Handmade Hickory Eku

[Gerry Seymour]

I’ve seen a few traditional Okinawan eku kata. My former sensei was quite good with it. It’s one of those weapons you don’t see often. I’d love to learn it. My current organization doesn’t use it that I know of.

My former teacher went the right way with weapons IMO. He pretty much made it a completely separate entity. His students learn the basics of the bo, a kata or two, and some partner drills. His weapons program has its own ranks, and various weapons at various ranks. Eku is one of the weapons. Not sure how far alone the program that is.

That's the same structure Shorin-ryu Kensankai uses (the organization the dojo belongs to). Yudansha carry separate rank in Karate-do and Kobudo, and the classes are actually somewhat separate (except the yudansha classes, which change focus week-to-week).

 

[CB Jones]

My understanding is Appalachian hickory is preferable to whatever "standard" hickory is. I've been contemplating special-ordering a couple of boards from a woodworking supplier, to make some staves from. Appalachian hickory staves seem to go for upwards of $100, so I can't see myself ever actually buying one.

I believe Hickory from the Appalachia just grades better due to their environment they grew in or due to hickories in other areas just being over logged decades ago.

 

[Flying Crane]

I believe Hickory from the Appalachia just grades better due to their environment they grew in or due to hickories in other areas just being over logged decades ago.

I did look at some wood supply/information sites online, it seems that there are several species that go under the name of hickory. I can’t say with certainty if any of the species are truly superior in some qualities than other, but growing conditions can definitely have an effect.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I did look at some wood supply/information sites online, it seems that there are several species that go under the name of hickory. I can’t say with certainty if any of the species are truly superior in some qualities than other, but growing conditions can definitely have an effect.

Kingfisher uses several varieties of hickory in their weapons.I recall reading on a site somewhere (I'm pretty sure it was talking about best woods for weapons, comparing best Japanese wood wot best American wood) that Appalachian hickory is reliably better for impact weapons. I forget the reason why it needed to be Appalachian (though it might be as someone else said, just that it's easier to get high grade, clear hickory there). I think it was as a suggested replacement for Japanese white oak, which doesn't splinter on impact.

 

[Flying Crane]

Kingfisher uses several varieties of hickory in their weapons.I recall reading on a site somewhere (I'm pretty sure it was talking about best woods for weapons, comparing best Japanese wood wot best American wood) that Appalachian hickory is reliably better for impact weapons. I forget the reason why it needed to be Appalachian (though it might be as someone else said, just that it's easier to get high grade, clear hickory there). I think it was as a suggested replacement for Japanese white oak, which doesn't splinter on impact.

Do you know what species they mean when they call it “Appalachian” hickory?

 

[CB Jones]

Do you know what species they mean when they call it “Appalachian” hickory?

Pig nut or Shagbark. But they dont differentiate it. When sold it is sold as hickory. Hardwoods from Appalachia is given the Appalachian moniker.

 

[Flying Crane]

Pig nut or Shagbark. But they dont differentiate it. When sold it is sold as hickory. Hardwoods from Appalachia is given the Appalachian moniker.

Interesting. When I buy it at the lumberyard, it is simply categorized as hickory, there is no distinction of what species, so that is consistent with my experience as well. I don’t recall if it was call Appalachian or not, but I’ll pay closer attention.

I suppose if one were to really want a particular species, they might need to do their own lunberjacking, going after a specific tree somewhere, on their own property or something.

 

[CB Jones]

Interesting. When I buy it at the lumberyard, it is simply categorized as hickory, there is no distinction of what species, so that is consistent with my experience as well. I don’t recall if it was call Appalachian or not, but I’ll pay closer attention.

I suppose if one were to really want a particular species, they might need to do their own lunberjacking, going after a specific tree somewhere, on their own property or something.

Often time species in the same genus have the same characteristics in lumber so they dont wory about differentiate between. Hickories, Red Oaks, White Oaks. Etc...

Because Hickories and some other hardwoods from Appalachia grade much better they have to be differiated from others and sold at a higher price.

 

[Flying Crane]

Often time species in the same genus have the same characteristics in lumber so they dont wory about differentiate between. Hickories, Red Oaks, White Oaks. Etc...

Because Hickories and some other hardwoods from Appalachia grade much better they have to be differiated from others and sold at a higher price.

I had noticed that about the different species, on the websites, the characteristics as described seemed pretty consistent.

One thing I did notice was that the hickory species are not resistant to insect attacks, or weather, so definitely need to finish the work with some kind of sealant and protect it. I had made a hiking staff, and it occurred to me that someone could be on a multi-day hiking/camping trek and could be in wet weather for several days at a time. Would hate to see the staff begin to deteriorate if everything stays wet for a while.

