Quality Chinese White Wax Staff

[Brian R. VanCise]

Okay so we are having a discussion on wooden training weapons here: http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/210-general-weapons-discussion/115826-weapon-questions.html

Xue mentioned just get a Chinese White Wax Staff and be done with it. That got me to thinking as I have very little experience with Chinese arts and I am curious about the strength and resiliency of a Chinese White Wax Staff (especially in comparison to Japanese White Oak) where would I get one that is the real deal top of the line. Mind you I need the best not a cheaper knock off utilizing the name. Thanks

 

[clfsean]

Okay so we are having a discussion on wooden training weapons here: http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/210-general-weapons-discussion/115826-weapon-questions.html

Xue mentioned just get a Chinese White Wax Staff and be done with it. That got me to thinking as I have very little experience with Chinese arts and I am curious about the strength and resiliency of a Chinese White Wax Staff (especially in comparison to Japanese White Oak) where would I get one that is the real deal top of the line. Mind you I need the best not a cheaper knock off utilizing the name. Thanks

I was in NYC Chinatown this weekend & at Bok Lei Po they have some 9 footers in there that are about as thick as a baseball bat & running down to about half-dollar diameter. I'd order one of those but you'd probably need to call it in to describe exactly the stick. They're on the floor in front of the shoes.

The problem with white waxwood, most people want it light for the "appearance" sake when performing & don't want any backbone in it. So they're a bit thin & flimsy. If you want something with some backbone & made of waxwood, look for "nan gun" or "Southern Style" sticks. They're generally thicker & heavier.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I have a few of different lengths.

The longest is for Taijiquan and is about 9 feet long and I really would not want to get hit with it, it is not at all flimsy and it will hit you like a whip if done right

Forgive the music with this, but I use to do a drill very similar to this with the 9 foot staff

I have three 6 foot long staffs (northern) and I have to agree with clfsean, it was hard to get one that was not for performance....which is why I have 3 and one of those is not as flexible as the 9 footer but I would not want to get hit with that one either, it is pretty resilient, used it for a Xingyi staff form and a Long fist form (the long fist form broke my ankle...with the staff).

I have a short 3 footer that I had to buy to learn a stick form from my first sifu, that one I would not want to hit anyone with because it is pretty flimsy. First strike would likely hurt but the first strike may be the last.... if you used it like a jian it may last longer but it is still not something I would want to depend on in a fight

 

[Thunder Foot]

I just acquired a white waxwood 6ft. It seems to be holding up nicely, after i cracked several oak staffs learning a Northern pole set. The lu has several overhead strikes which snaps the gwuns everytime.... but not the waxwood. I don't know if they are all created equal, but this gwun wasn't too expensive and has held up.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Where did you get it?

 

[Thunder Foot]

Bo Staff: Carved Dragon Wax Wood (72")

Here is what I purchased. I reluctantly bought it as I wanted something plain and just didn't think that a cheap gwun like this would out perform some of the previously crack-to-snapped ones I payed upwards of $150 for. My mentor says its the flex in the pole that is key. I've given this gwun some tough love and I must say that I'm shocked to see it's still in great shape.

 

[Flying Crane]

Unfortunately, Brendan Lai's in San Francisco closed down recently. I used to get mine from them, it's usually best if you can walk in and see what they've got on hand because they are not all the same. Sometimes they would have good ones in stock, other times they were low on stock and only had lesser-quality.

I like to give them a good sanding, tho they will never be perfectly finished I just liked to smooth them out a bit. Then I burn them lightly with a blowtorch and finish them with a few coats of linseed oil. When the oil cures it hardens and makes the staff a bit more resilient to impact. The wood naturally is somewhat soft and impact can damage the surface and eventually lead to splitting. As has been pointed out, heavier staffs will hold up better. Also, the cured linseed oil will stiffen the staff a bit. So if it's a bit more flexible than you like, that will be reduced a small amount.

I have several staffs I use in training, as well as all of my spear shafts. I've finished them all in this manner and I do like the results.