mad1 Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 evenin all a quick question . I have just been out with my son and picked a bag full of conkers for him to play with ( not at school though h+s gone mad) what's the best way to harden them - it's been a while since I played with them and can't remember how to cheat Any suggestions or advice taken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muggins. Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 Didn`t we roast them or soak in vinegar. Blimey!! That was an age ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
englishman-in-wales Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 Soak them in vinegar or bake em in the oven always made me the conker king at school... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
100milesaway Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 Soak in vinegar, coat them in Dubbin and polish them like mad.Small ones are better than big ones.I once had a 103 er. from Auntie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricko Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 1980 Robbie Carson - dipped his in polyeurathane varnish repeatedly, finished everything off that season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semiautolee Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 (edited) well you can soak them in vinegar for a couple of days.. that made them like concrete ! OR This is the way i did it and i never lost. Soak it in vinegar for about 20mins then let it dry. Put it in the oven for 10minutes and as soon as it comes out, soak it in clear nail polish (in a dish) and the heat absorbing the nail polish makes it solid. Leave it for at least 3 hours. Put it back in the oven but only for a few minutes on a hot oven. Leave to cool and when the nail polish is quite firm, put it in the freezer overnight. swing...swing....SMASH!! I heard so many theories i decided to try them all on the same conker! Edited September 25, 2011 by semiautolee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codling99 Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 put holes in a few and keep them dry till next year,they be like concrete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 Wouldnt it be easier to paint a lump of concrete brown and use that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robadob Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 been getting conkers later but only to keep the spiders out . tried cheating when i was kid but always got it wrong so ended up losing more than just going for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexf Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 been getting conkers later but only to keep the spiders out . tried cheating when i was kid but always got it wrong so ended up losing more than just going for it If you don't mind me asking how do they keep spiders out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semiautolee Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 If you don't mind me asking how do they keep spiders out? just about to ask the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
100milesaway Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 Spiders are supposed to dislike conkers or the aroma they give off. Companys sell aerosols of conker essence for about 5 stripes per can to spray around your doors. :blink: from Auntie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexf Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 Interesting thanks for the info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robadob Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 Spiders are supposed to dislike conkers or the aroma they give off. Companys sell aerosols of conker essence for about 5 stripes per can to spray around your doors. :blink: from Auntie. thats the one, thought it was a load of rubbish but we were getting huge things a couple weeks back but since put the conkers about not one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semiautolee Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 thats the one, thought it was a load of rubbish but we were getting huge things a couple weeks back but since put the conkers about not one i will have to try it we have been getting some MONSTERS lately!! :blink: and i hate them with a passion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clubb699 Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 This has brought a smile to myself, just rolling back in my mind to about 28 years ago and picturing me trying to cram in the hole some not properly mixed cement and fill the one conker. I tried my hardest to make a winner but it failed :lol: :lol: Clubb699 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul T Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Best method for me was to drill them first with my dad's double pinion hand drill (remember them?) and then bake on a very low heat for a couple of hours. As it was my dad's drill, my mate had to hold the conker with his finger tips while I did the honours . I wonder if he still has the scar...? Never had much success with the vinegar method. Always fancied drilling a fresh one, then picking out the middle with a wire hook and refill with epoxy resin. It's a real cheat, of course, but it could be the ultimate conker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 My brother is 16 years older than me. When I was about 8 I found a bag of conkers in the corner of a cupboard that he had collected as a kid. So these were anywhere between 12 and 16 years old. They were absolutely rock hard. A bit wrinkled but rock hard. That year I became the Cub Scout Essex Conker champion. So you could wait 10 years but your son might have grown out of it by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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