Beating / walking stick - Help / advice needed

[Salop Matt]

Last week on the first shoot of the year I broke my walking / beating stick ! Its put in 3-4 years good service but has now given up on me. So I now need to get sorted for something to use. I had thought of a £2 broom handle from the local DIY shop and then stain it brown. Either that or I need someone local into stick making and also some advice on trying to find one / some to cut locally for next year !

 

Ideally I would like a tatty one for beating and a smarter one with a antler on top for best / smart / dog wlking !

 

Can anyone help ?

[Dunkield]

You can buy shanks from stickmakers, they were about £7 last time I looked.

Obviously it is cheaper to cut one yourself but it will take a year to harden off.

For example.

 

http://www.thestickman.co.uk/shanks.htm

[PhilR]

When I've needed a new beating stick I ask our 'keeper if I can cut one whilst beating through the woods and he's more than happy, provided he's asked first. I've got a little fold up Opinel saw that I take for the job.

[rimfire4969]

I cut myself a length of hazel for beating about 3 year ago, it goes in the shed at the end of the day and also when not in use, seems to have hardened up ok, i drilled a small hole in the top and put a leather boot lace through it to go over my wrist.

 

Try www.attacc.com they are closing down so have a big sale on and they do some stick making bits and pieces.

[vampire]

Cut and make your own hazel stick,it is easy.

Cut it long,turn it upside down and cut to length if to be used as shooting stick,sand off the ends and shape thumb rest,steam or pass under running hot tap and bend to straighten,then wash all green off,cut all shoots off and finish with teak oil

Plenty vids on youtube.

[deeksofdoom]

I put up a few posts here on making sticks with step by step instruction and they're all gone.

 

There are some good videos on youtube on stick making. Attlebeorough accessories do some good quality gear and so do Highland horn.

[jmooney]

I've bought from Attleboro before and always had a good experience and I'm in the US so it was a bigger chore for them to get things to me. Also just bought a stick from a bloke in Ireland that I met up with on Facebook. If you interested I can send you his contact info. Just PM me.

 

 

Jim

[Dunkield]

I put up a few posts here on making sticks with step by step instruction and they're all gone.

They will still be there, here is one of them

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/122915-twisted-hazel-stick/page__p__1060029__fromsearch__1

[al4x]

the most hard wearing sticks tend to be holly, cut one asap and use it if it breaks cut another but if it doesn't by next season it will be well seasoned and hard. I break sticks regularly and nothing lasts when beating like holly

[jmooney]

the most hard wearing sticks tend to be holly, cut one asap and use it if it breaks cut another but if it doesn't by next season it will be well seasoned and hard. I break sticks regularly and nothing lasts when beating like holly

 

 

This brings up question I've been meaning to ask....does anyone know if the species of Holly that you guys cut sticks from over there is similar to what we have in the US? Does anyone have a pic of a holly tree they can post?

 

I've got a Holly tree in my back garden and it need trimmed so if it's good stick wood I'll save what I trim and hang it in the garage.

 

Jim

[al4x]

sort of looks like this, few woods dry as hard and make quite such durable sticks so I'd try it even if yours is a different variety

 

[jmooney]

sort of looks like this, few woods dry as hard and make quite such durable sticks so I'd try it even if yours is a different variety

 

 

 

Cheers! That looks very similar to what I have. I'll put some cuttings up in the garage then. I've got to give it a good trim so I ought to get about 7 or 8 nice shafts out of it.

[Blackpowder]

I like a beating stick to be substantial, something that will take your weight while negotiating a barbed witre fence with rickety posts. No what I mean? Also it is good to have some weight in the hand, try to cut a stick where a side branch allows you to create a hand comfortable ****. Now you can lay into those brambles and briars with a vengance.

 

Blackpowder

[Diceman]

My best stick is blackthorn. Took ages to find one straight and thick enough but it has taken a real beating for about 5 years now and still going strong.