self made hairtoys thread

**jane_marie** · January 9th, 2020, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Groovy Granny

Thanks.....so you dried it in the micro AFTER carving?

I was looking for personal experiences here for what has worked....or not...before I look online.

I hadn't given it a thought; my first/only stick was made from fallen wood that also sat in storage for a bit before I worked on it.

Yeah. I've been doing it after. My first stick was made probably a month ago and is still doing well but I don't think that long enough to tell.

I only mentioned that I found a bunch about it online to clarify that I might not know what I'm talking about.

It wasn't my intent to be rude.

**Groovy Granny** · January 9th, 2020, 12:45 PM

LOL...oh no....I didn't think it was rude at all!

TBH...it didn't even dawn on me to google it ....and I have no idea why that is

I guess because I had 'air drying' in my head only

I oiled my stick when it was finished; do you oil yours?

**jane_marie** · January 9th, 2020, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by Groovy Granny

LOL...oh no....I didn't think it was rude at all!

TBH...it didn't even dawn on me to google it ....and I have no idea why that is

I oiled my stick when it was finished; do you oil yours?

I've been doing the beeswax mostly. There have been a couple I used coconut oil on before I did the beeswax. This one I applied coconut oil after the beeswax and I'm not sure why. haha

**Groovy Granny** · January 9th, 2020, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by jane_marie

I've been doing the beeswax mostly. There have been a couple I used coconut oil on before I did the beeswax. This one I applied coconut oil after the beeswax and I'm not sure why. haha

I use that too, but have used hair oils on some of my wooden items as well.

**Entangled** · January 9th, 2020, 06:01 PM

I find it easier to carve green wood and have never had a piece crack. There’s a lot of advice on carving green wood online about spoons, because they seem to be the most mainstream small, skinny carving piece.

**Groovy Granny** · January 9th, 2020, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by Entangled

I find it easier to carve green wood and have never had a piece crack. There’s a lot of advice on carving green wood online about spoons, because they seem to be the most mainstream small, skinny carving piece.

Then how long did you let it dry (and how) before finishing it with oil etc?

**Brethil** · January 10th, 2020, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by Groovy Granny

Then how long did you let it dry (and how) before finishing it with oil etc?

I also carve my hairsticks out of green wood, and I just put my new hairsticks in the basket next to my bed and start wearing them immediately. I put oil on one of them months later because I was going to a wet place on vacation, but otherwise I haven't bothered. They probably have a decent amount of oil on them from my hair though. I think my oldest are about 2 years old and haven't had any problems.

**Groovy Granny** · January 10th, 2020, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by Brethil

I also carve my hairsticks out of green wood, and I just put my new hairsticks in the basket next to my bed and start wearing them immediately. I put oil on one of them months later because I was going to a wet place on vacation, but otherwise I haven't bothered. They probably have a decent amount of oil on them from my hair though. I think my oldest are about 2 years old and haven't had any problems.

Interesting; thanks for sharing

**jane_marie** · January 11th, 2020, 09:25 AM

Does anyone have experience hand carving spirals?

Yesterday I applied too much pressure and snapped the one I was working on.

If anyone has any advice on how to not snap it I would really love to hear it.