Quarterstaffs?

6506 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by JJireh, Feb 7, 2013

M_J

Discussion Starter · Jan 16, 2013

Hi guys!

I found this forum from a link on the slingshotforum. Just over the last couple days I've had a hankering for a proper quarterstaff. It seems like a good thing to take along on hikes as a walking stick incase I encounter Little John blocking a bridge

Has anybody made one of these and would like to relate their experiences and/or tips and tricks?

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CAS14

· #2 · Jan 16, 2013 (Edited by Moderator)

Thanks, I didn't know that that was.

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarterstaff

A quarterstaff (plural quarterstaves), also short staff or simply staff is a traditional European

pole weapon and a technique of stick fighting, especially as in use in England during the Early Modern period.

The term is generally accepted to refer to a shaft of hardwood from 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 m) long, sometimes with a metal tip, ferrule, or spike at one or both ends. The term "short staff" compares this to the "long staff" based on the pike with a length in excess of 11 to 12 feet (3.4 to 3.7 m).

The name "quarterstaff" is first attested in the mid-16th century. The "<a>quarter</a>" probably refers to the means of production, the staff being made from hardwood of a tree split or sawed into quarters (as opposed to a staff of lower quality made from a tree branch).[1]

Two things come to mind.

1) If it's a round pole or branch, that's easy to find yourself. Good cured hardwood that is split or sawed may be expensive. I talked to a guy a few weeks ago who sells Bois d'arc for bow makers, and he charges $200 each, I think he said.

2) So far as the the typical 6 to 9 feet length, personally I would find anything much longer than 6 feet aqward so far as hiking, except that some length can prove an asset when climbing rock escarpments if your knees are as poor as mine.

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CAS14

· #3 · Jan 17, 2013

How about a shillelagh? I have no idea what I am doing, that's clear. But here I sit, dog tired after work in my pj's, starting to work on my first. My understanding wife wants to document that I have completely lost it, so she grabbed her iPhone. They're coming to take me away, ha ha!

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NightKnight

· #4 · Jan 17, 2013

I am guessing that it would be somewhat hard to take a natural limb and make it perfectly round, without spending a great deal of time working on it. The first thing that comes to mind is a lathe. I wonder if anyone has made a "home made" lathe using drills and a bench...

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CAS14

· #5 · Jan 17, 2013 (Edited by Moderator)

AaronC said:
I am guessing that it would be somewhat hard to take a natural limb and make it perfectly round, without spending a great deal of time working on it. The first thing that comes to mind is a lathe. I wonder if anyone has made a "home made" lathe using drills and a bench...

Hmmm

We've all probably seen those 18th & 19th Century sharpening stones, about 2' diameter and 3" thick that you sat and spun by pumping a pedal with your foot. I suppose that a similar mechanism, with appropriate belt drive ratios could turn a home made lathe. In fact, I'd bet a bottle of Jack Daniels that the lathe predated electricity, and that an old design could be found.

Edit:

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M_J

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 18, 2013

That's awesome!

I was planning to go to the hardware store this weekend and see if I can find like a 2x2" eight-footer of oak or ash or something and work it down to round from there. Seems easier than trying to dry a stave that long, at least in the winter. I know of a big mulberry in an abandoned lot with several very long, straight staves on it. Maybe cut a couple and put them in the attic for summer...

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JJireh

· #7 · Feb 7, 2013

Quarter staff conjurs up different images for different people. What are you picturing?

I would suggest you just find a nice straight round sappling around 1.5 to 2.5 inches diamter 7 foot long and take her down (permissin of course

) Trim to your comfort. Done. You can walk with it and leave it in the garage when your not using it. I'd leave most of the bark on it for a year, just trim off the parts where you put your hand if you like. You can paint the ends to help prevent them from splitting.

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