[Mac]

That is a beautiful setting maul.

A PM in my lodge would argue that it is not a 'gavel' though.

Our lodge has a "gavel" in the east while the west and south have setting mauls because of this.

His reason? The gavel is the voice of the master and only the master shall have a gavel.

I faced opposition from two of my brothers when they saw the gavel. No one could point to anything in black and white, they just uttered things similar to what is quoted above. "That's not a gavel. No master of this lodge is using a setting maul." I attended a Texas Lodge of Research meeting in Galveston, and the lodge was opened with three setting maul-style gavels.

Not to sound like Bill Clinton, but... "Define 'gavel.'" I have a piece of wood designed to be banged against something else (in a formal manner) to make noise consistent with my authority.

My voice is my voice; an ornate piece of wood is not.

 

[jwardl]

As virtually everything in Masonry is symbolic, is not a gavel so as well -- within reason, of course?

 

[dfreybur]

... my CA lodge uses mauls at all three. Haven't visited another CA lodge, so maybe Brother Doug can enlighten us on others here.

I don't recall any official distinction between a gavel and a setting maul. As their function is symbolic not physical they are interchangeable. Get either and call it a gavel. All of the lodges in all of my districts had gavels in the drawers of their pedestals that looked like hammers not like mauls for use by officers.

It's very common for an incoming Master to get a gavel presented by his wife at his installation. I've seen far more of them that look like hammers than look like mauls but I have seen both.

I've got a spare that I found at an antique shop in case the SW's wife at my current lodge is stumped. So far each year she's taken it as a challenge so I've offered it to about 8 SW's wives over the years and I still have it. When I bought it I never imagined it would be so effective.

My presentation gavel looks like a hammer. Lebanon Cedar is an endangered species so no man may cut them down. Every so often God does it with lightning. Sometimes a board of that cedar accidentally makes it into a piece of furniture. Sometimes that piece of furniture gets shipped to a different country. Sometimes the furniture gets repaired in the receiving country. A lot of gavels can end up being made from such a board of genuine Lebanon cedar. It's nice to know brothers who recently immigrated from Lebanon to the US. Just saying.