# Harvesting Blank Sticks



## stixman

Just spent the past four days in eastern Kentucky searching for "blank" sticks and had the good fortune of harvesting nearly 220 sticks, only 780 to go. For some reason, I have in my mind that I want to cut 1,000 sticks.


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## Rad

Great load of sticks! Good luck!


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## cobalt

The leaves are still on the hazel here just waitibg for them to fall then leave it for a week before i cut them.

do you use a saw or lopers to cut them?

The hazel copice looks like its going to have a good crop so should easily get a couple of hundred.


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## Rad

Still have a lot of leaves on here also -- it will be a few weeks yet before I start harvesting.


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## CV3

I wish I lived in you niebgerhood Stixman.


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## stixman

CV3 said:


> I wish I lived in you niebgerhood Stixman.


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## stixman

I am really lucky to have access to great place to harvest sticks.

I cut with Gerber bush saw and with sap up, the saw binds abit now.

Whatdo you use to cut the sticks?


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## stixman

Rad said:


> Great load of sticks! Good luck!


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## stixman

I will dtart cutting vine twisted sticks in about one month. I like for the sap to go fown in cold weather.


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## cobalt

having allok at other hazel copices here seems plenty to go at , was hoping the the differnet area will have a different colour bark after some golden colour rather then the dark brown, but good luck with the cutting.

I usually cut mine longer than needed just in case the ends split but last years harvest didnt split .


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## stixman

I also cut the sticks longer to allow for checking.

Today was a wzrm day, so I spent most of the day making walking stick.


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## cobalt

how long do you season them for ?

I give mine a minimum of a year but prefer up to 2years.


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## stixman

cobalt said:


> how long do you season them for ?
> 
> I give mine a minimum of a year but prefer up to 2years.


I like to let the sticks dry for a minimum of one year, sometimes two years. The barn loft gets really hot in the summer here in Kentucky.


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## Rad

Almost harvest time here!


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## cobalt

and looking forward to it . its just as much interest as making sticks.


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## stixman

Which state are you guys located?

I'm in Kentucky and I have only cut a couple hundred sticks so far.

I use a Gerber bush saw and seems like until weather stays cold for a while, the saw tends to bind in the wood when cutting.

What do you use to cut your sticks with?

I've been thinking about purchasing an electric chainsaw.

What do you think?


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## Alaska Rabologist

Wow!!! That is fantastic.... I would love to have 1,000 blank sticks...


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## MJC4

For the few I cut an old fashioned bow saw works just fine.


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## CV3

I can't get out like I once did. But when I can I also us a Gerber brush saw. Now I let stixman cut my most my sticks.


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## stixman

Always happy to help out.


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## stixman

Well, I don't have 1,000 yet. Only about 220, but I do have great plans.


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## cobalt

I use a heavy duty lopper to cut hazel it works well and is easy to carry around.Its supposed to cut to 50mm. (2 inches) which is plenty for meas i look for around a inch in diameter

I did think about a battery operated reciprocating saw whick looks the part but i dont know how long the battery would last and there pretty pricey.

Hope to cut a couple of hundred for seasoning , I have about 100 shanks so a few to go at .


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## Rad

Mostly just a pruning saw.


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## Sean

If your after around a thousand an electric saw might be in order.


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## MJC4

Today was the last day of decent weather for a while, according to the weather folk anyway, so the wife and I hit the woods in our local county park looking for gold. Didn't find any gold but did find a couple decent sticks and this. It's black cherry at least it smelled like cherry when I cut off the end. It was pushed into a pile of junk wood from an area cleared for a new picnic shelter. Will need a lot of TLC, I'm up for the challenge. What do they say? One man's junk is another man's treasure!


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## farmhunter

I use a Silky saw from Japan - makes a real smooth cut - and is very efficient. I like to harvest my sticks in the snow - and keep them for about a year before making the next batch. I make only about two dozen stick per year right now - and not for resale. I started just making tall cedar hiking sticks, and still do - but more recently have been working with other wood - Black Willow, Ash, American Hornbeam and even poplar.


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## Sean

farmhunter said:


> I use a Silky saw from Japan - makes a real smooth cut - and is very efficient. I like to harvest my sticks in the snow - and keep them for about a year before making the next batch. I make only about two dozen stick per year right now - and not for resale. I started just making tall cedar hiking sticks, and still do - but more recently have been working with other wood - Black Willow, Ash, American Hornbeam and even poplar.


That's a fairly fine tooth saw yes? I've heard good things about them. Out in the field I usually carry around a pruning saw of some sort to rip through green wood fast.


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## farmhunter

Yes the SIlky saw I had to order from Japan. I think I got it on Amazom.com - it was worth the extra money. Nothing like like a harware store saws I've ever seen. The blade is tapered from the "thick" backbone down to each point. Its curved blade and very flexible (not brittle). it only cuts when you pull forward and the cuts are sanded smooth in appearnce. There are many models from folding ones to big commercial type pruning saws.


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