Thumbstick advice

[Rob Weatherley]

Hey fellow bushcraft enthusiasts

Today I found myself a perfectly straight peace of hazel for the shaft of a stag antler thumbstick. This is my first attempt on making a thumbstick and on researching how to make one, I realised that the hazel needs to be left for a long time to dry before it can be used.

Does anyone know of a quicker way to dry the hazel without compromising the wood?

Cheers


Rob

 

[falcon]

A mate of mine claims to have reduced the drying time using his airing cupboard though I'm not sure how much time he's saved. People generally talk in terms of drying time of one year per inch of thickness. If you do go for shortcuts you have to guard against splitting which will occur with too much heat. Best of luck....