Think the forums about any kind of stickmaking its just personal taste ,but i like the patterens on the shanks and would like to use these type of shanks but not available to me , mores the pity.I would like to try to straigthen them ,i not keen on mishaped sticks ,just my taste not to evryones liking,I also dont remove the bark of the shanks like a lot of americans , but with something like those it would be worth it just for the pattern /grain it makes, and it would provide a great carrier for a carved topper