Please help me choose wood for a staff

t_c · 7th May 2010, 07:16 PM

IMHO stay away from waxwood for training ( sorry Neil ). A fellow student likes using waxwood for FMA, but (against rattan at least) they do eventually break and splinter under heavy use (gave him a nasty pinch in class - and a broken stick).
It seems that while some of the exotic hardwoods are really dense, they don't always have the "fiber structure" (if you get my meaning) to hold up to continued use for training - they're too brittle once you overcome their density - no resilience...
Maybe get something nice for forms & restoration, but be carefull what you choose for banging...

Lew · 7th May 2010, 10:07 PM

This may help?

t_c · 7th May 2010, 11:42 PM

Quote:

This may help?

That's great actually!

Thanks Lew - going to file this one away in library!

aiontay · 11th May 2010, 02:37 AM

I was going to recommend Osage Orange. The problem is finding straight grained dowel. If you're cutting it yourself, look along river bottoms, not upland areas. Also, look at the bark since the bark generally follows the grain.

fearn · 11th May 2010, 03:06 AM

The other problem with osage orange is that the sap wood can get bug-eaten. Actually, that's true for any wood, but osage orange seems particularly prone to damage.

If you're back east, there are various ironwoods (e.g. hop hornbeam, Ostyra virginiana) that more-or-less live up to their name, and tend to grow straight.

As for Vandoo's graph, you can download it from the link I posted above.

Same link as before

Best,

F

aiontay · 11th May 2010, 03:13 AM

And the sapwood dries at a much faster rate, so if you leave it on the wood is very prone to split. I always just use the heartwood. It changes from a bright yellow to a dark reddish brown.

7th May 2010, 10:07 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	This may help? Attached Images

7th May 2010, 07:16 PM	#1
t_c Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: ca, usa Posts: 92	IMHO stay away from waxwood for training ( sorry Neil ). A fellow student likes using waxwood for FMA, but (against rattan at least) they do eventually break and splinter under heavy use (gave him a nasty pinch in class - and a broken stick). It seems that while some of the exotic hardwoods are really dense, they don't always have the "fiber structure" (if you get my meaning) to hold up to continued use for training - they're too brittle once you overcome their density - no resilience... Maybe get something nice for forms & restoration, but be carefull what you choose for banging...

11th May 2010, 02:37 AM	#4
aiontay Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 88	I was going to recommend Osage Orange. The problem is finding straight grained dowel. If you're cutting it yourself, look along river bottoms, not upland areas. Also, look at the bark since the bark generally follows the grain.

11th May 2010, 03:06 AM	#5
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	The other problem with osage orange is that the sap wood can get bug-eaten. Actually, that's true for any wood, but osage orange seems particularly prone to damage. If you're back east, there are various ironwoods (e.g. hop hornbeam, Ostyra virginiana) that more-or-less live up to their name, and tend to grow straight. As for Vandoo's graph, you can download it from the link I posted above. Same link as before Best, F

11th May 2010, 03:13 AM	#6
aiontay Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 88	And the sapwood dries at a much faster rate, so if you leave it on the wood is very prone to split. I always just use the heartwood. It changes from a bright yellow to a dark reddish brown.