I finished a leftover piece with teak oil, and with a combo of teak oil and linseed oil then stuck the end of it in a bucket of water and left it for 24 hours to test it. It came out pretty well, didn’t seem to harm it after I got it dried off again. I figured that was a pretty good test.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Do you know what species they mean when they call it “Appalachian” hickory?

There are several. It's literally any hickory from the Appalachian region. The growing conditions in Appalachia apparently give a better chance at clear (knot-free) and particularly split-resistant wood.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Interesting. When I buy it at the lumberyard, it is simply categorized as hickory, there is no distinction of what species, so that is consistent with my experience as well. I don’t recall if it was call Appalachian or not, but I’ll pay closer attention.

I suppose if one were to really want a particular species, they might need to do their own lunberjacking, going after a specific tree somewhere, on their own property or something.

Or perhaps buy from a woodworking supplier. They are a bit more likely (though not at all certain) to know the variety of a given lot, since they deal in smaller amounts.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I had noticed that about the different species, on the websites, the characteristics as described seemed pretty consistent.

One thing I did notice was that the hickory species are not resistant to insect attacks, or weather, so definitely need to finish the work with some kind of sealant and protect it. I had made a hiking staff, and it occurred to me that someone could be on a multi-day hiking/camping trek and could be in wet weather for several days at a time. Would hate to see the staff begin to deteriorate if everything stays wet for a while.

I finished a leftover piece with teak oil, and with a combo of teak oil and linseed oil then stuck the end of it in a bucket of water and left it for 24 hours to test it. It came out pretty well, didn’t seem to harm it after I got it dried off again. I figured that was a pretty good test.

For many of the finishes I like (tung oil, for instance), you need several coats, with days of curing between. To properly protect a staff/walking stick I intend to take in the woods, I'd probably end up finishing it over 2-3 weeks.

 

[CB Jones]

Black Locust wood would be great for weapons as well. It is extremely hard and stable.

Also Osage Orange wood might be good as well....much harder than hickory. It density might make it a little to heavy though.

 

[Flying Crane]

For many of the finishes I like (tung oil, for instance), you need several coats, with days of curing between. To properly protect a staff/walking stick I intend to take in the woods, I'd probably end up finishing it over 2-3 weeks.

Yup, I put on coat after coat. Linseed oil can take weeks to fully cure so it’s hard to know when it’s ready, but I love the finish. I tested linseed oil with the bucket of water and it did not fare so well, but I am certain it was not fully cured. If I let it sit for a month in warm weather and then tested it, I might get better results.

The teak oil worked really well, I did multiple coats and then gave it maybe a week before I did the test.

 

[Flying Crane]

Black Locust wood would be great for weapons as well. It is extremely hard and stable.

Also Osage Orange wood might be good as well....much harder than hickory. It density might make it a little to heavy though.

Osage orange was a favorite with Native Americans for making bows, I think it’s properties may be superior to yew.

 

[CB Jones]

Osage orange was a favorite with Native Americans for making bows, I think it’s properties may be superior to yew.

Yes.

Yew, hickory, and black locust all rate around 1600 to 1850 in Janka hardness scale....osage orange rates 2400 in hardness.

Osage orange and yew also have very hard spring back qualities that make them ideal for bows.

Janka hardness table
The Janka Hardness Test for Hardwoods

Good Wood database
Osage Orange | The Wood Database - Lumber Identification (Hardwood)

 

[CB Jones]

Purple heart wood has a 2700 rating....hence why it is popular in making high quality bo

 

[JR 137]

Interesting. When I buy it at the lumberyard, it is simply categorized as hickory, there is no distinction of what species, so that is consistent with my experience as well. I don’t recall if it was call Appalachian or not, but I’ll pay closer attention.

I suppose if one were to really want a particular species, they might need to do their own lunberjacking, going after a specific tree somewhere, on their own property or something.

I’d imagine a regular lumber yard or a place like Home Depot and Lowe’s would simply buy the cheapest variety of each type of wood without care to the specific type, ie buy the cheapest hickory they can get and not differentiate what type of hickory it actually is. An independent store (non Home Depot type) would probably be able to special order it.

A specialty supplier would probably have several different types of each. And actually know what you’re talking about when you ask for something like Appalachian hickory instead of the blank stare 99% of the Home Depot guys would give you. Come to think of it, I don’t recall ever seeing hickory in a place like Home Depot; only poplar, pine, and oak.

I’ve never heard of all the varieties of hickory nor practically anything else mentioned here either.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I currently have a request out to an online supplier to see if I can get some custom sizes. They normally do small stuff (for knife handles and such - nothing longer than 36" listed on their site) and a few boards, but they have a good selection of exotic hardwoods that aren't terribly expensive, so I've sent an email to see if I could get a longer dowel or 2x2 of purpleheart. If it goes anywhere, I'll drop a note here for anyone interested.