First we start with the material for the stick. What to use and what are the pro's and contra's?
Hazel: The best material to use and easy to find. It comes in a range of colours and the only disadvantage is the long drying time. We cut the shafts in November / December when the sap is not rising. Try to select the most straight shafts and leave the others on the tree! Try to avoid cutting shafts with extensive bents or dog leggs because they are hard to or even impossible to straighten. At home we must season the shafts for a minimum of 1 year before starting to work on them. Seasoning is done outside on a place where the wind has free access but sheltered from rain. After the seasoning period we can take the shafts inside to straighten them. Personally I take them into the living room and put them on top of a long central heating radiator to warm them gently. Every time I pass, I'll take the shaft, work on it and then I'll put it back on the radiator for the next passing.
Handles can be made of various materials like Rams horn, Buffalo horn, Wood and Epoxy (P.V.C.?s). Rams horn, for the moment, is hard to get because in Great Brittan it is no longer permitted to use the slaughter waist (like skin, bones, horns, etc..). Many stick makers in the UK are having a serious problem! Because the export is also forbidden we can no longer order Rams horn from the UK. Horn found on the continent is rarely good enough to use because of the fact that they are almost completely hollow (large pace of Quick) or the skin is of to less thickness (min 6 mm).
Buffalo horn is a good alternative but of course looks absolutely different. Working on Buffalo horn is identical to Rams horn.
Wooden handles are another possibility but one must always keep the strength of the handle in mind. Often we must reinforce handles when more ?soft? wood (like spruce) is used.
The strongest handles are made of plywood and they do not need any reinforcement. Finishing plywood handles is a different story! Hardwood like Beech, Mahogany, etc. makes very good and attractive handles.
Epoxy is also a good alternative and for the moment I?m testing this material. Weight is a bit of a problem here but we will see........
