Looking for a Long Wooden Handle/Stave.

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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,451
3,654
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Exeter
I've just purchased a Cheapo Cold steel Bushman which I'm intending to Mod/hack into a bit of a Foraging tool.

When ever I seem to come across a choice Fungus or Group of fruit / nuts it seems that they are located quite some way from my stumpy legs and I'm no longer built for sprightly scaling of Trees.

So I would like to have a long length of wood that I can pop the Bushman into and give me an additional 10 ft of extra reach to obtain natures goodies.

Most conventional Long Handles for Hand tools don't seem to be that long - longest I think I've seen is something like the Westcountry Shovel.

So any ideas where I can obtain one? Maybe the Historic re-enactors can point me in the right direction as basically what I wish to create is a poleaxe/pike but without the harmful intent.


I may even need to accept I can't get the length what I want and may need to join/splice/glue/screw Two sections into one either on a permanent basis or not.

Many Thanks Peeps.
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,983
7,759
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Nice straight ash saplings are often well over 10' and grow like weeds in some places. The bark peels very easily when green and if you oil it as it's drying over a week or so it will last forever. Ash saplings have traditionally been used for poles and lances of all kinds. If you lived closer you could have the choice of a hundred or so :)
 
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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,451
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Exeter
Nice straight ash saplings are often well over 10' and grow like weeds in some places. The bark peels very easily when green and if you oil it as it's drying over a week or so it will last forever. Ash saplings have traditionally been used for poles and lances of all kinds. If you lived closer you could have the choice of a hundred or so :)


Thanks Broch , Ideally I'm after something turned and uniform.

Appreciate the offer however.
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,983
7,759
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Ah, the quest for perfection :)

I do have an aluminium telescopic Wolf garden tool pole designed mainly for fruit collecting I think; that's probably about 10' when extended. Or how about a telescopic tent pole - I suspect the longest one on my Oz Tent is only 8' though.
 
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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,451
3,654
50
Exeter
Ah, the quest for perfection :)

I do have an aluminium telescopic Wolf garden tool pole designed mainly for fruit collecting I think; that's probably about 10' when extended. Or how about a telescopic tent pole - I suspect the longest one on my Oz Tent is only 8' though.


I have considered getting a couple of smaller lengths then cannibalizing an old Pool Cue for the , er.. Gubbin thing that connects the two pieces. Just want something long and lengthy to leave in the car because most of the time when I see a choice foraging gift its when i'm driving in a new area.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
Tamarack outdoors near Garstang sell tent poles that fold down into the larger segment. There's options from short to very long? They're very stout too. No idea n if they would work but perhaps take a look. We got three for propping up a large tarp over our tent when cycle touring. They might not work for you as the longest ones are probably heavy.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
My Fiskars "Pole Pruner" has a lightweight, hollow telescoping fiberglass handle.
Fully extended, I'll guess 8' extra reach for me.
Bypass pruner at the tip and a removable pruning saw blade as well.
The rope operates through a couple of little pulleys for a modest mechanical advantage
to cut maybe 1" branches.
 

tombear

On a new journey
Jul 9, 2004
4,494
556
54
Rossendale, Lancashire
Something like a Harris 3 metre aluminium extension pole for paint rollers and what not? Under 15 quid. Unless they have changed the design since we got ours , very strong and folds up to fit I the boot. From a distance looks vaguely like a Leki pole if you dont want people pointing at you. I admit wandering about with the Clasdic D&D 10 foot pole would be more aesthetically pleasing but I'd end up with it tangled in a branch or a power line or lodged in someone's fundement if carried at trail arms...

ATB

Tom
 
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Oliver G

Full Member
Sep 15, 2012
392
286
Ravenstone, Leicestershire
I think Woodlore sell panking poles, I've used the extendable hoardfast sheeting poles which have a sprung tip and an arrangement of cable ties to gather apples before, they work rather well.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Find your local farmers shop. They have long poles meant for yard brooms and the like. We bought a whole load of them to use as pole arms for a couple of films.
They might not have them in stock, but they usually have a farm catalogue and will order in the right length for you. Took a couple of days for ours to arrive. They come in +half metre lengths....well they did when we bought them. We bought from 3 to 5 metre ones.
Very sound too, they took a beating and didn't shatter, break or splinter.
 

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