Breaking hurleys

Gee

I have broken two hurleys in the last two months, since I started getting Liam Walsh hurleys(cork)

I know they can break easily but 4/5 lads on my team use them and I havent seen them break one all year I dont think and I like his hurleys! Mine were not banded however.

What steps can I take to stop my new hurleys that I plan on getting soon from breaking?
Should I treat them/keep um somewhere specific? Thanks!

Twiceasnice97

Gee wrote: »

I have broken two hurleys in the last two months, since I started getting Liam Walsh hurleys(cork)

I know they can break easily but 4/5 lads on my team use them and I havent seen them break one all year I dont think and I like his hurleys! Mine were not banded however.

What steps can I take to stop my new hurleys that I plan on getting soon from breaking?
Should I treat them/keep um somewhere specific? Thanks!

Band them.

Gee

Twiceasnice97 wrote: »

Band them.

Thanks I should have mentioned im defo going to have these ones banded!

Connorzee

I would add not using them til next year... Or if you must, get some to weather until next year. They'll be stronger for it.

Gee

Connorzee wrote: »

I would add not using them til next year... Or if you must, get some to weather until next year. They'll be stronger for it.

Problem is I would have no hurleys until next year as I have no old ones, what do you mean by weather?

Connorzee

Maybe keep one for next year so. Light coat of linseed oil and keep it away from heat, and moisture. Under the stairs or in a bag somewhere

Hurleys are very sensitive to atmospheric conditions. Never play with an untreated hurley in wet conditions. Untreated hurleys will draw in moisture and when this happens the hurley can become weakened and susceptible to splitting, especially around the toe where the hurley is narrower.
Superficial cracks to the edges and toe are to be expected and can be treated at home by rubbing down with fine sandpaper and applying a light coat of linseed oil to the area.
After a seasons use, it is all to easy to put your hurley in the attic or the garage and forget about them for a few months but please be aware of the potential problems associated with this practice.
If the hurleys are exposed to cold-damp conditions the moisture in the atmosphere will be soaked up by the timber and the hurley can become heavier, the shaft weakened and the hurley stick more prone to breaking.
Conversely, if the hurleys are kept in very dry warm conditions, there is a chance they may dry out diminishing strike ability and leaving them weak and brittle.
The answer is to store them in the house away from radiators or fires, under the stairs is perfect. Put them in a plastic bag, this will keep the surrounding atmosphere constant for the winter period. A bin liner is ideal, it doesn’t look great but it does the job.
A smallish coat of linseed oil just before you put them away will keep the wood fibres moist enough and ensure the hurleys are ready to do the business again come the spring.
A service is a good idea, to prolong the life of your hurley a good clean up is recommended. Sanding the faces of the bas, the heel and toe edges and the shaft, then re-applying linseed oil will not only leave the hurley looking good but will also stop it drying out.

Gee

Connorzee wrote: »

Maybe keep one for next year so. Light coat of linseed oil and keep it away from heat, and moisture. Under the stairs or in a bag somewhere

Hurleys are very sensitive to atmospheric conditions. Never play with an untreated hurley in wet conditions. Untreated hurleys will draw in moisture and when this happens the hurley can become weakened and susceptible to splitting, especially around the toe where the hurley is narrower.
Superficial cracks to the edges and toe are to be expected and can be treated at home by rubbing down with fine sandpaper and applying a light coat of linseed oil to the area.
After a seasons use, it is all to easy to put your hurley in the attic or the garage and forget about them for a few months but please be aware of the potential problems associated with this practice.
If the hurleys are exposed to cold-damp conditions the moisture in the atmosphere will be soaked up by the timber and the hurley can become heavier, the shaft weakened and the hurley stick more prone to breaking.
Conversely, if the hurleys are kept in very dry warm conditions, there is a chance they may dry out diminishing strike ability and leaving them weak and brittle.
The answer is to store them in the house away from radiators or fires, under the stairs is perfect. Put them in a plastic bag, this will keep the surrounding atmosphere constant for the winter period. A bin liner is ideal, it doesn’t look great but it does the job.
A smallish coat of linseed oil just before you put them away will keep the wood fibres moist enough and ensure the hurleys are ready to do the business again come the spring.
A service is a good idea, to prolong the life of your hurley a good clean up is recommended. Sanding the faces of the bas, the heel and toe edges and the shaft, then re-applying linseed oil will not only leave the hurley looking good but will also stop it drying out.

Sounds good! Ill do that when I have the money (maybe over winter)
So for hurleys that I plan on using within a week of buying them, would you just recommend a coat of linseed oil/put it in water/leave in rain? (some suggestions I have seen on the site)

Connorzee

Linseed oil, or what Donal Og and a few others uses on there's to stop the breaking: yacht varnish

cgc5483

All great advice from Connorzee. To be honest breaking 2 in a couple of months isn't bad. I've often broken 2 in a single game.

I fix a lot of hurleys for guys and I'm not a fan of bands. Doesn't do anything more than keep the bits together when it splits and in many cases the cracks develop where the band is nailed through the hurley.

Stinicker

I had a hurley broke off my thigh when I was playing before, sweet lord I can still feel the pain, clocked the same fecker a few weeks later in a rematch.