# Care of new staff?



## Maltair (Sep 23, 2004)

Hey everyone, 
Just got a new white wax 6' staff. Sucker is stout   
It seams rather slick though. I wiped it down but it didn't help a whole lot. 
Any suggestions?


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## Feisty Mouse (Sep 24, 2004)

I don't know very much about the care of the waxwood staff, but all the ones I have seen have been pretty slick.  I don't know if you can (or want to?) roughen it at all - it will slide through your hands pretty smoothly, which is convenient.


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## clfsean (Sep 24, 2004)

Does it have a finish on it or is it raw wood?


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## bignick (Sep 24, 2004)

i have a couple of white wax escrima that i use for jujutsu...we use them for short stick and baton work...they are pretty slick...i don't know what you could do...i think there's some grip balm available...gorilla grip or something...


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## clfsean (Sep 24, 2004)

My staff & spear are white waxwood. The staff I've had for about 4 years, the spear 3. I've never finished them. The only thing I do is after a particularly sweaty work out, I'll towel them off to remove excess sweat & oil. Waxwood is going to soak up a lot of body oil & sweat because of it's porus nature & will stain tan & the more it's used, the deeper the stain. Just keep it straight & towelled off & it'll probably be just fine. 

A deeply darkened waxwood staff can "kinda" be used as an indicator of practice... the darker the wood, the longer the practice time shown. It's a reach, but it's a thing...


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## Michael Billings (Sep 24, 2004)

My staff is 20 years old & spear about 18 years.  The 2-headed spear is about 15 now.  All are white waxwood, and I oil them periodically (just don't use peanut oil or the ants may come a visiting).

 I have newer staffs and sticks of various materials including waxwood.  I did sand them very lightly a bit at first, especially the ends where you can ding someone or yourself with the wood.

 -Michael


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## Maltair (Sep 26, 2004)

I talked to my instructor, he has never messed with Wax wood. He thought maybe using a rough sandpaper then some oil. There currently is no finish on it that I can see. 
I've been rubbing it and working with it a bunch. I can't tell if I'm getting used to it or if it really is getting better  :idunno: I'd rather not hit it with any sandpaper. I'll have to see about that gorilla grip stuff.


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## Feisty Mouse (Sep 26, 2004)

I wouldn't hit it with sandpaper, myself.  One of my instructors left one of his waxwood staves out on a porch - so it could get rained on - for a while, and it developed this beautiful brown/grey patina.  Still slippery like waxwood, but a little more "aged".  It's very pretty, I think.


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## bignick (Sep 26, 2004)

hmmm...that sounds cool...i'd definitely not use sandpaper...they have such a great smooth finish...wouldn't want to ruin that


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## Maltair (Sep 28, 2004)

Anybody try carving or burning designs into white wax wood?


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## bignick (Sep 28, 2004)

i am definitely not an artist...unless you put martial with that i suppose...i wouldn't even dare try drawing something on scratch paper much less carving or burning...erasers don't work well there...


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