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New Stick


billytheghillie
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Many moons ago when I went beating regularly on one estate. If at the end of the day your stick was not shredded the keeper refused to include you on next days team. Thereofr I believe a nut stick 1 to 1 1/4 inch thick and three to four foot long is all you need. Leave your fancy sticks at home.  Easy to replace nut sticks when they wear out and they have a good resonance when tapped.

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I always try to have a beating stick with a natural formed handle or grip in one shape or another.  Not always an easy find even in Hazel but as for hard wearing blackthorn: where do stick makers get those billiard cue straight stick shafts?   A good stick is your best friend in the beating line, or indeed in the country.  It should be strong enough to take your weight when used as an invaluable assistant in crossing fences and ditches, saved me many a tumble anyhow.

 

Blackpowder

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Find a hazel stand, find some straightish long staffs/cabers, select the ones that fit, cut and keep in your shed. Job done for several years, ready to use straight away, but those that over winter (becoming seasoned) can be tidied up a bit, straightened (easy to do, google/youtube it) if need be and for the hill it's always worth varnishing the end grain and fitting a metal/copper ferrule.

The difference in sound produced by a metal ferruled stick stabbed/banged end on to a stone or rock, compared to just the unprotected wood, is more than tangible, producing a sharper louder further traveling sound and well worth the little effort in fitting one. Plus you convert your throw away stick into a stick that'll last several seasons. Which is great when you discover one you especially like. Provided the end grain is varnished and protected by a ferrule the shaft can look tattered while the stick retains it's structural integrity/strength. Which is handy should your keeper judge your beating productivity by the state of your stick. 

 

 

   

 

  

 

 

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8 hours ago, Blackpowder said:

I always try to have a beating stick with a natural formed handle or grip in one shape or another.  Not always an easy find even in Hazel but as for hard wearing blackthorn: where do stick makers get those billiard cue straight stick shafts?   A good stick is your best friend in the beating line, or indeed in the country.  It should be strong enough to take your weight when used as an invaluable assistant in crossing fences and ditches, saved me many a tumble anyhow.

 

Blackpowder

Have a look at stick making, they steam them and straighten them and do voodoo black magic.

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22 minutes ago, Mice! said:

Have a look at stick making, they steam them and straighten them and do voodoo black magic.

A hazel stick doesn't need much of a steam to straighten it, gentle warming the bit to straighten over a hot hob or just the steam from a kettle; is enough if working with the stick and provided there are no unbendable knuckles. All starts by selecting the straightest most likely knuckle fee lengths to begin with. Bending to create a crook or market stick is a bit more complicated as it needs a jig a good heavy steam and a sense of urgency. But you can make a good serviceable stick with very little effort, especially if you can find one thats mores or less pre made for you by the tree it's self. I can't walk past a hazel stand without inspecting it for likely candidates. 

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I make a few sticks and have a steamer made from a length of steel gas tube about metre long. One end is blanked with a fitting to attach a wallpaper stripper. Steam up leave stick in for about 15 mins and they will bend over your knee. Will attach some photos when get on laptop

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4 hours ago, Stimo22 said:

I make a few sticks and have a steamer made from a length of steel gas tube about metre long. One end is blanked with a fitting to attach a wallpaper stripper. Steam up leave stick in for about 15 mins and they will bend over your knee. Will attach some photos when get on laptop

That's interesting, look forward to the pics

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