Shambam1962 Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 Whilst I finished off, over the weekend a few thumb sticks, my mate arrived with a carrier bag, and asked if I could make use of these ! On opening the bag, I found 2 filthy cow horns encased in mud, which he had found on a farm last year, and had stuffed the bag in the shed and forgot about them. I cleaned them down and removed the caked mud from inside, and they looked quite promising. I started sanding the horns down to expose any faults and flaws and found one horn was in a better condition, and suitable to use on a blackthorn shank I had . The cross section of the horn when cut was a weird shape and wasn’t round, and I began to heat the horn and manipulate it to suit the turned wooden top and shank of the blackthorn stick. It took a fair bit of sanding and polishing, but I was pleased with the end result ! Since finishing the cow horn stick, I have purchased 3 white coloured bulls horns to try, and make a few more in the future. My only regret, I forgot to take a before photo of the horn, to compare the finished item ! The other 2 sticks are a blackthorn and antler thumb stick, and a laminated wood thumb stick made from scrap pieces of, I think sapele and iroko glued together and fitted to a rowan shank. I made an antler thumb stick yesterday, and fitted a holly shank and oiled and awaiting a final coat of oil to complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 Brilliant, you keep finding new stuff to do, I envy you the time for all of it. Please keep showing us your obvious talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 I totally agree. There`s no end to Shambam`s varying talent. Keep `em coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holloway Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 23 minutes ago, Old Boggy said: I totally agree. There`s no end to Shambam`s varying talent. Keep `em coming. + 1 keep them coming ,always interested to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted May 19 Report Share Posted May 19 Shambam1962 Wonderful craftsmanship as always - thank you for sharing your labours. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted May 19 Author Report Share Posted May 19 Thank you all for your comments 👍 Almost completed this antler holly thumb stick, and it has a few more coats of Danish oil to go, before I’m satisfied. I purchased an assortment of ultra brass ferrules last week, and can’t believe how much they had gone up in price ,since my last purchase ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted May 19 Report Share Posted May 19 I like the way you use different wood for shafts from the usual hazel and blackthorn namely your Rowan and Holly sticks. I`m still working away, from time to time, on the laminated `nose out` crook heads that you very kindly sent me. Look forward with interest what`s next on your `to do` list. Many thanks, OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted May 19 Author Report Share Posted May 19 2 hours ago, Old Boggy said: I like the way you use different wood for shafts from the usual hazel and blackthorn namely your Rowan and Holly sticks. I`m still working away, from time to time, on the laminated `nose out` crook heads that you very kindly sent me. Look forward with interest what`s next on your `to do` list. Many thanks, OB Hi Chris I have found that some antler has an oval cross section when cut, and suits the holly shank better as it has the same profile. The cow horn was the same and I matched it to the blackthorn shank. I’m working on a twisted hazel staff with a leather binding grip, and I’ve just turned a cap to finish it off and fitted a silver button into it. It will look okay once it’s finished. I’m pleased you’re still working away with the crook blank and looking forward to see the finished stick. Keep up the good work 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted May 22 Author Report Share Posted May 22 Just completed this twisted hazel hiking staff, and made a birch knob style handle to fit. The handle was fitted with a silver button to add a bit of bling. The sticks had 3 coats of Danish oil, and I’m very pleased with the results. I have a very nice piece of Scottish bog oak I was kindly sent by greenshank1, and looking at using this for my next project, with the minimal waste ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted May 22 Report Share Posted May 22 Brilliant, always so innovative with your projects Kevin. Look forward to seeing the bog oak stick when you`ve done it. I`ve a bog oak stick with a carved partridge head by A.W.Towler bought from him at the Fenland Fair many years ago. He obtained lots of bog oak dredged up from the Cambridgeshire Fens. I expected bog oak to be quite brittle thinking it was partially fosslised, but I was wrong and still quite bendy. OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted June 7 Author Report Share Posted June 7 Just an update on the cow horn walking stick. After completing the stick, I contacted PW member greenshank1, who has helped me, with a few of my latest projects by supplying me with antler and various wood pieces. I asked him which stick he would like and he finally chose the cow horn stick. I planned on inserting a pewter badge into the end cap, but Stuart contacted me to say he had a few different hunt badges, and would I insert one of the badges into the end cap. We finally decided on the badge, and I drilled the cap to fit the badge, but I drilled it off centre and had to make a new birch wood cap and drilled it on the lathe to make certain it was centred. The stick was posted on Wednesday and I received confirmation today, the stick had arrived safely and in one piece!, and most importantly, Stuart was pleased with his 1st cow horn blackthorn stick 👍 The stick will be put to good use, on the beautiful Isle of Seil . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenshank1 Posted June 7 Report Share Posted June 7 Thanks Again 👍 The stick is absolutely stunning and I am genuinely delighted with it 👌 Next load of antler will be in the post tomorrow 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holloway Posted June 7 Report Share Posted June 7 Work of art 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted June 7 Author Report Share Posted June 7 3 hours ago, greenshank1 said: Thanks Again 👍 The stick is absolutely stunning and I am genuinely delighted with it 👌 Next load of antler will be in the post tomorrow 👍 Thank you Stuart I very much appreciate that 👍 With a bit of luck I will be able to make the antler duck call out of a piece of it 🤞 9 minutes ago, holloway said: Work of art 👍 Thanks Chris, it was very nice to make, and a bit different 👍 I am going to try and use the other horn, but it has a lot more sanding, before I decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted June 8 Report Share Posted June 8 That Sir, is what I would call a Gentleman’s stick and it’s no surprise that greenshank1 is absolutely delighted with it, as would anyone be. Many thanks for sharing. OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted June 8 Author Report Share Posted June 8 3 hours ago, Old Boggy said: That Sir, is what I would call a Gentleman’s stick and it’s no surprise that greenshank1 is absolutely delighted with it, as would anyone be. Many thanks for sharing. OB Thanks Chris, I was really annoyed when I drilled the hole for the badge off centre with the cordless drill. The end cap was glued in place with epoxy resin glue, and I knew I would damage the horn trying to remove the cap for the new one. I drilled multiple holes and worked away gently with the Fordham rotary tool, exposing the edge of the horn. Making the end cap was a 5 minute job, but removing the old cap took a lot longer. The end result was worth it and luckily didn’t damage the cow horn 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted June 10 Report Share Posted June 10 I very much admire your persistence and skill in getting things exactly right. Well done.👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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