Born Hunter 17,622 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 (edited) Anybody worked with Blackthorn? I've cut two crackers at xmas. One I think will be a traditional knob handle but the other has a natural straight crook from the branch it grew off (like an ice pickaxe) which I think I'll keep and shape a bit. Always used hazel in the past but I think Blackthorn/Hawthorn makes for a better quality end product, so giving it a go. Edited January 25, 2017 by Born Hunter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jok 3,035 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 Think they called them a knobler in the past for good reason. Blackthorn is hard and heavy and to my opinion makes a lovely one piece stick. When you do the knob it tends to have a nice orange colour. Polishes great. Only thing is it needs a long time to dry. Jok. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jok 3,035 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 Should have said. Today, managed to get a Joey. Now I've been asked to make a stick and I thought something different was in order. So.! Roe antler with thumb stick proportions and the Joey in the cut end. I reckon it'll look lovely. (Silver Sixpence). I hope Griff is reading this cause it'll be another steal. LOL. Jok Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Born Hunter 17,622 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 Think they called them a knobler in the past for good reason. Blackthorn is hard and heavy and to my opinion makes a lovely one piece stick. When you do the knob it tends to have a nice orange colour. Polishes great. Only thing is it needs a long time to dry. Jok. How long do you recon they want? Hazel is alright after a year but benefits from two imo but as I said I have no experience with anything else so would appreciate your advice. There fairly sturdy too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jok 3,035 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 If you are asking me, which I think you are, 2 years is cool. Thing is, then you've to work out the straightening which means another year. The things you can get up to just getting them straight is mind boggling. Being totally honest, I think them days are gone. Reason being we are not doing it for show or to impress, rather to fulfill our own requirements. The holly I have has to be at least 10 yrs possibly double that and it looks fantastic. When I started on it, the only work was to debarked and generally shape. That ended up as a kind of hexagon. Then forget for a number of years. Well. Totally forgot. Now I'm going for it again and getting a Silver sixpence as my mark is a bonus. No one else will copy which again is cool. When the guy gets his stick, which he doesn't know anything about, I think he'll be pleased. Jok. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jok 3,035 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 All good wood needs time. Ask anyone involved in furniture of related woodwork. Some of the stuff I've had on the lathe is or was probably decades old. In fact we've just, thanks to Riohog, found out about Bogoak. Now this stuff is up to 5300 years old and still needs kiln drying before you can work it. Now I know that's in the extreme but it does highlight the need for ageing. I think that hazel at 2 years is right on the button and don't imagine for 1 minute that it will bend. Go for it. Just remembered a video of a guy turning a 3 ft bowl out of green oak and that was ok. End of day you can always do another. Jok. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanielG 279 Posted January 28, 2017 Report Share Posted January 28, 2017 Hello found some really straight blackthorn sticks how long will a 1" blackthorn stick take to season ? cut in early jan thanks Dan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jok 3,035 Posted January 28, 2017 Report Share Posted January 28, 2017 Dan. In my opinion 2 yrs minimum. I know folks have done it in less but you still have to think about the drying and splitting. Imagine doing a dream stick only to have it deform. jok. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanielG 279 Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 Thanks Jok i coated the cut ends with pva and left long for any splitting Dan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jok 3,035 Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 Yep. Good call. I just cut them long giving me plenty of work room. Never thought about ova though. Jok. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DanielG 279 Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 Yep. Good call. I just cut them long giving me plenty of work room. Never thought about ova though. Jok. im not sure if the pva will do much. I read that it stops the ends drying quicker, than the rest of the stick stopping splitting at the ends ! time will tell i suppose . theres a good video on youtube of a guy heat bending the sticks with a wallpaper stripper ,worked really well .he piped it to some 6" round ducting, and put the sticks in the ducting with the steam and then he straightened them easily. Dan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tiercel 6,986 Posted January 30, 2017 Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 Yep. Good call. I just cut them long giving me plenty of work room. Never thought about ova though. Jok. im not sure if the pva will do much. I read that it stops the ends drying quicker, than the rest of the stick stopping splitting at the ends ! time will tell i suppose . theres a good video on youtube of a guy heat bending the sticks with a wallpaper stripper ,worked really well .he piped it to some 6" round ducting, and put the sticks in the ducting with the steam and then he straightened them easily. Dan http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/340518-straightening-walking-sticks/ TC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rabid 1,936 Posted January 30, 2017 Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 Yep. Good call. I just cut them long giving me plenty of work room. Never thought about ova though. Jok. im not sure if the pva will do much.I read that it stops the ends drying quicker, than the rest of the stick stopping splitting at the ends ! time will tell i suppose . theres a good video on youtube of a guy heat bending the sticks with a wallpaper stripper ,worked really well .he piped it to some 6" round ducting, and put the sticks in the ducting with the steam and then he straightened them easily. Dan Steaming wood for bending is as old as the hills so it does work 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flacko 1,732 Posted January 30, 2017 Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 Going to give that a go Tiercel cheers Flacko Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ferretracer 24 Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 These guys may be able to help, normally see them at a fair few shows we attend with the ferrets and some of there sticks are impressive, one our members has had a ferret head done by one of them it is pretty amazing http://www.callevastickdressers.org.uk/ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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