Best way to season a new hurley??

Johnny Blue 2

Just after getting 3 new Hurleys and I want to season them for the summer coming so I was wondering what is the best way of seasoning a new Hurley to prevent it cracking immediately??.....

bruschi

Johnny Blue 2 wrote: »

Just after getting 3 new Hurleys and I want to season them for the summer coming so I was wondering what is the best way of seasoning a new Hurley to prevent it cracking immediately??.....

I used to religiously coat mine in linseed oil, let them hang dry, sand them a bit, and another coat or 2. and then invariably they'd break in the first clash in the first training session, so I basically gave up on it. I'd go through so many in the year I just thought it was a waste of time. Best thing to do is just make sure they are kept in a warm dry place when not in use. dont leave them out in the boot of a car, or out in a garage. I have a hurl bag thing for when they are in the boot, and generally keep them in the utility room at home. keep them well, and its as good as anything.

M.R.B

bruschi wrote: »

Best thing to do is just make sure they are kept in a warm dry place when not in use. dont leave them out in the boot of a car, or out in a garage. I have a hurl bag thing for when they are in the boot, and generally keep them in the utility room at home. keep them well, and its as good as anything.

My uncle used to run Shanahan Hurls in Limerick, and he always said(and does his nephew who runs it now) that hurls shouldn't be left in boots of the cars, as during the summer months, it becomes very hot inside the boot which dries up the hurl and eventually leads to cracks...

Now I know you weren't saying to leave them in the boots, but I'd be wary of leaving them anywhere too warm !

As for myself, I usually linssed oil them a few days apart and break them in before training itself....

I've also heard that if you know a heavy rain shower is on the way its best to leave them out in it... I've never tried it myself, but thats not to say it doesn't work !

Johnny Blue 2

I tried linseed oil for a while too and as yourself did not notice any difference...thanks for your advice anyway!

Toomey_7

lol that oil is an old wifes tale id say :P a good soaking always seems to do the trick i dont do it intentionally but after a downpour on in a training session they always seem to be better after it!
as long as there kept in a cool dry place and laid flat they should last long! having them propped up against a wall eventually leads to them bending and warping

Peace

The hurleys need a certain moisture content to allow them to flex. Its the ability to flex which will give the hurley a better chance of not breaking/cracking. It is a balancing act though as too much moisture is not good for either.

General advice as above would be to take them out of the boot of your car and store them inside. Definately not beside a radiator as this would dry them out quickly.

If you are playing outside you will inevitably be playing in the wet (welcome to the irish summer) which will provide the hurley with additional moisture.

If you are not playing with some hurleys perhaps storing them in your garage might be good? I know my garage is slightly damp and not heated. Should allow the hurelys to maintain moisture level.

Peace

Forgot to mention that with my new hurley at the moment i am only using it for skills and drills where there is no contact (Also any puckabouts).

Any matches i immediately pick up one of the hurleys that survived last year. This will hopefully allow the new hurley to season over the next month or two before i'm forced to use it in anger.

entropi

A guy in my class last year gave me a good tip for weathering them that he has done since he was told at a young age: leave them out in the shed. It allows the moisture content to build up, and the cold nights will harden them up somewhat...they usually work out for the best and last through to summer provided there's no clashing