Motel Sink EDC beads (Grail Drop #16)

Handmade in California by Tim Markel, the Motel Sink EDC beads are the 102nd shop-drop by the Orange County maker and 16th Grail Drop.

The Motel Sink beads are made from the legendary Pre 1991 Westinghouse Ivorite. Westinghouse produced several Ivorite formulations over the years, with the more rare/desirable recipes dating to before a formula change in 1990–1991. The early era obsolete ivorite batches are famous amongst collectors for developing a more pronounced patina over time, including deeper yellowing and a gradual golden tone that later formulations don’t achieve in the same way.

Each bead retains some existing patina from age and material history, but is finished clean enough to allow new patina to develop through use. In other words, it arrives with a head start—but not a finished story. With daily carry, the surface will continue to evolve, recording your experience through the gradual deepening of its patina.

At the core of the Motel Sink beads is an additional pre-’91 Ivorite liner that has already reached a fully developed patina. This inner layer provides a visual reference for how the surrounding Ivorite can age over time. As the beads are carried and used, the outer Ivorite layers will gradually shift toward warmer, more golden-yellow tones, however remaining lighter in color than the center layer.

Born from a passion for craftsmanship, every Copper Wagon EDC bead is carefully designed, assembled, turned, and polished in very small batches. Every Copper Wagon EDC bead is one-of-a-kind. Past drops/themes are not repeated.

Attach your Copper Wagon EDC beads to your favorite pieces of EDC gear as additional grip points while also elevating their presence in your loadout. Each meticulously crafted bead possesses a unique, evolving character and enduring charm, designed to withstand the test of time and the rigors of everyday life, ensuring it becomes a cherished heirloom for generations to come.

The Motel Sink EDC beads were fine-tuned to work perfectly on your standard 6mm spin-sticks/bead-caddies, or as a knife lanyard bead, or zipper-pull. 

A total of 11 Motel Sink beads were made, but only 9 are available through the shop-drop (+ 1 bead with a minor blemish).

Please note: Pre-91 Westinghouse Ivorite is an incredibly rare and expensive material which has only been used once before in a CW drop - the Paper Lantern beads, of which only 5 were made. The Paper Lantern beads were not available through a regular drop and are not included in the Grail Drop archive.

Materials:

-Vintage Westinghouse Ivorite (pre ‘91)

-Titanium (grade 5)

-Copper tube

Finish: Light polish / tumbled

Approximate dimensions:

H: 0.5” (15mm)

W: 0.7” (18mm)