We use cookies to make your experience better. To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Learn more.
Monthly Archives: October 2022
-
- October 27, 2022
Whistles are something we are all familiar with, even if they’re not something you may engage with on a daily basis. Often, people will have their first experience of whistles as children, with penny whistles, pea whistles, and sliding whistles being popular gifts for young ones. The distinct call of a whistle is also a strong memory from PE lessons and lunch times at school and can be a fond memory of childhood days.
Before we get into the history of whistles as a musical instrument, we should first spend a moment to explain what whistles are and how they work. Essentially, a musical whistle is something that can be used to create sound by applying air pressure, such as a breath. Whistles are basically made up of two parts: a mouthpiece through which air is applied, and a body that is hollow. Whistles take on many shapes and sizes and can be made from a huge variety of materials, but historically they are made to be relatively small and lightweight.
The first musical whistles
The technology
-
- October 19, 2022
You might think that whistles are a very simple thing, and that one whistle is much the same as the next. As a company with a long and fascinating history as a whistle manufacturer, we humbly inform you that this is not the case! Whistles come in all shapes and sizes, and their uses and applications can vary dramatically.
For example, did you know that as well as the traditional whistle that a football referee might use there are also industrial whistles that are used to help keep workers safe while they operate machinery, and that vessels such as the Titanic were home to enormous whistles used to signal to other ships in low visibility?
Whistles have also been used historically for some very important things. Something that we are extremely proud of is the fact that ACME Whistles has been able to play a role in supporting our troops and allies at key moments in history. As a specialist whistle manufacturer, we were trusted to produce whistles and other products that were used during WW1
-
- October 11, 2022
The ACME Clicker is undoubtedly one of our most interesting and iconic pieces. While it may not technically be a whistle, it has been an extremely important part of our range since the 1940s and carries with it some truly fascinating history. Also known as the ACME Cricket, it is made from spring steel and has a thumb rest on one side. To operate the clicker you will hold it in one hand with the spring steel upwards against your thumb, and give it a firm press. This will flex the steel and put tension onto the metal which creates the clear sound.
As with all of our products, the Clicker has a role and function that is more important than you might think. If you have followed the history of ACME Whistles for the last few years you will know that we ran a campaign called ‘The Lost Clickers of D-Day’. If not, you might be surprised to learn that the ACME Clicker was used extensively as a WW2 clicker by 101st Airborne Division when flying over and landing in Normandy for the D-Day operations
-
- October 03, 2022
As a nation of animal lovers and dog owners, it’s no surprise that dog ownership is on the rise in the UK. From Labradors to Lhasa Apsos, dogs come in all shapes and sizes. Whether we have a miniature lap dog, or one of the larger breeds, it is our responsibility to provide a good level of training. By ensuring that every dog in our care is trained well and is able to behave well in the home and when out and about, we can help them become the best companions for our families.
Certain breeds of dogs have a reputation for being more difficult to train than others. While this can be true in some cases, the vast majority of dogs can be trained perfectly well once you have found the tools and techniques that work for them. For a good number of years now, dog training and behavioural experts have shown a strong preference for positive reinforcement techniques because they give the best results and help create happy, well socialised dogs.
The benefits of positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement,