# Staff Material



## kenpoevolution (Jul 31, 2003)

What type of material is your staff made of?

What is good and bad about the type of staff you use?

Which material is the strongest?

Thanks.


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## Ukideshi (Jul 31, 2003)

I have a rattan staff for training and competition and a solid 1" diameter aluminum staff I use to strengthen my staff wielding "muscles".  I use the aluminim staff to practice forms and then use my seemingly featherweight rattan staff afterwards.
Just a fun thing I like to do sometimes.


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## Michael Billings (Jul 31, 2003)

Chinese waxwood in the traditional sense for my original staff, spear, 2 headed spear, and now sticks, & nunchacu.

I have Ash for my Monkey Staff length weapons, Oak (of course) and some more esoteric woods for my shorter weapons.

I have a student with the graphite and I like it.


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## kenpoevolution (Jul 31, 2003)

Where does waxwood come from? Is there a wax wood tree?


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## Michael Billings (Jul 31, 2003)

... of the tree.  Soaked over a long period of time and straightened, it retains the flexibility that hardwoods lack, but the grain and natural toughness of the root can "turn" or "bind" a blade, before severing.  It is Light, durable and strong. This staff is the choice for Shoalin Monks historically.  You may want to do a search of the internet to find more specific info.  Any stick would do ... and did.  The flexibility is favored by WuShu practitioners today because of the "bending" or "shuddering" of the weapon as it fulcrums off the body or hand.  It almost looks flexible.  

You may want to ask this same question in the  Chinese Martial Arts - General  forum on MartialTalk.


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## Michael Billings (Jul 31, 2003)

Kenpo Evolution:

http://www.plumblossom.net/Articles/Inside_Kung-Fu/March2003/SpearText.html

Here is a good article from Inside Kung-Fu

-MB


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## kenpoevolution (Jul 31, 2003)

Thank you sir. I really liked the article.


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## Ginsu (Jul 31, 2003)

KE,
I use a sectional graphite staff and I believe that it is more then likely one of the strongest materials that staffs are made of  currently. However I may be wrong there may be something lighter and stronger, and some of those old wood staffs can be rock hard so...

Good luck in trying to find something you like.

_Ginsu_


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## kenpoevolution (Jul 31, 2003)

That makes sense. Carbon is one of the strongest and lightest elements. It is even commonly used in professional bicycle wheels since it is so strong and extremely light.


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## tshadowchaser (Jul 31, 2003)

i use oak and maple they are growing all over the place so I can cut a new one when ever I need one. 
 I prefer hickory for some 28 -30 inch weapons but  hickory trees are not as plentiful in this area as they once was.  Black walnut I pick up when in in N.C. for my walking sticks.
I want to try the long wax wood stafs but a yet hav not aquired one


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## Nightingale (Aug 1, 2003)

my bo staff is made of a wood called purpleheart.  its one of the densest woods.  its very heavy, and when you pick it up, there is no doubt that you're holding a real weapon, which is why I like it.  Its extremely durable.  I was introduced to the wood at the renaissance faire, when I was doing quarterstaff fighting.  Most of the weapons were either oak, ash, or purpleheart. Its an expensive wood, but very beautiful, and very strong.  

Purpleheart is a purplish brown color (almost an auburn) and its a really beautiful wood.  My kama handles are also made of purpleheart, and I've been looking into having some sais made with purpleheart grips.

the downside to this wood is that it is HEAVY.  it takes a lot more effort to do a lot of the fancy stuff that you can with a light toothpick style bo, but I think its worth the sacrifice.


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## Goldendragon7 (Aug 1, 2003)

> _Originally posted by kenpoevolution _*
> What type of material is your staff made of?
> 
> What is good and bad about the type of staff you use?
> ...



Good Question........ 

It really depends on the type of set you are doing.   Different forms require or are traditional to certain types of staffs.

Many Chines Forms use waxwood for their type of maneuvers and actions.   Yet the Japanese use hardwoods such as Oak, Maple, Ash or others.  

The Okinawans use a "tapered ends" bo for their specific uses.

Depending upon usefulness will depend upon the material.  Today can find these new substances such as aluminum or graphiute or exotic woods like the beautiful Purple Heart or Cocobolo.   I like Ironwood staffs as a training tool "weight"!

:asian:


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## Kroy (Sep 9, 2003)

I really like the feel of the wax wood.


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## TIGER DRAGON FIGHT (Jul 8, 2004)

i enjoy working with the rattan bo staff for its flexibility and durability.:jedi1:


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## Touch Of Death (Jul 8, 2004)

Broom handle.


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## Mark Weiser (Oct 17, 2004)

Rattan due to the ability of the material to flex with some of the forms making it easier to reach over or around the harder staffs.


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## Maltair (Oct 17, 2004)

Wax wood staff. It is akin the the feeling of a good hickory bat, or an oak axe handle. Feels burly. Takes a licken too.


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## Feisty Mouse (Oct 18, 2004)

I have done very little staff work, but really enjoyed the waxwood staff I was loaned for training.  Light, supple, strong, springy.


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## DoxN4cer (Oct 24, 2004)

I have a short staff made from a coffee bush.  I like it.  It's light, strong and just flexible enough to generate a significant amount of whipping action.

Tim Kashino


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## Congaman (Sep 6, 2018)

kenpoevolution said:


> What type of material is your staff made of?
> 
> What is good and bad about the type of staff you use?
> 
> ...


Many people feel pine is not a good wood for bo staffs. Pine is not a hardwood because the grains are loose. But pine is durable and dosen't crack if it's solid, but it will dent. Pine is flexible and absorbs shock. The trick to pine is using a process on it called "boning " Or compressing. I learned of this process from two sources. It is called boning because baseball players used to use a big steer leg bone or cow bone and rubbed it on their bats to compress the grain. It stopped chipping and made the bats harder and more durable.
In traditional archery there is a wood arrow material called Port Ortford Cedar that is a compressed cedar.Makes the arrow stronger harder and lighter..
So by taking a bone or an iron or lead pipe or anything hard. And rub in up and down all sides of the bo staff. It will make the pine a very nice wood for a staff that will resist denting and make it much harder by pressing the wood grains tighter. I tested a closet pine pole that I applied the process to by hitting clay pots and a cement block and it was devastating on them.


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## CB Jones (Sep 6, 2018)

My son wants a Purpleheart bo but I’ve told him h has to wait til he stops growing.  Lol.


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